Understanding Green Industry: A Concept Toward Sustainability

Today, there is a growing global emphasis on environmental conservation, especially within the industrial sector, which has historically been a major contributor to environmental impacts. Many businesses are shifting toward the Green Industry approach.

Green Industry refers to industries that focus on minimizing environmental impact and using resources efficiently. The objectives of the Green Industry include:

• Reducing the use of natural resources and maximizing resource efficiency
• Protecting the environment by reducing waste, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, while promoting waste reuse and the use of environmentally friendly fuels
• Adopting clean technologies and renewable energy that have minimal environmental impact

Five Key Levels of Green Industry

Currently, efforts are being made to promote and develop environmentally friendly practices within the industrial sector. As a result, the Green Industry framework has been defined by five key levels, as follows:

1. Level 1: Green Commitment
   This is the initial stage of Green Industry implementation, during which organizations formally express their commitment to operating under Green Industry principles. This is reflected in the establishment of policies and targets aimed at improving production processes to reduce environmental impacts, such as incorporating environmental policies into the organization’s annual strategy.
2. Level 2: Green Activity
   Green Activity represents the stage where organizations translate their environmental policies into actual operational practices. These are internal activities designed to achieve tangible outcomes, such as efficient resource management, waste reduction, and decreased energy consumption.
3. Level 3: Green System
   This level involves progressing from isolated activities to the development of comprehensive environmental management systems. It includes the adoption of recognized environmental standards within the organization, such as implementing ISO 14001, to control and continuously improve processes and achieve long-term sustainability.
4. Level 4: Green Culture
   At the Green Culture level, everyone within the organization is aware of and actively collaborates in carrying out environmentally friendly practices, supporting the organization’s Green Industry policies. Examples include providing environmental awareness training and encouraging behavioral changes aligned with environmental policies.
5. Level 5: Green Network
   This is the highest level an organization can achieve in becoming a Green Industry. It involves expanding a network of partners who also promote Green Industry principles, such as customers, suppliers, communities, and other relevant organizations. This level focuses on building collaboration and networks that share knowledge, expertise, and resources to drive sustainable development in the future.

Green Industry and Eco-Industry

In addition to Green Industry, which focuses on reducing environmental impacts and using resources efficiently, there is also the concept of Eco-Industry or Eco Factory, which is closely related to environmentally friendly industrial development.

Eco-Industry, or ecological industry, refers to:

“A sustainable industrial development model based on a balance of economic, environmental, and social considerations, legal compliance, and technological feasibility.”

This approach emphasizes reducing resource and energy consumption, maximizing the efficient use of energy resources, minimizing waste generation, and improving production efficiency. It also aims to gain acceptance from local communities, enhance their quality of life, and improve the surrounding and overall environment. These objectives are achieved through cooperation and mutual reliance among industrial operators, industrial estate developers, local government agencies, and communities, all working toward shared public benefits.

Eco-Industry is considered a key component of Eco Industrial Town development. An Eco Industrial Town promotes industrial economic growth alongside community development while preserving a healthy environment and maintaining a sustainable balance of coexistence.

The development of an Eco Industrial Town requires operators to address five key dimensions, as follows:

1. Physical Dimension
   This involves developing land use, buildings, and infrastructure systems that are environmentally friendly, adequate, efficient, and safe, based on eco-design principles.
2. Economic Dimension
   The creation of enabling factors that support the growth of the local and provincial economy while enhancing the well-being of surrounding communities.
3. Social Dimension
   The promotion of happiness among people within the organization, with a focus on quality of life and a healthy social environment.
4. Environmental Dimension
   The creation of balance among resource use, production processes, products, and waste generation emphasizes efficient, cost-effective, and economical resource utilization. This dimension also aims to move toward a circular society through material reuse, low-carbon industrial estates, and the development of cooperative and interdependent industrial networks.
5. Management Dimension
   The establishment of effective management systems based on the principles of participation and good governance.

Green Industry: A Key Step Toward Sustainable Growth

Green Industry is a strategic approach to elevating Thailand’s industrial sector to gain recognition from consumers and investors at the international level. Guided by this concept, 304 Industrial Park is an organization that places strong emphasis on supporting Green Industry initiatives. We are committed to, and firmly believe that, sustainable development is not merely about business growth, but also about growing alongside improvements in the quality of life for surrounding communities.

304 Industrial Park prioritizes strengthening social resilience and maintaining ecological balance through the concept of “Growing Together, Sustaining Together.” This approach aims to build a business ecosystem in which all stakeholders benefit – industrial operators within the park, employees, surrounding communities, and the environment.

Under the sustainable development framework, 304 Industrial Park has implemented multiple initiatives to support Green Industry across the following dimensions:

1. Environmental Quality Control Dimension
   Energy management and climate change mitigation, such as promoting the use of integrated renewable energy, utilizing water from a large private reservoir within the area to produce industrial water in high volumes, and reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 98% through the use of renewable energy in both pumping and production systems. In addition, treated wastewater is reused in green areas instead of being discharged, in line with the Zero Discharge principle.
2. Efficient Resource and Energy Management Dimension
   Appropriate centralized waste management within the area, along with high-efficiency material planning to minimize waste during construction through detailed and accurate calculations.
3. Environmental Impact Prevention and Management Dimension
   304 Industrial Park has been certified as a “Green Industry Level 3 – Green System” by the Ministry of Industry, reflecting its strong commitment to environmentally friendly business development.
4. Social Dimension
   This includes strict compliance with labor laws; promotion of diversity and inclusion within the organization; non-discriminatory practices at all stages; community engagement through charitable donations, educational scholarships; and the establishment of community relations units.
5. Governance Dimension
   304 Industrial Park has clear governance policies covering anti-corruption measures, transparent reporting, effective oversight, and a diverse board of directors.

All of these initiatives clearly demonstrate that the Green Industry concept can be practically implemented within organizations and should be embraced across all industrial sectors. This approach helps create a balance between national economic development and the population’s quality of life, while supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly growth.