Sales of Environmentally Friendly Products, Waste Reduction and CO2 Reduction

「対象となる環境配慮型商品をお買い上げいただいたお客さまに付与されたポイントと同額の309万965円を寄附金として、４月に長崎県対馬市へ贈呈いたしました。」

「Through the “Environmental Special WAON Bonus Points” initiative, an original program conducted as a social contribution through shopping, we made donations based on sales of eligible environmentally friendly products to Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture; the Fukuoka Prefecture Water Source Forest Foundation; Minamishimabara City Everyone’s Forest Council; the Kagoshima Greenery Foundation; and Forest Net Oita Foundation.」

「As an initiative to communicate the value of environmentally friendly products, environmentally themed products and services across the entire supply chain, we held the “Choose. The Present That Connects to the Future” fair for 3 days from 30 May to 1 June in collaboration with our business partners, giving concrete form to our desire for more customers to consciously choose environmentally friendly shopping options. Through customer-participation events at special-event stores, grouped displays of eligible products and the installation of common point-of-purchase materials, the number of eligible products sold during the fair increased substantially to 215% of the previous year’s level.」

「Under the “Environmental Special WAON Bonus Points” initiative held in April as a social contribution through shopping, we donated ¥4,954,135 in July to Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, based on sales of eligible environmentally friendly products. The donation is scheduled to be used to restore Aya Town’s forests. …This fiscal year, we conducted a pilot project for permanent clothing collection at some stores, then expanded the program in September by installing collection boxes at 42 GMS stores and began the permanent collection of unwanted clothing, miscellaneous goods and hobby items.」

「As a social contribution initiative through shopping, the “Environmental Special WAON Bonus Points” program held in April is expected to result in a donation of ¥4,954,135 to Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, based on sales of eligible environmentally friendly products. …In fiscal 2023, the program was held 4 times during the year, with total annual donations of ¥18,028,105.」

「As part of our efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions, we introduced the PPA model (*) at 4 GMS stores and 3 SM stores during the fiscal year and began consuming solar-generated electricity on-site. We will continue promoting initiatives to switch the electricity used at our stores to renewable energy.」

「Rather than being limited to simply collecting unwanted items, we held clothing collection events at our GMS stores in April and October as opportunities for customers to participate in initiatives that take the environment and society into consideration. At the third event, held in October, approximately 12 tonnes of clothing brought in by customers was collected at 30 GMS stores. The collected used clothing is sorted for reuse and recycling.」

「As part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, we introduced a PPA model at AEON Ogori Shopping Center and AEON Nakama store and self-consume electricity generated by solar power.」

「As part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, we introduced a power purchase agreement (PPA) model at AEON Ogori Shopping Center during the quarter and began self-consuming electricity generated by solar power.」

「At the Ayacho AEON Forest tree-planting event held in October by Aya Town, Higashimorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture, and the AEON Environmental Foundation to create a satoyama forest with diverse value, including forest regeneration, biodiversity conservation, and utilization, we planted 1,000 trees, including Somei Yoshino cherry and katsura, together with donations from the Environmental Special WAON Bonus Points initiative conducted by us during Environment Month in June.」

「As part of our efforts to realize a sustainable society, we jointly developed with business partners products made from recycled polyester produced from clothing and textile waste collected at an apparel collection event held in April, and began selling them under the moz brand in October.」

「As an initiative to prevent global warming, we conducted the AEON Lights Down Campaign from 21 June to 30 September, switching off outdoor signs at our commercial facilities to reduce power consumption and CO2 emissions.」

「As part of the food recycling loop, which received certification for a food recycling business plan from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of the Environment, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in May last year, we began selling in June at our HC stores in Oita Prefecture environmentally friendly compost made from food waste generated at our stores in Oita Prefecture to the general public.」

「Beginning in April 2022, we will gradually change disposable cutlery such as wooden chopsticks, spoons, and straws provided when customers purchase prepared foods and boxed meals from plastic to environmentally friendly materials such as wood and paper at all AEON, AEON Style, MaxValu, and The Big stores」

「The AEON closed-loop food recycling program, undertaken by us and イオンアグリ創造株式会社 together with 株式会社環境整備産業 (Oita City), received recognition in May from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of the Environment, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as the first such certified food recycling business plan in Oita Prefecture.」

「The AEON closed-loop food recycling program, undertaken by us and イオンアグリ創造株式会社 together with 株式会社環境整備産業 (Oita City), received recognition in May from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of the Environment, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as the first such certified food recycling business plan in Oita Prefecture.」

「To reduce CO2 emissions and conserve the environment, we discontinued the free distribution of plastic shopping bags in apparel and home and leisure product sections from April, resulting in a plastic shopping bag refusal rate of 79.5% in February 2021.」

「In October, we held the AEON Hometown Forest Creation tree-planting festival on the grounds of AEON Hara store and, together with local residents, planted 2,500 seedlings of 49 species.」

「From 1 April 2020, in addition to food sections, we discontinued the free distribution of plastic shopping bags in apparel and home and leisure product sections, and received support from many customers, with the refusal rate reaching 87.3% in August.」

「We received the Grand Prize in the business category of the 10th Fukuoka City Environmental Action Awards, presented by Fukuoka City to individuals and organizations with notable achievements in environmental conservation and creation. The award recognized our environmental education through the AEON Cheers Club and our efforts to reduce food waste using our proprietary ordering system.」

「Since April 2020, we have charged for plastic shopping bags in all directly operated sales areas, including apparel and home and leisure products. With customer support for this initiative, the plastic shopping bag refusal rate in food sections was 76.9% in fiscal 2019.」

「To advance this initiative, working with イオンストア九州株式会社, for which we provide store operating services, we newly discontinued the free distribution of plastic shopping bags in the food sections of 14 general merchandise stores and 7 Wide Mart stores from 1 September 2019. As a result, free plastic shopping bags were discontinued in the food sections of all 64 general merchandise stores and 7 Wide Mart stores across the 7 prefectures of Kyushu.」

「In addition, in recognition of our contribution to local communities through environmental initiatives, we received the highest rating under the DBJ Environmental Rating for the 5th consecutive year. Together with the DBJ BCM Rating, which evaluates the business continuity management system and was received in February, this means that we received all of the ratings under DBJ’s evaluation-certified loan program.」

「In recognition of our contribution to local communities through environmental initiatives, we received the highest rating under the DBJ Environmental Rating for the 5th consecutive year.」

「We received the highest rating, "particularly advanced initiatives for environmental consideration," for 4 consecutive years, the first retailer to do so, under the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) Environmental Rating. This recognition reflected our active efforts throughout the Kyushu region to sell environmentally friendly products, reduce and recycle waste, plant trees and discontinue the free distribution of plastic shopping bags to reduce CO2 emissions, and contribute to local communities through environmental initiatives.」