Information-poor environments: Asian tigers - Environmental Reform in the Information Age - page 254

especially force companies to disclose environmental information on
production processes and locations. And Chinese (and, to a much
lesser extent, Vietnamese) environmental state agencies are starting
to make such data available to the public via mass media and Web
sites, instead of keeping information within the hands of SEPA or
NEPA and their subsidiaries. In addition to authorities, other stake-
holders (NGOs, investors, credit institutions, customers, citizens and
consumers) hardly put pressure on domestic companies to release envi-
ronmental information, nor do they use available information to move
companies into greening. But this becomes different once international
forces enter the stage, for instance, via joint ventures (cf. Guo Peiyuan,
2005 ), via international trade or via international standardisation, as
will be illustrated in the next section on labelling and certification.

Labelling, certification and international markets

A clear field in which we can see information at work in greening
production and consumption is in all kind of labelling and certifica-
tion initiatives, both related to products and processes. Most labelling
schemes do not involve any legal requirements but instead refer to
voluntary standards that are communicated via symbols in order to
address specific markets. Many of the product and process labelling
and certification schemes that do make an impact on environmental
performance in China and Vietnam are related to international mar-
kets, such as production process certificates of the International Stan-
dardization Organization (e.g., ISO 14001; Figure 10.2 ), 33 the inter-
national HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) program,
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) schemes (also promoted domes-
tically), and product-specific labels and information requirements by
private international customers especially in OECD countries. 34 Infor-
mation disclosure dynamics and informational governance is then part

33

Cushing, McGray and Lu ( 2005 ) show that the regional spreading of these
certifications parallel lines of economic development, where the major cities of
Shanghai and Beijing and the rich provinces of Jiangsu and Guangdong house
the majority of ISO 14001-certified firms.

34

There are exceptions, such as the mandatory China energy efficiency label for
products (in effect as of 1 March 2005 for fridges and air conditioners; see also
McNeil and Hathaway, 2005 ), which is meant for domestic use. But the design
and use of the label follows closely the European system of energy labelling of
products (Council Directive 92/75/EEC), making it at the same time fit for
exports of electric appliances.