Singapore Green Labelling SchemeAs part of our efforts to keep up with the changing needs of the industry, we are constantly considering new product categories to be incorporated under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS).
We are pleased to announce our new product category for Doors; SGLS Category 70 – Doors. The new assessment criteria for doors will be effective from 25 August 2014.
Contact us to know find out more!
As part of our continuous effort to maintain relevance of Green Label to the current industries, we have appointed Ernst & Young LLP in July 2013 to help in the criteria revision.
We are currently revising our Organic Fertilizer (Soil Improver, Growing Media and we would like to obtain your kind feedback and comments on the revised draft.
The stakeholder consultation period is from 4 August 2014 to 3 September 2014. Representatives from Ernst & Young will be consulting stakeholders, and conducting a face to face discussion within this period. We will also welcome feedback from the industry on how the category can be improved.
As part of our efforts to keep up with the changing needs of the industry, we are constantly considering new product categories to be incorporated under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS).
After 2 months of intensive stakeholder consultation, we are pleased to announce our new product category for Pipes; SGLS Category 69 -Pipes. The new assessment criteria for pipes will be launched on 1 August 2014.
Contacts to know find out more!
As part of our continuous effort to maintain relevance of Green Label to the current industries, we have appointed Ernst & Young LLP in July 2013 to help in the criteria revision. We are pleased to inform that the new criteria for SGLS Category 33 & 38 – Copying Machines, Printers, Fax Machines & Multifunctional Devices will be effective from 16 June 2014.
Contact us to know more about the newly revised criteria.
As part of our continuous effort to maintain relevance of Green Label to the current industries, we have appointed Ernst & Young LLP in July 2013 to help in the criteria revision. We are pleased to inform that the new criteria for Product from Recycled and or sustainable content will be effective from 6 May 2014.
Contact us to know more about the newly revised criteria.
As part of our continuous effort to maintain relevance of Green Label to the current industries, we have appointed Ernst & Young LLP in July 2013 to help in the criteria revision.
We are pleased to announce that we have revised the criteria for LED lights, and the new requirements will be effective from 26 April 2014.
Contact us to find out more about the new criteria!
The Singapore Environment Council today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan to cooperate in the sharing of best practices aimed at addressing issues pertaining to conservation, effective use of natural resources and the provision of ecological safety at the national, regional and international levels. The ceremony was witnessed by Singapore’s Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Mr Zulkifli Baharudin and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Usmanov Arifbekovich.
Photo Caption:
SEC Executive Director Jose Raymond and Deputy Chairman of the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan Sayedrasul Sanginov complete the signing of the MOU in Tashkent. The ceremony was witnessed by Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Mr Zulkifli Baharudin and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Usmanov Arifbekovich. (photo credit: Singapore Environment Council)
For Immediate Release
Singapore Environment Council and Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan sign landmark MOU to cooperate in spearheading environment and public health protection
Tashkent, 3 April 2012 – The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan. This collaboration – which marks SEC’s first ever with an overseas government-linked environmental organisation – will witness the sharing of best practices aimed at addressing issues pertaining to conservation, effective use of natural resources and the provision of ecological safety at the national, regional and international levels. The ceremony was witnessed by Singapore’s Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Mr Zulkifli Baharudin and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Usmanov Arifbekovich.
Speaking on the occasion of the signing ceremony held at the reception house of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, DeputyChairman of the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan Mr Sayedrasul Sanginov said: “We view this partnership as a vital building block towards developing a solution to Uzbekistan’s pressing environmental challenges; a solution we hope will eventually result in positive action and change. Over the years, SEC has given strength and bearing to the environmental movement in Singapore by reaching out to the public through its educational, community and industrial arms. We look forward to embarking on this momentous journey together.”
The MOU will set the framework for collaboration in the development of a unified vision of ecological safety in the international arena, sharing of information and research on issues such as improving air and water quality as well as the implementation of joint projects in a bid to mitigate the negative impact of human activities on the environment.
SEC’s Executive Director Mr Jose Raymond, who represented the Council at the signing ceremony, said: “This partnership is a key development in facilitating the Council’s expanding role in driving sustainable business practices. By bringing together expertise on best environmental and business practices, this strategic partnership between SEC and the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan will aid us in our pursuit of environmental excellence as the largest environmental non-government organisation in Singapore, thereby enhancing Singapore’s position as a ‘green dot’ in the business world.”
