Japan – International Green Purchasing Network established

The Green Purchasing Network (GPN) and other parties over the world launched the International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) earlier this year, to be chaired by Ryoichi Yamamoto, professor of the University of Tokyo.



The IGPN is aiming at promoting Green Purchasing activities and development of environmentally preferable products and services on a global basis to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society. The launch of the network was based on the Sendai Declaration on Green Purchasing, adapted at "The 1st International Conference on Green Purchasing" held in the City of Sendai, Japan in October 2004.



The network is to be steered by a Council which consists of six members, including ICLEI, an international organization for local governments, and private organizations promoting Green Purchasing in North America, Sweden, Korea and Malaysia, as well as the GPN of Japan. The Advisory Board for the IGPN is to be comprised of the United Nations, various governmental bodies and relevant Not-for-profit organizations throughout the world.



The IGPN plans to collect and deliver information on global Green Purchasing activities and development of environmentally preferable products including the best examples, know-how, product information, purchasing policies and information on recent trends. The network also plans to hold workshops to promote Green Purchasing internationally in countries such as China, and plans to hold one in conjunction with Eco-Products International Fair 2005, which will be held in October, 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand. In the future, the IGPN plans to develop internationally harmonized purchasing policies, product evaluation tools and a product database to promote Green Purchasing globally.



The Founding Patrons of the IGPN are ten individuals from organizations such as ICLEI, the Asian Productivity Organization(APO), the Environmental Agency of England and Wales, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Nippon Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations and Employers‘‘Associations), the Japan Environmental Association, the GPN, as well as the steering committee chair and the international board of "The 1st International Conference on Green Purchasing in Sendai". The IGPN has also been supported by various organizations over the world. It welcomes cooperation and support from all who are interested in Green Purchasing