Business Movement

Central & Robinson Join Forces with Royal Forest Department, Inviting All to ‘Plant 100,000 Trees’ to Increase Over 490 Rai of Green Spaces Across Thailand with “CENTRAL/ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023” Campaign. Joining the Campaign Kick-Off Are Toey Jarinporn and Top Pipat, Eco-loving Superstars to Celebrate World Environment Day

To celebrate World Environment Day on 5th June 2023, Central and Robinson Department Store under Central Retail launched CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 campaign, in collaboration with Royal Forest Department, inviting everyone to increase green spaces in Thailand by planting 100,000 trees across 490 rai to revive environmental balance in the most direct and sustainable manner.

Central Department Store and Robinson Department Store also continued their efforts on four existing missions: 1) Say No To Plastic Bags - eliminating the use of plastic bags at their locations; 2) Promote The Use Of Eco-Friendly Materials across their shopping centers nationwide; 3) Collaborate with Central Tham - providing retail space for local communities to display and sell their merchandise in support of eco-friendly production process; 4) Contribute to Central Group’s mission in expanding green spaces by 50,000 rai within 2030.

Eco-friendly activities will be organized for everyone to join in throughout June 2023 at Central and Robinson Department Store nationwide.

Today, we are experiencing three major environmental issues - 1) Climate Change: in Thailand, the expected heat index is as high as 53.8°C in 2023 and WHO anticipated that as many as 250,000 people would be severely affected by climate change within ten years1; 2) Air Pollution / PM2.5: 9 out of 10 of the global population is breathing polluted air and 1.3 million people (or 30% of the overall death) have died due to air pollution2; 3) Waste Quantity & Management: Thailand experienced an increase of waste by 0.72 million tons from last year and has about 2 million tons of plastic waste3. The most sustainable approach is to start from ourselves to spark collaborations across all sectors, hence the continuous environmental campaign, “CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH.”

Khun Rvisra Chirathivat, Chief Marketing Officer - Central Department Store and Robinson Department Store under Central Retail spoke about the intention behind CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 campaign, “We are committed in pursuing Central Group’s missions for sustainable environment in increasing 50,000 rais of green space across the country within 2030. Central Retail, the country’s first retailer who was named as the model organization for sustainability, also operates under “CRC ReNEW” strategy, encompassing efforts to reduce greenhouse gases from our operations, navigate well-being society for everyone, use eco-friendly packaging at our stores, and pursue effective waste management. To date, our stores achieved many environmental milestones, including eliminating 100% of plastic bags, supporting products which has eco-friendly production process through Central Edition - a space for such merchandise from various communities in Thailand,

partnering with 24 Thai designers and local communities in reusing and recreating waste into new products togenerate revenue for the communities, and the latest project of Organic Zone in the Beauty Department of Central Chidlom, Thailand’s first shopping space dedicated for environmental-friendly beauty products. This also aligns with the in-store energy-saving efforts with EV chargers, solar rooftops, LED light usage to reduce carbon dioxide gas emission, as well as recycling campaigns such as Beauty Waste Corner Separation, starting late June 2023, customers can donate used packaging of their skincare and makeup for further recycling and processing into fuel. This year, for our most important project to increase Thailand’s green spaces CENTRAL/ ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023, we will collaborate with various organizations from the public and private sectors to revive the environment and pass on a greener future to the next generation.”

In the CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023, Central and Robinson Department Store continue to join forces with Royal Forest Department to invite all Thais to plant 100,000 trees in 490 rai across the country. For every spending in the Home, Small Appliances, and Beauty Galerie departments, customers will be able to register their intent to participate in the mission on the stores’ online platforms. The campaign anticipated an absorption of 465.5 tons of carbon dioxide each year, or 14,347.2 tons of carbon dioxide, which can reduce the temperature by 1-2°C. At the same time, the stores also invite everyone to join the four green missions: 1) Say No To Plastic Bags - eliminating the use of plastic bags at every store location; 2) Promote The Use Of Eco-Friendly Materials at All Stores Nationwide - using natural recyclable materials, reducing one-use plastic materials, at the same time, supporting local wisdom and generating income to local communities; 3) Collaborate With Central Tham - providing retail space for local communities to display and sell their environmentally-friendly merchandise while supporting partner brands across all departments whose production process is good for the environment; 4) Contribute to Central Group’s Mission In Expanding Green Space by 50,000 rai within 2030.

