Local firms still reluctant to adopt ISO 14000 rules

Local firms still reluctant to adopt ISO 14000 rules

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian companies are still reluctant to
adopt ISO 14000 environmental management standardization,
according to the National Standardization Agency (BSN).

Agency chairman Herudi Kartowisastro said here on Monday that
only about 60 companies had so far received ISO 14000
certification since its introduction in the country in 1996.

"We have already promoted the benefits ... but so far it has
not been effective," he said after addressing the launch of ISO
14000 environmental management system training.

He said that the response from local companies to adopt the
ISO 9000 series quality management standardization was much more
positive than that of ISO 14000.

According to him, 1,400 companies have been recognized as ISO
9000 compliant since the standardization series' introduction in
Indonesia in 1994.

The Switzerland-based International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) has licensed four Indonesian companies to
issue its certifications in the country. They are: PT TUV
International Indonesia (a German joint venture), PT SGS
International Services Indonesia (a Swiss joint venture), state-
owned PT Superintending Company of Indonesia (Sucofindo) and PT
Mutuagung Lestari.

Anwar El-Tawil, an ISO senior executive, said companies which
applied the ISO 14000 criteria would receive many advantages.

He said the companies would attract more customers, especially
when marketing their products to industrialized countries where
customers usually preferred to purchase products processed under
ISO standards.

ISO certification has become a precondition for companies
wanting to export their products to the U.S., Japan, Singapore
and European countries.

"Not applying ISO 14000 ... will decrease exports sooner or
later," he told The Jakarta Post.

Adopting ISO 14000 enables companies to reduce their operating
costs, usually achieved through energy savings or a reduction in
unused raw materials, Anwar said.

By implementing ISO 14000, a company would also maintain the
ecosystem in the surrounding area, which not only sustains the
company's existence but also that of the local residents, he
said.

"In total, costs within and outside a company will be lower if
it implements ISO 14000," he added.

Bambang Supriyo Utomo, BSN's director for documentation and
information, said that as part of promoting ISO 14000, the agency
will hold more training programs and seminars throughout the
country this year in cooperation with the private sector.

"We hope the training will boost the number of Indonesian
companies who receive the ISO 14000 certification," he said.

An ISO 14000 implementation training program, being conducted
in cooperation with PT Surveyor Indonesia from April 30 until May
4, is part of the overall program promoting ISO 14000 being
conducted this year, he said.

The training will provide participants with ISO 14000
guidelines along with case studies from other countries, Bambang
said, adding that the trainers were ISO officials. (05)