Modelling green batik industry – A strategy for sustainability in the craft industry in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Mohd Rafi Yaacob, NurFaizah Mat Zain
• Format: Non-Indexed Article
• Published: ISDS LLC 2016
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/8457/; https://isdsnet.com/ijds-v5n2-4.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Malaysia Kelantan

Over a few decades, industrial development has brought prosperity and wealth together with triggering unintended ecological degradation. Therefore, a modern society has increasingly demanded industries to take responsibilities for the effects of those business activities that have negative impacts on the environment. Increasing numbers of businesses have shown interest towards adopting proactive approaches and practices, aiming to reduce these negative environmental impacts. In order to ensure sustainable development, businesses as the main players in development inherently need to consider the triple bottom lines – planet, profit and people. Yet until recently, not many researchers in Malaysia as well as other developing countries are interested in conducting their research in environmental strategies especially in the area of SMEs. The purpose of this article is to discuss a model of how thecraft industry in general and batik industry in particular need to response to ensure their practices are conducted in a sustainable manner. The industry is chosen because it is one of the main sources of water pollution and the industry rate of compliance is the lowest as reported by the Malaysian Department of the Environment. The study sheds light into the model of current environmental practices and the interfaces of environmental management of the industry and increasing needs its stakeholders.