LAHORE, Jan 24: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) will establish Green Productivity Cell that would work in collaboration with EU Switch Asia Programme and SMEDA to increase production efficiency and reduce wastage in targeted sectors, including textile, food processing and pharmaceutical industry.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar and Martin Straehle, International Project Coordinator of bfz gGmbH, here on Thursday.

LCCI Vice President Mian Abuzar Shad and representatives of SMEDA were also present on the occasion.

To be established at the LCCI premises, the proposed cell would also work out a methodology to create awareness among the select SME sectors about international quality and environmental standards.

Martin Straehle said that the EU Switch Programme was aimed at contributing to economic prosperity and poverty reduction in Asia by promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns.

“It works with both producers and consumers on the ground as well as at policy-making level in formulating and implementing sustainable consumption and production-related policies. At the same time, it is fostering a green economy and mitigating climate change in target countries,” he said.

Mr Iftikhar said that the establishment of the ell would be a giant leap by all means as it would not only be strengthening the local manufacturing sector but would also be giving a quantum jump to Pakistani exports and the ultimate beneficiary would be the businessmen in this part of the world.

The LCCI president hoped that the wide network of Bfz gGmbH, that has been one of the largest private providers of vocational training in Germany, would result in bringing positive results to the best interest of SME sector.

Meanwhile, the LCCI and SMEDA have agreed to hold an Energy Efficiency Seminar at LCCI in the first week of March.