The campaign kick-off’s featured Khun Pichai Chirathivat, Executive Director - Central Group and many honorary guests from various industries to share their experience on sustainable environment and preservation in CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 TALKS, namely Khun Rvisra Chirathivat, Chief Marketing Officer - Central Department Store and Robinson Department Store under Central Retail, Khun Thalearngsak Petchsuwan - Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Khun Asita Vimolchaichit - Owner of Asita Eco Resort, Khun Thapanee Pourvaranukork General Manager L'occitane (Thailand) Ltd., Khun Teerachai Suppameteekulwat - Design Director and Founder at Qualy, Khun Pilaiporn Namsirivivat - Marketing Manager at Nameco and Khun Toey Jarinporn Joonkiat, actress and founder of EEC Thailand, as well as Khun Rungnipha Sriwiriyalertkul - Home, Mom & Kids Category Director, Central and Robinson Department Store under Central Retail, Khun Stephane Jubert - Brand Communication Director Central and Robinson Department Store under Central Retail, Furthermore, exclusive customers, including Khun Thira Dararat, Khun Kittikul Chotikunta, Khun Kansinee Roongananchai, Khun Tepin Parapibul and the host and eco-supporting actor, Khun Top Pipat Apiraktanakorn. The session can be found on Facebook Fanpage and YouTube channels: Central Department Store and Robinson Department Store.

At the event, Toey Jarinporn Jookiat shared, “I am more than happy to be a part of such a great campaign for the environment like CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 campaign. As someone who actively campaigns and cares for the environment, I truly understand that it is not an easy task at all. Today, we are more aware of the issue that we cannot change the world individually. That is why I am very grateful to hear that large organizations such as Central and Robinson Department Store spearheaded such projects and continued to do so. I believe that this project will inspire many more projects from other companies, which totaling up to a tangible impact for all of us.”

Moreover, Central and Robinson Department Store also organized various environmentally friendly activities for everyone to join in under the CENTRAL / ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 campaign throughout June 2023, including:

  • Love the Earth Fair: Central, together with its leading partner brands, showed the support for products whose production processes are friendly for the environment, and provided space for local merchandise that is made from natural and waste materials for various product groups, such as Home products from SCULPTURE, AWA DÉCOR, NAMECO, SONITE, and HASS; Lifestyle products from QUALY and PAPER ART; Beauty products from HUG; and Fashion products from CARPENTER, MUNIE, and Tlejourn throughout this June at 1st Floor, Zone I, CENTRAL @ centralwOrld;
  • D.I.Y. Workshop: customers are invited to enjoy DIY workshop for the environment. For a spending of at least 1,500 Baht at Central Department Store or 1,000 Baht at Home, Small Appliances, and Beauty Galerie Departments of Robinson Department Store, customers can join the D.I.Y. workshops in making plant pots from reusable materials on 3rd, 4th,10th, and 11th June 2023 at Central and Robinson Department Store nationwide.
  • Educational Display: Indulge in the creative display of various booths that were created from environmentally friendly materials at Central and Robinson Department Store across the country from 1 June - 19 June 2023.
  • Contribute financially towards the Royal Forest Department’s projects in increasing the green space through the Environmental Foundation by Central Group throughout June 2023.

Let’s join forces in bringing environmental sustainability to Thai society together through the CENTRAL/ ROBINSON LOVE THE EARTH 2023 campaign. For more news and updates on Central and Robinson Department Store’s activities, please visit: Facebook Fanpage: Central Department Store and Robinson Department Store

Note:

  1. Source: WHO website in 2023 and Tnnthailnd in 2023
  2. Source: WHO Thailand website in 2016, Phyathai Hospital in 2020 and PPTV in 2023
  3. Source: Pollution Control Department in 2022, Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning in 2022, and Brandinside in 2022.