Central Group and its affiliates join hands with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), inviting everyone to take action to reduce environmental impacts from our daily lives in order to protect our one and only world. Highlighting its environmental commitment, Central Group has launched “Love the Earth” campaign to advance its Journey to Zero, Central Green, and Forest Restoration initiatives through three main themes: Better Living, Better Shopping, and Better Travelling, in order to achieve its environmental goals sustainably.
Pichai Chirathivat, Executive Director of Central Group, said that Central Group is committed to its environmental and Circular Economy policies, with real actions in many projects and business approaches under its companies such as Central Retail, Central Pattana and Centara. These include promoting products that are environment-friendly, reducing waste throughout its supply chain, effectively utilizing energy and resources, managing plastic waste and food waste, carbon emission reduction, and working with various sectors to drive environmental projects. The Group also raises awareness about sustainable production and consumption. On the occasion of World Environment Day 2022, Central Group invites its customers and all sectors to take action today for a better tomorrow and future. Everyone can protect the world through responsible living under the “Love the Earth” campaign which is in the Central Tham initiative. The campaign responds to the company’s Journey to Zero, Central Green and Forest Restoration commitments, which are in line with the UN’s SDGs. The campaign includes three key themes which can easily be adapted to everyday lives.
- Better Living: Making your living and consumption more sustainable, starting with waste separation, energy saving, and adding green space.
- Starting simply with correct waste separation by separating plastic bottles, glass bottles and cans so that they can enter the recycling process. Separate food waste and put it into a compost bin so that it can be turned into fertilizers. This helps reduce waste and ensures natural resources are maximized.
- Choosing to consume sustainable food, vegetables and fruits such as organic produce, locally grown produce, seasonal vegetables and fruits, GI products, and local dishes.
- Using solar energy and EV cars which are more common and convenient today.
- Protecting nature and biodiversity by planting trees on special occasions such as on birthday or giving trees to loved ones as a gift as well as joining various activities with the Department of National Parks or environmental organizations to plant trees and add green areas. An example is the Plant Together project, which is available online and allows users to see what trees are planted, the status, the location, and the growth process. This makes it more convenient for users and makes the world a better place.
- Supporting recycling, upcycling and reusing.
- Seeking inspiration to save the environment by going to exhibitions about forest conservation and recycling, such as “GIFTS OF THE SEA BY ANNA ZOLOTUKHINA COLLABORATION WITH WHALE TAIL PHUKET” from May 20 to June 26, 2022 on the 3rd floor of Central: The Original Store.
- Better Shopping: Shop and protect the environment at the same time by choosing eco-friendly products and local products, planning your purchase ahead, and buying only what you need.
- Selecting products and packaging that are eco-friendly.
- Supporting local products to boost the domestic economy.
- Say No to Plastic Bags: Bring your own tote bags and reuse them as much as possible.
- Reducing food waste and consuming food responsibly.
- Switching to public transport or carpooling with those who are going in the same direction.
- Better Travelling: Travel sustainably and responsibly while reducing environmental impacts with Green Tourism
- Supporting local tourism, promoting local uniqueness through travel destinations, arts and culture, traditions, and beliefs.
- Participating eco-tourism routes and environmental activities to protect natural resources and biodiversity.
- Supporting local products and services, visiting communities and exhibitions.
- Sharing impressive locations through online content.
In addition to inviting everyone to take action to protect the environment, Central Group also continuously and seriously promotes sustainability through Central Tham.
Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited
- Directly purchasing farm produce from farmers and communities for local distribution to minimize loss and logistic-related carbon emissions.
- Selling environment-friendly products, community products, upcycled products, natural products and recycled products.
- Promoting quality organic and OTOP products which are healthy, chemical-free and certified for their quality. The production must not have negative social and environmental impact.
- Say No to Plastic Bags campaign stops the use of single use plastic bags and invites customers to bring their own bags to shop and reuse the bags again.
- Donating surplus food to vulnerable groups, and food waste is turned into fertilizers and biogases.
- Launching 27 Jing Jai Farmers’ Market locations (as of Dec 2021) allows local farmers to sell their safe, toxin-free and organic products, generating 220 million baht of income in total.
- Installing solar rooftops which in 2021, a total of 30.02 tons of CO2 has been reduced. This initiative has reduced the use of energy from fossil fuel by 51,566 MWh.
- Reducing power consumption by using cooling innovation to reduce carbon footprints and unnecessary energy waste, in a total of 10,237.52 tons of CO2.
- Donating funds to various projects under environmental foundations to support environmental activities such as tree planting and generating job opportunities for local farmers.
- Using 6 EV trucks fueled by clean energy piloting in 21 stores. Each EV truck can run 400km per charge at 3 baht per km. This can reduce the use of diesel power by 50%. The goal is to make 50% of its trucks EV trucks, or 30 trucks in 2023, which will reduce CO2 emission as much as planting 200 trees a year.
Central Pattana Public Company Limited
- Developing energy and environment innovations to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) stores such as centralwOrld and other future projects.
- Developing 10 MEA energy-saving buildings.
- Awarded Thailand Energy Awards and ASEAN Energy Awards in 27 categories.
- Using clean energy and maximizing resources such as using solar cells in 17 community malls which generate 16MW of power. The goal is to install solar panels in all locations with an aim to generate the same amount of clean energy as Sirindhorn Dam solar panels (45 MW per day).
- Becoming the first Mixed-use Developer to achieve Net Zero in 2050 with long term plans to achieve Net Zero Carbon Emission through 50% reduction of power usage, reduction of CFC and other chemicals that harm the atmosphere and promoting clean energy for the other 50%. Additionally, a million trees in total are being planted to add more green space inside and outside its malls.
Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited
- Introducing Centara Reserve Samui with a Plastic-Free Resort concept to reduce single use plastics, and promoting a Fresh Garden Therapy organic spa in which customers can choose to customize their own treatment using herbal ingredients grown in the resort. They can pick up the herbs and learn more about Thai herbs. This organic herbal garden is also a source of fresh ingredients used in its dining outlets.
- Promoting Going Greener project to customers to reuse their towels and bed sheets to reduce water waste and chemical use in laundry as well as My Green Day project allowing guests who spend more than one night at the resort to participate in this campaign by indicating that they do not request housekeeping service in order to reduce the use of resources.
- Separating and recycling waste to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and thereby reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- Food Loss Reduction Project uses a central kitchen to manage the ingredients used in all dining outlets to minimize waste and save cost.
- Surplus Food Donation Project donates surplus food to SOS Thailand to help those in need.
- Food and organic waste are turned into fertilizers and biogases. The fertilizers are used in the resorts’ garden and offered to its guests and nearby communities. The biogases are also used as fuel for cooking.
- Waste recycling turns used cooking oil into biodiesel and used plastics into advanced bio-oil.
- 23 stores of Mister Donut under Central Restaurants Group (CRG) donate surplus products to charities and communities.
Tunnie Srisakulchairak, Program Manager of UNEP Asia Pacific, said that on the occasion of World Environment Day today, it is time to remind ourselves that we live together on this planet, and we have to think of ways to live together, using knowledge and advanced technology to create solutions for our consumption and production in a way that will ensure there are enough resources in this world in the long term. Communication is crucial in raising awareness about current issues and together finding solutions to take care of our only planet for today and the future.
Central Group and its affiliates are ready to drive environmental projects in every aspect for sustainable development in order to become a fully green organization.
