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Seicho-No-Ie News

United States Missionary Headquarters Acquires ISO14001 Certification

Pioneer among Religious Organizations in North America

On November 30 of last year, Seicho-No-Ie United States Missionary Headquarters (Gardena, California) acquired the ISO14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management.

According to BSI, an international evaluation organization headquartered in London, England, there is no precedent among religious organizations in North America. This is the second great achievement among overseas Seicho-No-Ie organizations after the Brazil Missionary Headquarters’.

The certified organization was the United States Missionary Headquarters and the certification covers its staff, property, building, facilities and environmental protection activities related to propagation and other activities plus the activities related to the Southern California Missionary Area.

In order to acquire the ISO14001 certification of the ISO (International Standard Organization), the United States Missionary Headquarters set up a committee in January 2004 and began preparations. Since the acquisition of the ISO14001 certification by the 2011 movement year was written into the International Headquarters’ Movement Policy in 2008, specific activities were begun. At the board of directors’ meetings, the directors worked for a common awareness. In October 2009, the United States Missionary Headquarters’ version of the Environmental Management Manual was prepared, using the International Headquarters’ Manual as a reference. From June 2010, a weekly ISO study class was held, which was attended by all the staff members to deepen their awareness. An effort was made to reduce the use of paper, electricity consumption, and environmental depletion due to transportation.

The International Headquarters’ ISO Promotion Support Department provided support by using a Web camera. After passing the first evaluation on September 10 and the second one on October 19 and 20 of last year, the Missionary Headquarters officially acquired ISO14001 certification on November 30.

Members’ comments included, “Seicho-No-Ie’s activities will play an important role in arousing people’s awareness about environmental protection in the U.S.A. from now on.”

Remarks by Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie United States Missionary Headquarters

“We received praise from the evaluator of the recent evaluation: ‘Seicho-No-Ie is a pioneer among religious organizations.’ With that pride, I will work hard from now on to enable environmentally-friendly business transactions and so forth in each missionary area and powerfully promote a ‘Movement that Grows with Nature.’”