Hotel Narutis 2007 12 12 From the conference to practical steps “The dialogue between the industry and the environment: how can competitiveness and environmental protection be combined?” is the third business conference dedicated to the issues of environmental protection held by Lithuanian chemical industry companies Achema AB, Lifosa AB, and Mažeikių Nafta AB. Conferences are often held for scientists, officials, and businesspeople. However, invitation to discussions and joint actions of various public and interest groups has proved effective, whereas the joint projects resulting from the conferences have demonstrated that joint initiatives can be efficient. An example or action easily attract attention. The community does matter in the process of encouraging companies to adhere to environmental standards. And vice versa – when businesses that care about environmental standards start demanding the same from their suppliers, they provide a positive example to their clients and even the community. In this kind of environment, the concept of competitiveness (firstly, the concept of competitiveness at any cost) is transformed, and a number of questions on the functions of the company and business in the society arise. A good example of this is the still vivid dispute provoked by a short phrase said by the liberal economist Milton Friedman: “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.” At present, one of the greatest activity related risks for a company is its failure to adhere to environmental standards. Such failure means higher interest rates when taking out loans, and deteriorating goodwill and competitiveness. However, a company seeking harmonious development also faces certain challenges. At first sight it might seem that an environmentally-friendly production process creates a hardly noticeable added value. One needs certain knowledge in order to be able to understand this value. Sometimes, the consumer culture transformation is too slow for the novelties to be accepted. Can marketing solve this problem? There are a number of paradoxical situations: people want to live in a clean environment, yet often choose nonecological products produced in other regions, because such products are cheaper. Companies’ investments in environmental protection increase annually, because this is required by legislation and competitiveness; however, improper application of legislation sometimes leads to the failure to ensure equal competing opportunities. At the conference, we will attempt to answer the following questions: Has the environmental attitude shift from the resolute 19th century industrial expansion to the 21st century harmonious development idea really taken place? How is it possible to combine the seeking for a free market and environmental regulations? What is going on when some of the backward production costs are written off at the price of the environment, and who pays for that if the laws are far from being perfect? What can the model of interaction between various stakeholders be like? Should we support the “green” initiatives or should we undertake such initiatives ourselves? Is it worth investing in the “green” business and power industry? Company heads, environmental experts, national legislators, and diplomats are invited to take part in the conference. What can be done now? A dialogue between the participants and experts in various fields will help to evaluate what the challenges presented by environmental protection mean to individual companies or business sectors, and to the community. The best known practice in Lithuania will be presented. Furthermore, an attempt to understand what solutions for the “environmental protection age” can be envisaged by the leading companies and what can be done today will be made. If we are able to ensure international cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection – we exchange our experience, knowledge, and the latest scientific inventions – then why don’t various stakeholders communicate and exchange their ideas and criticisms? One of the major problems here is a lack of communication manners and tools. What could they be like? Papers of the conference |
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