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Summary

Brazilian and foreign researchers discussed for three days at the University Paulista, Indianópolis Campus) the topic of the 4th International Workshop Advances in Cleaner Production: "Integrating Cleaner Production into Sustainability Strategies".

The international conference was organized by the Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering (Master's and Doctoral Program) and counted with the partnership of the NPPR (National Prevention Pollution Roundtable, from United States), CETESB (Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental, Brazil), UNISON (Universidad de Sonora, México), and the Journal of Cleaner Production.

The partnership with the Journal of Cleaner Production, that was started during the 1st Workshop was maintained with the support of the Editor in Chief, Prof. Donald Huisingh, and resulted, as occurred at the other three previous conferences, in the Call for Papers for a special issue of the journal to be published with the best works presented in this fourth edition.

The conference received financial support from the funding agencies FAPESP (Fundação do Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo) and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education), which were fundamental to the achievement of the 4th Workshop. Petrópolis Publisher and also participated and supported the event.

The 4th Workshop also counted with the sponsorship of ABEPRO (Brazilian Association of Production Engineering), UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program), UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), Red Latinoamericana de Producción más Límpia, Instituto Jatobás, LATEC (Laboratory Technology, Business Management, Jatobás Institute, Intertox, and INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria).

The Vice Dean for Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research of UNIP had the merit of the conference success, having been responsible for infrastructure support, as well as for providing teachers and students of the Bilingual Secretarial and Pedagogy courses who were active members of the Supporting Committee. Also the UNIP Chorus performed a Brazilian repertoire.

The organizing Committee considered that all the pre-established goals proposed to be attained during the 4th Workshop were fully reached:

(1) The academic information exchange goal was fully achieved. It was significant the number of participating academic institutions (91 universities and colleges), that reflected in the 166 academic contributions presented. The excellent quality of the contributions presented, in a process of continuous improvement as was seen edition by edition, resulted in another invitation by the Journal of Cleaner Production (JCP), for a fourth special issue.

(2) Presentations of recent achievements in CP were made by a significant number of companies. Twenty two (22) cases of success were presented in oral form. The conference promoted the transfer between academic knowledge and corporate experience and counted with the participation of 33 companies comprising industrial and services sectors.

(3) The common problems and routing of solutions was extensively and deeply discussed at plenary sessions, oral presentations, and workshops. Nine workshops were offered during the conference, where working groups were formed to discuss attitudes needed to contribute to the integration of CP practices and strategies in the search for sustainability. These activities were coordinated by foreigner and national invited speakers.

(4) The increase in international relationship through individual and institutional contact was a goal achieved. Participants of 18 countries attended the conference.

(5) The deepening of the discussion on the fundamental theme of the conference: Integrating Cleaner Production into Sustainability Strategies was the concern of the conference.

Given these impressive results, the Organizing Committee is honored for having organized the 4th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production.