APO Press Conference on Eco-products International Fair 2010
15 June 2009, Jakarta, Indonesia

Remarks at the event

by Mr. Shigeo Takenaka
APO Secretary-General

Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), I would like to welcome you to this press conference to declare the official launch of preparations for the Eco-products International Fair (EPIF) 2010.

The APO is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1961 to contribute to the socioeconomic development of Asia and the Pacific through the promotion of productivity. The current APO membership comprises 20 economies in the Asia-Pacific region, which encompasses most countries in Asia, except for the People’s Republic of China. Indonesia joined the APO in 1968 and has been an active member of the organization ever since.

The APO works through a network of national productivity organizations that are designated as official liaison bodies to implement APO projects in their own countries. Indonesia’s national productivity organization is located within the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, which explains the Ministry’s involvement as a co-organizer of the EPIF to be held in Jakarta next year.

One of the important functions of the APO is to disseminate information and knowledge on productivity tools and methodologies across the region through training courses, seminars, study meetings, workshops, and conferences. We organize about 100 such projects, inviting well over 3,000 participants from member countries, each year. Indonesia has been good enough to host an average six to seven APO projects annually.

Through our long experience, we have come to realize that productivity promotion cannot be achieved in a meaningful way without paying sufficient attention to the need for environmental protection. Thus in 1994, we launched the concept of Green Productivity, a strategy to harmonize productivity enhancement with environmental preservation. The APO was among the first to draw people’s attention to the importance of sustainable development and take action to achieve that goal.

In 2003, recognizing the abundant experience in environmental management of many Japanese corporations and the wisdom of obtaining advice and support from them, the APO founded the Green Productivity Advisory Committee (or the GPAC) in cooperation with leading Japanese companies. The GPAC’s membership has grown steadily and reached more than 60, including household names such as Mitsui, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and Hitachi.

With the full support of the GPAC, which is represented today by Mr. Teisuke Kitayama, Chairman of the Board, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the APO has organized five EPIFs since 2004. As there will be a detailed presentation on the fairs later, I will not go into detail. I will say that all five were successful, with the last two attracting well over 80,000 visitors.

Indonesia has demonstrated deep commitment and a track record of achievements in promoting sustainable development efforts. Tapping Indonesia’s experience and combining it with the strengths of Japanese companies, I am confident that the EPIF 2010 will be an effective forum to convey the message that we must work to preserve the environment while sustaining productivity and competitiveness.

Thank you.

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