The PRE-SME electronic toolkit and accompanying industrial training handbook have been developed as part of the UNEP project, which was funded by the Norwegian Government and implemented in close consultation with UNIDO. A consortium of Austrian-based and Philippines-based not-for-profit technical institutions was contracted to produce this toolkit.
The PRE-SME toolkit builds upon existing knowledge and tools but focuses on making the content aligned with the specific needs and organisational capabilities of SMEs in developing countries and economies in transition. It was first piloted in Ethiopia and Vietnam and adapted versions can also be found on their respective NCPCs and UNEP websites.
This manual addresses the following topics:
- Explanation of basic concepts including: Resource Efficiency, life cycle thinking, dematerialisation, decarbonisation, the ‘Plan-Do-Check-Act’ (PDCA) cycle, benchmarking, cleaner production, safer production and integrated management systems
- The PDCA cycle as a basis for continuous improvement
- Five thematic modules for detailed assessment (water, energy, materials, waste, chemicals)
- Benchmarking and benchmarks for different sectors and units
- Relevant international laws, restrictions, standards
- Guidance for planning a Resource Efficiency programme
- Appendices including: slides for trainers, exercises for workshops, worksheets samples for practical work with companies and Internet resources