The 2nd APO World Conference on Green Productivity

Statement on Green Productivity 2002

Appreciating that the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) launched the Green Productivity program in Asia and the Pacific in 1994, in response to the Rio Earth Summit of 1992, with special funding from the Government of Japan, as a strategy to create a paradigm shift among the stakeholders for productivity enhancement in harmony with environmental protection;

Having due regard to the Manila Declaration on Green Productivity adopted during the First APO World Conference on Green Productivity held in the Philippines in 1996; and the Johannesburg Declaration adopted during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in the Republic of South Africa in 2002, and further to the International Declaration on Cleaner Production of United Nations Environment Program in 1998 and the Millennium Development Goals, 2000 ;

Recognizing that the Green Productivity is a holistic approach to realize the APO’s vision as expressed in the International Productivity Declaration adopted during the International Productivity Conference held in Singapore in October 2001 for strengthening competitiveness, protecting the environment, and attaining social fairness;

Emphasizing that sustainable development continues to be a critical issue that must be addressed with a sense of urgency by all and that the Green Productivity program has shown, with its many successful cases, to be a practical and effective means for attaining sustainable development;

Noting that under its Green Productivity program, the APO has extensively and successfully promoted and publicized the GP concept to all the stakeholders in the government, public, and economic sectors in the region; and that it has endeavored to build the Green Productivity capabilities of the National Productivity Organizations (NPOs);

This Second World Conference on GP:

1. Confirms that Green Productivity program should be the driving force to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development;

2. Stresses that in future plans for the APO’s Green Productivity program, the outcome of the WSSD should be given due consideration, especially with regard to issues related to the management of natural resources, sustainable production and consumption, and eradication of poverty;

3. Agrees that Green Productivity concept and practices should be integrated in industry, agriculture, service sectors as well as communities;

4. Urges the governments and businesses as the primary stakeholders in governance to infuse Green Productivity concept in the development policies and corporate strategies, respectively;

5. Calls on all stakeholders to extend, in the spirit of partnership, their assistance and cooperation to Green Productivity program; and

6. Recommends that the APO:

i. Encourage all concerned, particularly decision makers in the public and private sectors, to contribute to Green Productivity practices proactively through all possible means including greening of supply chain with a view to changing unsustainable production and consumption patterns;

ii. Further strengthen collaboration with national and local governments, enterprises, labor unions, financial institutions, academia, trade and professional associations, media, civil society and international organizations in implementing Green Productivity program with shared responsibilities for sustainable development;

iii. Promote the incorporation of Green Productivity concept and approaches in the formal and informal education systems;

iv. Develop indicators at various levels for measuring the results of Green Productivity practices to share with others for effective Green Productivity implementation and promotion;

v. Urge the NPOs to enhance their capabilities and capacity in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating Green Productivity program, and also in disseminating its successful cases to contribute to the national development goals; and

vi. Contribute to further promotion of the concept and practices of Green Productivity as a key to poverty alleviation in conjunction with the Integrated Community Development program in line with the Partnership Initiative accepted at the WSSD.

11, December 2002
Manila, The Philippines