The World Environment Center (WEC) has launched an innovative project to expand the sustainable development commitments of Moroccan businesses by reducing energy and water consumption, minimizing waste and raw material usage and lowering operating costs. WEC is partnering with the Moroccan Cleaner Production Center (CMPP) and the country’s leading national business association, the Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM), to implement the local activities and provide advanced technical expertise for the project. The partnership is funded by the United States Department of State through its "Cleaner Production Private Sector Partnerships" program. WEC has created a one-page summary of the project for further information. This is the third partnership of its kind, spanning six countries, between the U.S. Department of State and WEC.

"The U.S. Department of State is committed to helping small and medium-sized enterprises 'green' their production processes by implementing measures that decrease resource use and waste, while reducing costs," said Rob Wing, Chief of the Environment and Trade Division in the State Department's Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science. "The World Environment Center remains our trusted partner in this and has the connectivity on the ground to deliver results for these companies that preserve natural resources and create cost-savings."

The specific objectives of the partnership are to enhance sustainable development practices in local companies to reduce water and energy consumption, minimize waste and raw material use, and maximize operational savings. Through the WEC partnership with the Moroccan food-canning processor association, FICOPAM (Fédération des Industries de la Conserve des Produits Agricoles), WEC's technical team will train selected small and medium-sized local member companies specifically in:

• conservation of water and energy;
  
• reducing waste, raw material use and emissions;
  
• establishing environmental management systems; and
  
• accessing funding and loans to finance the adoption of advanced technologies.

This training, and the follow-up and monitoring process for the participating companies, will allow these businesses to minimize environmental impact while improving their productivity and competitiveness. The duration of the project's expected technical assistance to companies is 16 months.

Dr. Terry F. Yosie, WEC's President and CEO, commended the project for its combination of sustainable development goals with business-focused improvements. "Businesses' incentives to find greater efficiencies in their operations and to minimize the use of natural resources and the generation of waste create an economically virtuous circle," he stated. "Leadership in sustainable development is found through practical business solutions that improve the daily lives of citizens in communities around the world."

About World Environment Center

WEC is an independent, global non-profit, non-advocacy organization that advances sustainable development through the business practices and operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multi-lateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and other stakeholders. WEC's mission is to promote business and societal value by advancing solutions to sustainable development-related problems. It manages projects for companies across their global operations, builds executive-level learning and competency in applying sustainable development across a number of business sectors, and recognizes performance excellence through an annual awards program. WEC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with regional offices in China, El Salvador and Germany. www.wec.org

World Environment Center

World Environment Center

The World Environment Center advances sustainable development through corporate business practices. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Europe and Latin America, WEC creates business solutions through Executive Roundtables on key sustainability challenges, builds capacity of small enterprises in emerging markets, and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. WEC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, please visit www.wec.org.

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