APP receives environmental award at APIF 2017
Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) was awarded the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) certificate at the recent Eco-Products International Fair (EPIF) 2017 for its Integrated Forestry and Farming Strategy (IFFS).
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“APP is honoured to be awarded, yet again, by EPIF. It acknowledges our commitment to continuously improving our environmental practices,” said APP director Suhendra Wiriadinata.
Wiriadinata further added that there was still much work to be done with regards to APP’s environmental footprint.
“This award highlights just one small part of the work we are doing across our whole organisation to realise our Sustainability Vision 2020,” he added.
IFFS is a community empowerment programme designed to help prevent and mitigate forest fires. It also focuses on improving the livelihood of local communities and sees APP assisting communities to increase their awareness and use of modern agroforestry practices.
By improving village prosperity and supporting more environmentally friendly ways of farming, APP aims to minimise land clearing using fire by engaging these communities in preventing and mitigating forest fires.
“So far, seventy-six villages have participated. Our aim is to have two hundred villages actively involved by the end of 2017. APP not only provides initial financial support to the villages, but also promotes the transfer of technology and competence. It also assists in mediating conflicts. IFFS is aimed at villages around APP’s concessions to further improve efforts to preserve the surrounding environment,” Wiriadinata explained.
The programme is part of the larger fire prevention and response plan of APP, the Integrated Fire Management (IFM). This venue integrates and communicates all information from APP’s fire towers, thermal imaging cameras, and ground patrols.
EPIF 2017 was held on May 11-13, 2017 in Ho Chi Minh City. The three-day event promoted the theme “Green Technologies and Products-Action for the Future.” This focus is helping raise awareness of productivity and sustainable development by producing and consuming eco-friendly products, services, and technology.
EPIF has been promoted by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) since 2004 and is organised in APO member countries annually.
