Greener Business Asia (GBA), in partnership with the International Labor Organization (ILO), recently held a three-day Core Training for Enterprises at Technopark Hotel, Santa Rosa City, Laguna. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) is a key partner of the GBA project.

Among those who participated in the Training are from the ECOP Secretariat, Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc., Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., Kawasaki Motors Philippines, and Suzuki Philippines, Inc.

The GBA seeks to promote a model of worker-management cooperation to achieve greener workplaces and sustainable enterprises.

Camilla Roman of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, pointed out the need to “decouple growth from environmental pressure and move towards sustainable development.”

Sustainable enterprises bring together economic, social and environmental and economic sustainability at the workplace, Roman added, citing that sustainable enterprises are key vehicles to promote opportunities for greener economies and green jobs. Sustainable enterprises recognize the economic and social aspirations of people inside and outside the organization on whom the enterprise depends, as well as the impact on the natural environment.

Roman discussed the enterprise-level principles for sustainable enterprises which are social dialogue and good industrial relations; human resource development; conditions of work; productivity, wages and shared benefits; corporate social responsibility; and corporate governance.

In order to bring about sustainable development, Roman said present needs have to be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This entails growth with equity, ecological integrity, and empowerment of people/institutions.

“We need to decouple growth from environmental pressure and move towards sustainable development,” Roman emphasized.

During the Training, it was pointed out that promoting sustainable enterprises is about strengthening the institutions and governance systems which nurture enterprises. Strong and efficient markets need strong and effective institutions – and ensuring that human, financial and natural resources are combined equitably and efficiently in order to bring about innovation and enhanced productivity. This, in turn, calls for new forms of cooperation between government, business and society to ensure that the quality of present and future life (and employment) is optimized while safeguarding the sustainability of the planet.

The competitiveness and viability – and even survival – of enterprises increasingly depends on the ability to ensure that employees are motivated, skilled and committed. This is best achieved in a progressive workplace environment characterized by a spirit of mutual trust and respect, non-discrimination and good labor–management relations.