This partnership is the brainchild of an international roundtable meeting held in Tashkent in December 2011, which focused on the current problems in the area of environmental safety and health protection, as well as the role of civil society institutions in solving them. Among the problems discussed was the Aral Sea crisis, which poses critical social and economic implications.
| The Aral – previously one of the world’s largest bodies of inland water – experienced a rapid reduction in water volume due to the massive water demand created by Uzbekistan’s irrigated cotton fields. This resulted in a corresponding increase in water salinity, deterioration of water quality and consequently, deterioration in population health due to effects on the gene pool. Land productivity has also been reduced as the water used for irrigation comprises a much higher salinity. “This is a problem with serious social and economic implications, to which all Central Asian states are connected directly or indirectly. A key priority in helping us tackle this problem is to enhance our relationship with international organisations like the SEC,” added Mr Sanginov. |
The MOU also seeks to develop bilateral relations and strengthen collaboration between the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan and Singapore Environment Council. The SEC will work with the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan to share best practices and programmes which have been successfully implemented in Singapore to recognise environmental excellence. These include the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and announced regional expansion plans. The School’s Green Audit Awards, launched 12 years ago, promotes environmental values among young school children through a simple environmental audit programme. The SEC also aims to cultivate green heartware among Singaporean office employees through Project: Eco-Office, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Under the agreement, cooperation between the SEC and Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan will also include the following:
· Promoting collaboration to study and address regional as well as global ecological issues related to conservation and the effective use of natural resources with the aim to ensure ecological safety;
– Improving mechanisms of implementation of public ecological control in the area of environment protection and sustainable use of nature;
· Promoting further collaboration on improvement of environment and public health in ecological distress zones;
· Protecting diversity and managing biological resources;
· Protecting natural habitat and developing protected areas;
· Promoting the use of environmentally sound renewable energy sources;
“For past 17 years, the SEC has been striving to bring the message of environmental protection to a larger audience. This year was a breakthrough as a few of our projects – namely the Asian Environmental Journalism Awards, Singapore Green Labelling Scheme and the Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards – have managed to secure an international footprint. This partnership with the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan represents yet another accomplishment under our belt,” added Mr Raymond.
**END OF MEDIA RELEASE**
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
About the Singapore Environment Council
Established in 1995, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is an independently managed, non-government organisation that nurtures, facilitates and co-ordinates environmental causes in Singapore. SEC’s work is founded on three pillars of action – Firstly, partnership with the people, private and public sectors of Singaporean society, to nurture a culture aligned with sustainable development concepts. Secondly, SEC rewards environmental excellence through awards schemes and product endorsement programmes, such as the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme. Thirdly, the SEC collaborates with partners to develop and implement training and learning programmes to build competencies in environmental sustainability within companies, thus keeping our business leaders ahead of the curve. Visit our website atwww.sec.org.sg.
www.facebook.com/SingaporeEnvironmentCouncil
About the eCOLOGICAL mOVEMENT OF uzbekistan
The Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan was created on August 2, 2008 and registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on September 20, 2008. The main slogan of the Movement is “The healthy environment – the healthy person”. It aims to raise the responsibility of central and local authorities, various public and other structures for unconditional performance of laws and other governmental decisions concerning environmental protection, rational use of natural resources and funds directed to these purposes.
The Movement aims to:
· Increase public participation in protection of environment and improvement of ecological conditions;
· Assistance to the further perfection and development of the legislation concerning protection of the environment;
· Increase of ecological culture of the population, development of system of ecological upbringing and education;
· Development of international cooperation regarding the protection of the environment;
· Coordination of activity of non-governmental and non-commercial organizations
The Green Leaf logo has become a familiar sight in Singapore houses and offices, and plans to expand its reach to the region as well.
Singapore, 16 March 2012 – The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) today commemorated the 20th Anniversary the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS), Singapore’s leading eco-labelling scheme. The lunchtime celebration ceremony, held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Ballroom, served to thank SGLS’ clients, sponsors and partners for their support, commemorate the progress and achievements of the scheme to date, and also mark the beginning of the next chapter of the development of the scheme – regional expansion.
The Guest-of-Honour, Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts & Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, praised the scheme for playing a significant role in helping consumers make informed decisions about their purchases and also expressed confidence that the Green Label “can grow even more in its stature as a trustworthy benchmark of environmental-friendliness and quality for everyone”.
Clients of the Scheme also lent their support to the event, and acknowledged the benefits that the Green Label certification had brought to their businesses. Mr Liew Kah Mun, CEO of Archicom Pte Ltd explained: “Getting our products certified under theSingapore Green Labelling Scheme has been a decision that opened up many new markets and opportunities for us. It has enabled us to capitalise on the national shift towards green construction, and we have gained a marketing edge because of the Green Label certification. We’re very happy to give back by coming on board as the Gold Sponsors for this event”. Archicom distributes products such as Aluminium Honeycomb Panel, Aluminium Composite Panel, FR Aluminium Composite Panel, Aluminium Coated Coil, Aluminium Embossed Coil and Stone Wool Panels.
Regional Expansion Plans
Thanking the Council’s clients, partners and advisors for their support, Ms Isabella Loh reflected: “We could not have crossed the 20 year mark with such success without the support of our government partners, clients, and advisors. Thank you all once again for supporting the use of environmentally-preferable products”.
