Iwate Prefecture to Launch Local Environmental Management System Standards

A study group in Iwate that has the participation of the business, governmental and academic communities will establish the "Iwate Environmental Management System Standard" (IES) in April 2003. It aims at promoting locally-shared standards that can be used by small- and medium-sized companies, municipalities, schools, non-profit organizations and other organizations at a lower cost than the international ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems.

A unique local certification system for environmental management has already been put in practice in Kyoto Prefecture. In addition to introducing most elements of the Kyoto system, the IES will include measures for global warming prevention as well as natural scenery preservation. Iwate will become the third prefecture in Japan after Kyoto and Shiga to implement a local standard.



Posted: 2002/08/22 07:04:44 AM
Japanese version