The Jamaica Broilers Group has achieved ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system. Here, the group's Safety Officer/Environmental Management System team leader Trecia Mullings accepts the ISO Certificate from Michael King, Ambassador of Barbados to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States, at the third conference of the Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston. - Contributed

Seven companies in the food/agri-processing sector have gained ISO 14001 certification for successfully implementing new environmental management systems, having participated in a nine-month programme to bring their operations to international standards.

The certification, issued by the Geneva-based International Stan-dards Organisation, is expected to open market access for companies, especially in places like Europe where ethical trade practices and the green movement are increasingly demanded by consumers.

The seven companies — Jamaica Broiler Group poultry processing plant, Central Food Packers Limited, Canco Food Processors Limited, snack maker Maroon Pride Limited, Tijule Company Limited of May Pen, Southern Fruits and Food Processors Limited, and spice maker Walkerswood Caribbean Foods Limited — were certified under a Center of Development Enterprise (CDE) project for the implementation of environmental systems in small and medium enterprises.

Resource conservation

Hosted by the Jamaica Institute of Envoironmental Professionals, the seven companies were guided through the implementation of standards to improve internal efficiencies, energy and other resource conservation, and proper disposal of waste to mitigate environmental impact.

"The newly certified companies will be more confident to compete internationally," said Camilla Jorgensen, consultant to the CDE, which funded the programme.

Jamaica Broilers, which announced the awards Monday, said its best dressed chicken plant at Spring Village, has become the first such operation in the region to gain 1SO 14001 recongition.

"Our objectives were to conserve energy and water, improve the management of our solid waste -- reduce waste, recycle or reuse where possible and to reduce the generation of waste oil which is a major environmental pollutant," said Trecia Mullings, group safety officer and EMS team leader at Jamaica Broilers.

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