SOURCE: CNA
SINGAPORE: Greater consumer awareness of higher environmental standards has put the spot light on corporates.
In Singapore, consumer awareness has spurred greater demand for green certifications.
The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has launched schemes which enable industry players in sectors such as hospitality and food and beverage to receive a green stamp of approval.
SEC is currently working with over a dozen foodcourts in Singapore, and going forward, it targets to have 10 per cent of Singapore's foodcourts certified by the end of this year.
It was reported last year that Singapore saw a 31 per cent increase in waste generated since 2000, with food waste as one of the top five waste types.
Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council, said: "The majority of us visit food courts every day; we eat less and less at home. And because it has become a community dining table, it is also a great platform for us to raise awareness.
"If food vendors and operators can also send the sustainability message, it goes a long way to actually influencing behaviour, and behaviour is as important as performance and really the icing on the cake when you talk about becoming an environmentally sustainable society."
National University of Singapore (NUS) and Kopitiam @ City Square Mall were awarded the first two certifications in Singapore.
The foodcourt certification assesses environmental management systems of a foodcourt, such as waste and water management, as well as the packaging used.
Over at NUS, the university is favouring recyclable paper takeaway packages over styrofoam and plastic.
Kopitiam said that it hasn't been an easy road, but tenants are encouraged by a potential annual 15-per-cent-savings in operational costs.
Goh Wee Ling, Corporate Communications Manager, Kopitiam Investment, said: "I wouldn't say it is an easy task, most of our tenants they are of a more traditional or should I say older generations where environmentally conscious messages didn't exist.
"So we talked to them one by one about the advantages of eco measures. Initially there was resistance, but we showed them through such measures how much they are able to save."
SEC said it is also looking to launch certifications for the retail sector as well as community clubs in the coming months.
The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has launched schemes which enable industry players in sectors such as hospitality and food and beverage to receive a green stamp of approval.
SEC is currently working with over a dozen foodcourts in Singapore, and going forward, it targets to have 10 per cent of Singapore's foodcourts certified by the end of this year.
It was reported last year that Singapore saw a 31 per cent increase in waste generated since 2000, with food waste as one of the top five waste types.
Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council, said: "The majority of us visit food courts every day; we eat less and less at home. And because it has become a community dining table, it is also a great platform for us to raise awareness.
"If food vendors and operators can also send the sustainability message, it goes a long way to actually influencing behaviour, and behaviour is as important as performance and really the icing on the cake when you talk about becoming an environmentally sustainable society."
National University of Singapore (NUS) and Kopitiam @ City Square Mall were awarded the first two certifications in Singapore.
The foodcourt certification assesses environmental management systems of a foodcourt, such as waste and water management, as well as the packaging used.
Over at NUS, the university is favouring recyclable paper takeaway packages over styrofoam and plastic.
Kopitiam said that it hasn't been an easy road, but tenants are encouraged by a potential annual 15-per-cent-savings in operational costs.
Goh Wee Ling, Corporate Communications Manager, Kopitiam Investment, said: "I wouldn't say it is an easy task, most of our tenants they are of a more traditional or should I say older generations where environmentally conscious messages didn't exist.
"So we talked to them one by one about the advantages of eco measures. Initially there was resistance, but we showed them through such measures how much they are able to save."
SEC said it is also looking to launch certifications for the retail sector as well as community clubs in the coming months.
