Nexus - 0110 - New Times Magazine-pages

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VALDEZ PRINCIPLES THE THE VALDEZ PRINCIPLES "A coalition of environmental groups, religious organizations and investors controlling more than US$100 billion, among them the funds of New York City and California, introduced a code of conduct yesterday to use in judging which corporations are environmentally responsible."" Quote from The New York Times. C.E.R.E.S. Project (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) is the name of the coalition, and they called this document The Valdez Principles after the Exxon Valdez disaster. What makes this 10-part statement so exciting is that it intends to establish ecological wisdom as the standard by which corporations do business. The implications of an internationally accepted set of principles based on ecological responsibility is vast: Is the company that made the product you are about to buy signatory to the Valdez Principles? Why not have a recognisable seal on the label shows the company’s participation in this program? This could make our shopping choices straightforward. We vote with our dollars. We sculpt the world around us by our informed purchases of goods and services. With a set of principles like these to easily guide the public, some companies that are signatories will expand, and those who are not will decline if they do not reappraise their corporate direction. Ww: recognise this to be a long-term commitment to update our practices continually in light of advances in technology and new understandings in health and environmental science. We intend to make consistent, measurabie progress in implementing these principles and to apply them wherever we operate throughout the world: 1. Protection of the biosphere: We will minimise and impacts and that are safe as consumers commonly use them. strive to eliminate the release of any pollutantthat may cause We will inform consumers of the environmental impacts of environmental damage to the air, water or earth or its our products or services. inhabitants. We will safeguard habitats in rivers, lakes, 7. Damage Compensation: We will take responsibility for wetlands, coastal zones and oceans and will minimise any harm we cause to the environment by making every contributing to the greenhouse effect, depletionof the ozone _ effort to fully restore the environment and to compensate layer, acid rain or smog. those persons who are adversely affected. 2. Sustainable Use of Natural Resources: We will make 8. Disclosure: We will disclose to our employees and to the sustainable use of renewable natural resources, such as public, incidents relating to our operations that cause water, soils and forests. We will conserve non-renewable —_ environmental harm or pose health or safety hazards. We natural resources through efficient use and careful planning. _ will disclose potential environment, health or safety hazards We will protect wildlife habitat, open spacesand wildemess, posed by our operations. We will not take any action against while preserving bicdiversity. employees who report any condition that creates a danger to 3. Reduction and Disposal of Waster: We will minimise _ the environment or poses health and safety hazards. the creation of waste, especially hazardous waste, and 9. Environmental Directors and Managers: At least one wherever possible recycle materials. We will dispose of all | member of the Board of Directors will be a person qualified wastes through safe and responsible methods. to represent environmental interests. We will commit 4. Wise Use of Energy: We will make every effort to use management resources to implement these Principles, environmentally safe and sustainable energy sourcestomeet including the funding of an office of vice president for our needs. We will invest in improved energy efficiency and —_ environmental affairs or an equivalent executive position, conservation in our operations. We will maximise the _ reporting directly tothe CEO, to monitor and report upon our energy efficiency of products we produce or sell. implementation efforts. 5. Risk Reduction: We will minimise environmental, 10. Assessment and Annual Audit: We will conduct and health and safety risks to our employees and the make public an annual self-evaluation of our progress in communities in which we operate, by employing safe implementing these Principles and in complying with all technologies and operating procedures and by being applicable laws and regulations throughout our world-wide constantly prepared for emergencies. operations. We will work toward the timely creation of 6. Marketing of Safe Products and Services: We will sell independent environmental audit procedures which we will products or services that minimise adverse environmental complete annually and make available to the public. By adopting these principles we publicly affirm our belief that corporations and their shareholders have a direct responsibility for the environment. We believe corporations must conduct their business as responsible stewards of the environment and seek profits only in a manner that leaves the Earth healthy and safe. We believe corporations must NOT compromise the ability of future generations to sustain their needs. Nexus *10