Taking advantage of technological innovations are important to reduce the depletion of our natural resources, and reduce emissions of Green House Gasses contributing to Climate Change. Through approaches like cleaner production, waste minimisation and energy efficiency, and occupational health and safety we can reduce the input of raw materials in our manufacturing industries mitigating the output of emissions and wastes. Companies who are conscious about their environmental performance can also achieve economic advantages in saving raw materials and costs for pollution prevention, and can easier penetrate markets for greener products. A better work environment will also improve the health and living condition of employees, gaining motivated workers and respect in local society.
Typically, Small and Medium sized Enterprises in developing countries are operating with outdated and resource intensive production technologies, though their output are still part of large commercial products. This makes it difficult for the consumers to judge when the environmental performance of a given product is under control. Therefore, it is essential to improve the performance of SMEs if we want our end products to become more sustainable.