Go the right way, don't be afraid to go far -- FE SOGO Department stores Sustainability Practice

        In May of this year, Chairman Sophia C.W. Huang of FE SOGO Department stores gave a lecture titled "The Right Way, Not Far Away - FE SOGO Department Stores Sustainable Practice" at the "Taipei University X Vision ESG Business Leaders Lecture: ESG from Concept to Practice" ” gave a speech to share with the congregation the sustainable philosophy and actions of FE SOGO Department stores.

        Not only the golden rooster of department stores, but also a model of green department stores

                Since its opening in November 1987, SOGO Department Store Zhongxiao Branch has set countless precedents in the department store industry, such as: the first Japanese-style exquisite service introduced by a customer service lady, the first to launch the department store anniversary name, the department store Pingxiao Wang...etc. Since the first year of SOGO CSR in 2015, FE SOGO Department stores have won 119 awards at home and abroad and international certifications, among which there are many "unique" awards in Taiwan's department store retail industry, including: won the CSR Nobel for 4 consecutive years. "AREA Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards", "Foresight Corporate Social Responsibility Award - Service Industry Comprehensive Performance Model Award" for 4 consecutive years, "National Enterprise Environmental Protection Award" for 3 consecutive years, and entered the Taipei Presidential Palace to deliver a speech on behalf of the winning companies In addition, it has twice won the "National Model Award for Retail Enterprises" issued by FAPRA "Asia Pacific Retailers Association".

        "ESG is the company's mission and our original aspiration," said Chairman Sophia C.W. Huang. FE SOGO Department stores is not a listed company, but has independently issued reports for eight consecutive years. It is also the first company in Taiwan's department store industry to set up a CSR website. Establish a product safety zone on the website to open and transparent information. "Honesty is king", this is Chairman Huang's insistence. If there is something wrong, he should bravely disclose the information and actively improve it.

        Seize the opportunity and become a sustainable pioneer

        When did the sustainable operation of FE SOGO Department stores start? Chairman Huang recalled, "The black heart oil incident broke out in Taiwan in 2014. The food safety issue caused great anxiety and a series of struggles among the people. SOGO also stepped forward to protect the rights and interests of customers and took the lead in removing suspicious food from supermarkets and food streets. Commodities, not only require supermarkets to remove cooking oil, but all products of Ting Hsin Group, which is the first department store in Taiwan to initiate "Extinction"."

        At that time, there was no concept of "supply chain management" in Taiwan's department store retail industry, and even a few major technology companies had just started to do so. However, Chairman Huang decided to give priority to protecting consumers, which immediately attracted many companies to follow up, and the whole trend was devastated. . It is precisely because of the needs of the social trend that the extinction event has become an opportunity for FE SOGO Department stores to implement CSR and ESG, and then set 2015 as the first year of CSR for SOGO.

        From supplier management, to exert channel influence

                When the concept of supply chain management has not yet become popular, FE SOGO Department stores has established a corporate social responsibility committee and formulated the corporate social responsibility clauses of suppliers, becoming the first company in Taiwan to fully specify the standard contract for suppliers and lessees. A department store that sets and regulates "Corporate Social Responsibility Clauses". "Up to now, the coverage rate of the terms signed by suppliers and lessees is 100%!" Chairman Huang said with unconcealed joy.

        In addition, green procurement is also the insistence of FE SOGO Department stores. By vigorously promoting green procurement, implementing local procurement, supporting local manufacturers, and giving full play to the power of channels, it has been awarded "Taipei City Government Green Procurement Excellent Unit for 5 consecutive years." ". Take “paper”, which is the most widely used by consumers in department stores, for example. The paper materials for shopping bags and toilet paper have all passed the certification of the International FSC Forest Stewardship Committee. Recycled and reused, toilet paper towels also use recycled environmentally friendly pulp.

        Chairman Huang recalled, "It was a big challenge for FE SOGO Department stores to use FSC-certified paper at the beginning." Because there are few manufacturers of FSC-certified paper and the cost is high. Therefore, start using it from a specific schedule. With the popularization of the FSC sustainable paper market, the shopping bags of FE SOGO Department stores have fully adopted FSC certified paper.

        "During the process, we also discovered a very interesting phenomenon. One of the suppliers did not have relevant paper at first, but was inspired by our promotion. Not only did we spend money on importing paper materials, but also spent time and cost to complete the FSC process. Certification, production in accordance with FSCTM standards, from "forest → wood (pulp) → procurement → processing → labeling → sales", etc., all supply chains have been verified, and their sources can be fully traced, highlighting the role of FE SOGO Department stores in supplying chain influence.”

        Strengthening the participation of colleagues, "together good" is really good

        Chairman Huang further shared the characteristics of FE SOGO Department stores in promoting corporate social responsibility in the past, as well as the achievements in the practice of sustainability in recent years, including:

        ● "Top-down" formulate strategies and make decisions, "bottom-up" ideas are conceived and implemented, and stakeholders are invited to join hands.

        ● Establish a corporate social responsibility committee, and formulate the supplier's corporate social responsibility clauses, requiring cabinet manufacturers to sign.

        ● Two years ahead of government policy, becoming the first department store in Taiwan to ban disposable and melamine tableware.

        ● The first department store operator in Taiwan to issue paperless e-gift vouchers, not only e-gift vouchers, but also extended to vouchers, instant vouchers, and coupons. The saved paper can be stacked to produce 3.7 E.SUN BANK high.

        To implement "sustainability", we must first establish an internal inter-departmental communication mechanism to promote sustainable projects. Chairman Huang said, "Relevant departments hold meetings about once to two weeks, whether it is a 'Top-down' (Top-down) strategy formulation, decision-making, or a 'Bottom-up' (Bottom-up) The participation and practice of colleagues can be seen in the idea and implementation of ideas.

        In addition to letting employees see the urgency and responsibility of implementing CSR and ESG, FE SOGO Department stores also invites different stakeholders to join in the cooperation, emphasizing that "common good is really good".

                Is Sustainability a MUST or a PLUS?

        "Sustainability is MUST or PLUS?" is the question that Chairman Huang asked at the end of his speech. She said, "The hardest part of promoting ESG is communication with employees, manufacturers and others. If you want to tell others how, you have to jump down and do it yourself. It will not be so difficult to turn ESG into the DNA of your life."

        Finally, Chairman Huang quoted the famous saying of American writer Henry David Thoreau that "goodness is the only investment that will not fail". "If you ask me whether ESG is a good investment, I would say that the beneficiaries are not only consumers, manufacturers, and stakeholders, but yourself!" Chairman Huang concluded.

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