Page 66 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

External Drivers: The Voice of Society 45

Ceres Principles (continued)

Safe Products and Services
• Reduce or eliminate environmental damage and safety
hazards
• Inform customers about environmental impacts and safe use
Environmental Restoration
• Correct existing hazardous conditions
• Redress injuries or environmental damage
Informing the Public
• Inform those affected by hazardous conditions
• Maintain dialogue with communities
• Do not penalize employees for reporting problems
Management Commitment
• Ensure top management is informed and responsible
• Consider environmental commitment in selecting directors
Audits and Reports
• Conduct annual self-evaluation
• Create environmental audit procedures
• Complete Ceres report and make available to public

Environmental Advocacy Groups
Perhaps the strongest signals of change in industry-society
dynamics are the budding relationships between the busi -
ness community and environmental advocacy groups, mainly
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Some environmental
groups, such as Greenpeace, pursue confrontational tactics to
expose the alleged shortcomings of major companies, often
using electronic media with great skill. Today, while these
conflicts have not vanished, there is far more philosophic
alignment between NGOs and business in terms of broad
environmental and social objectives, and a number of com -
panies have worked with NGOs on environmental inno vation
(see Chapter 5). These engagements have helped to promote
creative dialogue about potential solutions and have enabled
companies to leverage the competencies and credibility of