Pacific SOGO Department Stores Co., Ltd.

Less Carbon, Better Life

INTRODUCTION

As global warming becomes increasingly severe, SOGO takes on the mission of “becoming the first Green Retailer in Asia” to instill environmental protection awareness in customers, employees, suppliers, and the general public through its marketing expertise and the power of its sales venue platform. SOGO transforms department stores into sites for low-carbon education and let customers experience an energy efficient environment, participate in low-carbon education activities, purchase green and environmentally friendly products, and begin an immersive low-carbon journey.

FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY

SOGO uses three key elements which includes green marketing, low-carbon education, and energy resource integration to divide the Green Retailer project into four main phases:

Green Retailer 1.0: Obtain the first “Carbon Label” certificate issued to a department store retailer in Asia.
Green Retailer 2.0: Connect stakeholders to low-carbon education by issuing the first low-carbon department store drawing books, creating “small low-carbon journeys in the department stores” for schoolchildren, and organising low-carbon markets and seminars.
Green Retailer 3.0: Be the first department store to introduce the “ISO50001 Energy Management System” in Taiwan. Establish an Energy Management Committee and formulate an energy policy. Implement energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction with all departments of the Company to reduce resource consumption. Set up areas for green products in 8 branch stores in Taiwan to encourage consumers to live a green lifestyle.
Green Retailer 4.0: Obtain the first “Carbon Reduction Label” issued to a department store retailer. Promote the circular economy and cooperate with the charity platform GIVE543 gift network. Invite SOGO VIPs to donate idle resources.

ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT

SOGO integrated stakeholders such as brands, suppliers, customers, employees, and communities to jointly create a green department store, and achieved the following results:

Be the first in the industry to obtain the “Carbon Label”, “Carbon Reduction Label”, “ISO50001 Energy Management System” and “ISO 14064-1 Greenhouse gas inventory” certifications. Launched the “Department Store Retail PCR” after obtaining the Carbon Label, and allows 800,000 companies in Taiwan to use SOGO’s PCR to calculate carbon emissions.
With energy-saving facilities, Tianmu Store reduced its carbon emissions by 24.77% in 3 years, which was 8 times the amount required by law.
SOGO reduced public electricity consumption by 7.7 million kWh (7.2%) over 2 years and saved NT$35.7 million (12.8%) in electricity bills.
SOGO sold more than 130,000 green products in Taiwan in 2018.
In Taiwan, SOGO has won the most green awards in retail industry.
Prevented health hazard from melamine resin while reducing the use of plastics.

FUTURE DIRECTION

In an era where department stores around the world are pressured by low margins, SOGO firmly believes that energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction are the best investment. SOGO invested NT$25.1 million in 2018 and NT$24.7 million in 2019, totaling close to NT$50 million in two years, in optimising energy-saving equipment.

Their progress in energy efficiency cannot be slowed. SOGO will further reduce 1% in carbon emissions starting from 2019 and reduce 2% starting from 2023. SOGO currently promotes the “zero plastic straws”, “food waste reduction”, and “cherish food” projects.

The stylish and high-end retailer, SOGO, was founded in 1987, and joined the Far Eastern Group in 2002. Under the spirits of “New Life Initiative” and the value of “SOGO’s Six Keys to Sustainability”, SOGO brings its strength as a leading distribution channel into full play and collaborates with all its stakeholders.