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The Textile Magazine
MAY 2012
SGS
sustainability drive ensures cost
reduction, better use of resources
testing & certification
With increasing global mar-
ket pressures to create a com-
mercial edge, sustainability is
fast becoming the key concept
that shapes a company’s short-
term prospects and overall
long-term success. Consumers
are demanding greater transpar-
ency in the sustainability claims
of the products they buy, and
SGS, with its sustainability
service program, is at the fore-
front of this development.
Dr. G. Sudesh Kumar, Direc-
tor, Consumer Testing Services,
SGS India, spoke of the need to
introduce sustainability initia-
tives to the Indian marketplace,
initiatives which SGS has success-
fully established in both Europe and
China over the last four years.
“There are very few certifica-
tion companies like ours which
are working towards achieving
sustainability, and we are the first
ones operating in India to come up
with these new services. Though
there is a basic understanding of the
concept of sustainability, people
are a little hesitant to invest in
such projects. But we are working
towards spreading the awareness
of what the services are and how
they are beneficial for long-term
growth.”
SGS measures sustainability in
business through a three core-area
classification assessment. This
assessment determines the environ-
mental impact of a product during
its entire life cycle; the eco-design,
with particular focus towards the
eco-packaging in respect of sustain-
ability; and the carbon footprint
of a product, for which SGS has
developed its own carbon footprint
mark, supported by an extensive
and dedicated carbon footprint
consulting service.
The SGS Product Carbon Foot-
print Marks (PCF Marks) have
helped companies develop a green-
er profile by providing clients with
a scientific standard based around
the environmental impact of their
product with respect to international
standards. As SGS’ Charles Ly Wa
Hoi explains, “sustainability today
is not a trend; it helps organizations
to improve their efficiency, attain
positive cost cutting and better
use of available resources.”
The means to determine
carbon foot printing can help
improve a company’s overall
services and demonstrate an
environmental commitment to
its clients.
Charles Ly Wa Hoi adds:
“People and companies in India
are constantly talking about
sustainability, but there is still
confusion amongst the industry
about how to go about it, and
this is where our role is impor-
tant.”
Once carbon footprints have
been evaluated, SGS provides
three different carbon footprint
marks. With transparency a key
principle, the first step a busi-
ness can take is to demonstrate its
social responsibility by displaying
the footprint of any given prod-
uct through the Product Carbon
Footprint Mark. With this environ-
mental commitment established,
a further mark can be sought, the
Product Carbon Reduction Mark,
which conveys to clients a continu-
ing commitment, on behalf of that
business, to reducing its impact on
the climate.
The final carbon footprint mark,
the Product Carbon Neutral Mark,
represents the absolute limit to
which a particular business has
sought to eliminate all unnecessary
carbon emissions. Charles Ly Wa
Dr. G. Sudesh Kumar, Director,
Consumer Testing Services, SGS India,