BACKGROUND: On June 4, 1999 an historic document was signed to advance cooperation between the United States and Mexico in the area of environmental cooperation for the 21st Century. Mexico's SEMARNAP (now SEMARNAT), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) and the United States - Mexico Chamber of Commerce (USMCOC) signed The Seven Principles of Environmental Stewardship for the 21st Century. Subsequently, 10 more industry and non-governmental organizations have signed the document, creating a public/private partnership to develop performance indicators for each of the principles and to solicit consensus for implementation, including assessment, training, and certification.

In furtherance of these objectives, the United States-Mexico Cultural and Educational Foundation (USMCEF) has already sponsored two stakeholder workshops that brought public and private stakeholders together with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), maquiladoras, non-government organizations (NGOs) and academia to collaborate on draft performance indicators. These workshops were sponsored through a U.S. EPA grant.

The draft general performance indicators initially developed were posted to the USMCOC website for two public comment periods, after which sets of general performance indicators were finalized. The next stage in the process is to develop sector-specific performance indicators to support the goal of sustainable development.

The Seven Principles include: (1) Top Management Commitment, (2) Compliance Assurance and Pollution Prevention, (3) Enabling Systems, (4) Measurement and Continuous Improvement, (5) Public Communications, (6) Industry Leadership, and (7) Community Environmental Stewardship.

OBJECTIVE OF WORKSHOP: Following the North American Construction Federation (NACF) annual meeting in Cancun, the stakeholder partners invite you to participate in a 2-day workshop to draft sector-specific performance indicators for infrastructure. By participating in drafting these voluntary standards, attendees will shape the process in which sustainable development will be achieved in their own industries. This will affect the building of highways, ports, bridges, hotels and recreational areas. The workshop is of timely significance, given the large public works nature of, and international involvement anticipated for Mexico's Nautical Ladder and Mundo Maya programs.

DIRECTED AT: Representatives of infrastructure corporate entities concerned about sustainable development and interested in having their organization participate in the process to establish a voluntary program of compliance (i.e., The Seven Principles of Environmental Stewardship for the 21st Century).

LOCATION:

September 8-9 Workshop
The Ritz-Carlton Cancun
Retorno del Rey # 36
Zona Hotelera
Cancun, Quintana Roo, México
Hotel Reservations
Tel.: 998-881-0808 ext. 5230 & 5241
Fax.: 998-885-1048
e-mail: portiz@rc-cancun.com.mx  or dfuentes@rc-cancun.com.mx

PROGRAM:
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: In the U.S., call 202-371-8680, Ext. *825 or by e-mail to: charles@usmcoc.org; in Mexico, call 52-8-369-6477 or by e-mail to: jrchapa777@aol.com.