Going Green is Good for Business

"Environmentally-friendly business practices are as necessary for the bottom line as they are for the planet."

Despite pressing economic worries, the environment remains a top concern for consumers the world over. And that means environmentally-friendly business practices are as necessary for the bottom line as they are for the planet, says Joe Veilleux, president of Euromed USA (euromedusa.com).

"Being a producer of natural ingredients for pharmaceuticals and health supplements, we’ve always held environmentalism as a major company value," says Veilleux, a registered pharmacist. "We’re glad to see that, even when people face unemployment and other economic hardships, they’re still committed to green practices."

Euromed recently earned "green" ISO 14001 certification for its Barcelona factory by meeting stringent criteria established by the world International Standardization Organization, which sets standards for sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.

"All companies today need to be aware that consumers are looking at what they’re doing to — and for — the planet, and they’re making buying decisions based on that," says Veilleux. These are some of the initiatives undertaken at Euromed Barcelona, which can benefit other companies trying to go "green":

• Recycling biomass – the company’s manufacturing waste product. We’ve found different ways to recycle the post-extraction biomass, depending on the product involved, Veilleux says.

• Wood pallets become compost. At Euromed, wooden pallets are reused until they can’t be used any longer. "At that point, they’re sent to recycling facilities, which use them in composting products," Veilleux says.

• Printer toners get refilled. Empty toner cartridges are shipped to the company’s supplier, where they’re recharged and returned for use. If not for recycling, the toner cartridges would be deposited in landfills.

• Cleaner air and water. The company purchased new equipment to accomplish these goals, including on-site wastewater treatment and water purification plants, and equipment to decrease atmospheric emissions.

"We have a special interest in making everyone aware of how vital it is that we all take steps to prevent environmental damage," Veilleux says. HBM

Euromed USA supplies standardized botanical and herbal extracts and natural active substances for use in the pharmaceutical, health food and cosmetics industries. By extracting the necessary chemicals, the company can guarantee its products meet the precise chemical specifications necessary. Euromed was founded 40 years ago. Its parent company is the 100-year-old Rottapharm-Madaus corporation based in Italy.

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