Forewords & Addresses:

Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales

“Sustainable Business, Sustainable Wales – Sustainable Wales, Sustainable Business”

We all now accept that our activities of ‘today’ have the potential to impact adversely on our ability to carry out the activities of ‘tomorrow’ – climate change, the depletion of resources and the impacts we have on the natural environment are becoming significant issues in respect of our future quality of life – our real standard of living.

Wales is establishing a lead role on this most pressing world issue of sustainability and this particular advantage has arisen from our own statutory duty to promote sustainable development. We recognised at an early stage that sustainable development is not an option that will go away – it is the only way forward.

During November of last year, the Welsh Assembly Government supported an intensive 4-day seminar which brought together senior leaders in Wales from business, public and voluntary sectors in order to identify ways that we can move towards sustainable prosperity and to improve the ability of our organisations to anticipate future trends and opportunities within a Sustainable Wales.  I attended the final session and received very useful recommendations on how sustainable development can be embedded more effectively across all our policy areas. The whole seminar proved an enormous success and will undoubtedly become a regular event in support of our continuing work and commitment to sustainability.

Both the UK Sustainable Development Strategy and our own Sustainable Development Action Plan recognise the contributions that environmental management systems can make towards sustainability objectives.  Earlier this year, the Welsh Assembly Government offices at Cathays Park and the National Assembly Building in Cardiff Bay both achieved certification to the Green Dragon Environmental Standard (Level 5). These are significant achievements.  They not only provide a basis for continual improvements but also will enable the expansion of the certification to other government sites. Wales can be proud of its progress with the implementation of environmental management systems – with over 800 Green Dragon certificates to date – and the way that the private, public and voluntary sectors have demonstrated their commitment to environmental best practice.

It is pleasing to see the Annual Awards going from strength to strength and, in particularly, the growing active involvement of public sector organisations. I have no doubts that you will all have a very enjoyable evening and my congratulations to all that are involved in the proceedings this evening – whether as finalists, winners, sponsors, guests and organisers.

Rhodri Morgan
First Minister for Wales