Elaborating on this sentiment, she shared SEC’s plans to expand the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme into the region. “The next step for the Green Label is regional expansion,through a two-pronged approach. First, we will reach out to companies in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, where our scheme already enjoys considerable success. There is also another group of countries with untapped expansion potential, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. As awareness about ecolabelling within these countries is slowly growing, SEC is excited to reach out to manufacturers and consumers within these countries”.
SEC has a variety of strategies in place to expand the scheme regionally. It plans to utilise its membership in the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) and accreditation under the Global Ecolabelling Network’s Internationally Coordinated Ecolabelling System (GENICES) to develop mutual recognition agreements that allow SGLS products to be accepted for import into other GEN countries, and collaborate with GEN members in the region to develop new criteria for products in the region.
SEC also intends to work with the Singapore Accreditation Council to have their endorsement on the quality of its certification process to enhance the credibility of the scheme at home, and worldwide. Strategies that enhance marketing capabilities, such as the development of a QR Code System, revising the Green Label existing product criteria, adding new criteria to meet market demand, and a revamp of the Green Label website to enable paperless applications are also in the pipeline.
For more information about the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme, please visit www.sec.org.sg/sgls.
**END OF MEDIA RELEASE**
Singapore, 23 February 2012 – Sustainability was the buzz word this morning at City Square Mall, Singapore’s first eco-mall, as real estate developer City Developments Limited (CDL) and the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) – officially introduced a make-over for the Project: Eco-Office initiative at the 10th Anniversary Celebration and Presentation Ceremony. The event was graced by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
Project: Eco-Office which was launched on 5 June 2002, is a joint initiative by CDL and SEC. Targeted at the business community, the outreach initiative provides organisations with a ‘starter kit’ on cultivating environmental-consciousness at the workplace. The aim was to bring the environmental message to offices in Singapore by making available posters and stickers with environmental messages that could be displayed in one’s office.
Said CDL Managing Director Kwek Leng Joo, “Project: Eco-Office was born at a time when little was being done to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly habits at the workplace. As a major landlord in Singapore and a pioneer in the green movement, CDL recognised the need to change the way businesses work, think and manage precious resources at the workplace. Together with SEC, this initiative was introduced to reach out to businesses and office workers. In line with our commitment towards environmental sustainability, we leveraged on our position as a landlord to encourage every new tenant to “green” their premises, providing them with a Project: Eco-Office kit and engaging them in numerous green outreach programmes.”
Expanding on Project: Eco-Office further, an online self-rating system was launched in late 2003 for offices to determine how green they were. In 2005, offices that were rated well were encouraged to participate in a formal audit conducted by an independent auditor. Successful offices that meet the mark are awarded the Eco-Office Label certification. More than 100 offices ranging from the property, banking, construction, pharmaceutical and electronic sectors, among many others, have received the Eco-Office certification since the programme was launched.
The SEC, which administers the Eco-Office certification, is targeting to add another 100 new offices to the tally by the end of this year. This is more than a 100 per cent increase from the current number of offices which have received certification. CDL and SEC hope to reach the target as part of its efforts in contributing to Singapore’s commitment of reducing carbon emissions by 7 – 11 percent from BAU (Business as Usual) levels in support of the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint.
Explaining the bullish targets which have been set, SEC Executive Director Jose Raymond shared that with a greater awareness of environmental issues such as climate change, he was confident that organisations will make the effort to change, starting with their practices at the work place. “The Eco-Office programme has been around for 10 years and we expect its demand to increase as more organisations realise the importance of conserving the environment and its resources. This is the reason why the key message, constantly carried on the newly designed Project: Eco-Office posters emphasise that the earth’s resources are finite and that we should only use what we need.”
Designed by boutique design agency Thinking Designs, the new-look collaterals, which include thought provoking messages like “What if you had to eat your coffee?”, provide office employees a constant reminder about the importance of saving our world’s natural resources while reflecting on simple everyday routines, such as making a cup of coffee. A new Project: Eco-Office Facebook page, www.facebook.com/projectecooffice was also launched today. A daily green tip will be posted on the Facebook page among other information like links to stories on environmental issues.
The first batch of companies which were Eco-Office certified received their certificates at the inaugural award presentation ceremony in 2005. Pioneer batch of recipients were Ricoh Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, the National Environment Agency (NEA) Headquarters, and the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and CDL. These four organisations have also been maintaining their Eco-Office status through re-certification till today. In fact, NEA has the accolade of having consistently achieved the greatest number of offices certified under this bi-annual certification scheme.
Said NEA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Tan, “As the national agency for promoting and sustaining a clean and green environment in Singapore, it is important that we walk the talk and set high environmental standards ourselves. NEA is committed to improving our systems, engaging our staff and meeting, if not exceeding, the “Project: Eco-Office” requirements for certification.”
Apart from the NEA, about 75 per cent of offices which are currently certified are public organisations, like government agencies, including ministries and statutory boards. This, according to SEC, is an indication of how the Government is taking the lead in encouraging organisations to be environmentally conscious and in conserving the world’s natural resources.
**END OF MEDIA RELEASE**
