ISO 14000 for Vietnam shoemaker

The Thuy Khue Footwear Company has become the first company in Ha Noi, Vietnam, to receive the ISO 14000 certificate for their successful investment in environmentally-friendly technology. The company have invested in upgrading their storage ground, warehouses, drainage and sewerage, cafeteria and latrines. Money was also spent on installing fire extinguishers, a lighting system, ventilators, and a number of other environmental protection devices. With a total property area of 30,000 sq m, the company's investments have been substantial. Their greatest success in this field was to hold a number of relevant training courses for around 2,200 workers to raise their sense of responsibility towards the environment. It was a hard job for both the employer and employees as they had to perform two jobs at the same time. Workers had to continue production, and the employer struggled to finance workers' study time and to meet contract deadlines. But the company have earned their returns, including a pure environment that has led to good health and labour safety, lower production costs, and increased sustainable development for the company. The ISO 14000 certificate for world standard environmental management follows the company's ISO 9000 certificate for world standard quality management in 1998. As a result, the company have managed to overcome a tough time for the leather and footwear industry in 2001 and maintain double-digit growth. They recorded an increase of 11.4% in production output and 10.8% in revenue over 2000. Source: Vietnam News Agency