The Sustainable Development Strategy in the Consulting Engineering Industry

Iksan van der Putte
Chairman

Iksan van der Putte (born 1952) gained an MSc in Environmental Sciences and a PhD in Environmental Toxicology, both from the Agricultural University Wageningen, The Netherlands. His current position is Managing Director of BKH Consulting Engineers, with an 18-year service record. His field of expertise is institutional strengthening for environmental management, industrial regulatory analysis, industrial counselling and environmental pollution control, including introduction and transfer of cleaner technologies, hazard assessment, environmental management programmes and impact assessment. As an Expert Advisor to the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Impact Assessment, he has evaluated various Netherlands bilateral assistance projects. He has performed several formulation missions and studies in the industrial and environmental field and has managed various impact assessment and cleaner technology projects in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Chile for the Dutch government, UN organisations and the World Bank.

Within the framework of a Netherlands assisted UN-programme, Dr Van der Putte formulated and provided assistance in an annual project on environmental assessment of urban and industrial development in eight countries in the ASEAN region, including the transfer of technology. In the Netherlands, he was vice-chairman of the National Health Council Committee on the export of toxic and hazardous industrial chemicals to developing countries. As a toxicologist and environmental expert he is involved in the WHO-IPCS training programme for developing countries on taxi chemicals management environment and health.

Dr Van der Putte is chairman of the Environmental Task Force of FIDIC and is member and former chairman of the environmental task force of the European Federation for Engineering Consultancy and Related Services (EFCA). In the Association of Consulting Engineers of the Netherlands (ONRI) he is active as a board member of the Foreign Affairs Department. He is a certified toxicologist with the Society of Toxicology, The Hague, the Netherlands, and with EUROTOX, Basle, Switzerland.

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Increasing population and prosperity levels world-wide have also increased the demand for many consumer items and for energy. Numerous studies indicate that this growth can only continue on a long-term basis if we achieve a factor 20 improvement in our use of resources, space and the environment during the next 50 years. However, progress to date leads to the conclusion that the gap between what has been done so far and what is realistically needed is widening. Increased efforts and new initiatives are required. There are many ways consulting engineers can contribute. Apart from influencing decision-makers, they can educate and train others as well as directly solving problems themselves.

Ongoing FIDIC actions

Since 1990, with the introduction of the Policy Statement, FIDIC has continued to encourage and devote resources to sustainable development through a series of ongoing programmes and publications.

The Environmental Management System (EMS) Training Resource Kit was developed in 1995 in co-operation with UNEP and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Implementing an environmental management system is now widely recognised as an effective way to address environmental issues. More and more industries, governments and other organisations have become aware that thinking conceptually and formulating an environmental policy are important steps towards sustainable business practice.

The environmental management system presented in the Training Resource Kit was largely inspired by the final draft of ISO 14001 and by EMAS (the European Environmental Management and Audit Scheme). The Kit has proven a valuable tool. It has been translated into over 12 languages, and thousands of copies have been sold. Many organisations have used it to implement systematic environmental management.

The great success of the Training Resource Kit and of EMS uptake in general has encouraged UNEP, ICC and FIDIC to pursue the development of additional practical tools to assist companies in improving their environmental performance. These include:

• the Guide to ISO 14001 Certification/Registration;
• the EMS Handbook, a company guide for practical EMS implementation;
• the 1994 FIDIC-developed consulting engineers’ Guide for Actions, recommending policies and principles to put into practice;
• the 1995 guidance document, identifying ways to improve technology transfer;
• FIDIC’s continuing support of the introduction of voluntary instruments, including environmental management systems and tools;
• ongoing in-house training on the various aspects of EMS;
• the ongoing integration of environmental considerations into FIDIC documents, including contracting guidelines for various types of building and engineering projects.

New FIDIC initiative

The 6th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) reaffirmed that industrial policy and responsible entrepreneurship are vital to sustainable development strategies and should encompass a variety of interrelated social, economic and environmental objectives. There is a trend to give socio-economic issues more attention in order to keep these in balance with the green and technological issues. FIDIC has acknowledged this trend and initiated actions in this direction.

A new FIDIC taskforce, the Sustainable Development Task Group (SDTG), which has both environmental engineering and socio-economic input, will be elaborating a strategy paper and action plan for sustainable development. Important fields to be covered are :

• use of energy;
• degree of regulation of economy;
• consumer attitudes;
• ecological tax reform;
• local and federal government incentives;
• international engagement.

As such, the strategy paper being developed by the STDG should be considered as a first initiative towards meeting the objectives mentioned in the FIDIC report “Engineering our Future” (1998). The strategy paper and action plan should provide further guidance for consulting engineers and their clients in activities aimed at sustainable development.

The Terms of Reference of the Standing Committee on Environment (ENVC) are:

1. To further develop and implement FIDIC’s Policy Statement on the Environment;
2. To define the roles consulting engineers might play and to help strengthen their competence in preventing or solving environmental problems;
3. To establish collaboration or continue liaisons with relevant international organisations working towards sustainable development;
4. To ensure that environmental issues are maintained on the agendas of FIDIC Annual Conferences.

The Terms of Reference of the Sustainable Development Tusk Group (SDTG) are:

1. To prepare a draft strategy paper on sustainable development by GAM 1999;
2. To define possible further tasks, including possible management tools, in line with other industries;
3. To review the existing ToR of the ENVC and other FIDIC committees.

The SDTG was established at the GAM 1998. The task group represents through its composition aspects of engineering management and environmental engineering. Members of the UNEP and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) act as a steering committee to this task group.