In relation to the commercial world, an interesting article was published in the Autumn 1990 issue of One Earth, the magazine of the Friends of the Earth, by Dr. R.C. Keen, Principal Lecturer at Bristol and Hong Kong Polytechnics. He wrote that: -
"The target must be to provide an integrated and comprehensive
'environmental package.' This approach has already been incorporated into sound business practice in the West and Japan under the rubric of 'loss control.' In the battle to stay competitive, managers have become used to the need to stay abreast of legislative innovation in all fields, and to translate the requirements into language that will be understood both in the boardroom and on the shop floor."
"Challenges faced by Hong Kong managers in implementing new
environmentally sound policies will include the need to:
review the organisation's activities and consider whether consultants should be engaged;
alter working practices to stay within new legislative and common law strictures;
explore new business opportunities arising from new business practice;
comment on any suggested relocation strategies (a common knee-jerk response to escape new pollution control measures). The responsible manager should be prepared to point out that this will gain only a short-term reprieve, as developing countries such as China, Thailand and the Philippines are becoming sensitive to the implications of this type of movement;
battle for budget extensions to ensure compliance with newly mandated measures (including salaries for appropriate new staff);
review work practices and organise the education of subordinate staff through new operating manuals; and,
co-ordinate activities to prevent subordinate managers transferring problems sideways to a difference department.
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These are general propositions, but the growing awareness of the issues in Hong Kong may give an added incentive to local people to participate in discussions at various levels.
The Role of Parliamentary and Local Government Institutions: discussion about details of procedure would be important.
A
Legco