green initiative    Shepard recognizes the importance of the earth’s environment and our responsibility regarding it. At Shepard, we are committed to conducting our business in a manner that at all times pays particular attention to these environmental responsibilities. Shepard has developed environmental management principles and will promote environmental conservation measures in correspondence with local & national environmental regulations, emphasizing coexistence with the natural environment in the local communities in which we serve. For Shepard to improve our performance year-on-year, we have set in place strategies and processes against which we can measure our performance.      Our Commitment    · A strict compliance with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice, regulations and set practical standards when none are in place. In cooperation      with our suppliers, insure precautions that all sub-contractors working with Shepard apply these environmental and safety standards. Furthermore, we also advise our customers regarding the environmentally relevant characteristics of all products and services. We openly inform about our environmental policy, environmental impacts coming from our company and about our environmental performance.    · In design, planning, production and marketing, the efficient use of materials and resources with particular regard to the long term sustainability of consumable items, take into account environmental conservation and promote continuous improvement while emphasizing pollution prevention, waste reduction, energy conservation and the saving and reutilization of natural resources. We encourage the participation of our subcontractors, suppliers and clients in our environmental goals, seeking to influence the choice of construction material and working methods to make efficient use of resources. This also means that resources used by Shepard, such as materials and energies, are used in the best possible way. This is applicable to all phases within the life cycle of our products that can be influenced, i.e. as well for all company operations and, generally, it requires a foresighted assessment and consideration of the possible impacts on the environment.    · Shepard will provide periodic education and training to foster employees' environmental awareness and concern, and integrate environmental management into training. Promote the achievement of environmental awards and accreditation by our company and divisions. For an efficient environmental protection, we need motivated and environmentally conscious acting employees, with senior staff to provide a good example. In the sense of an open communication, our employees are informed on projects and activities relating to the environmental management principles. Moreover, a further training for our employees on environmental protection, accident prevention and health protection takes place regularly.    · Established and maintained management initiatives within our company with specific responsibility for the implementation of environmental policy with targets to measure the continuous improvement of our environmental performance in key areas through the ongoing establishment of best practice. We will record and measure our performance against considered targets appropriate to the business units and report on these achievements