Promotion System and Initiatives

Sustainability Promotion System

The Shimamura Group engages in sustainable activities for ESG issues in accordance with the basic concept of our sustainability policy.
First, the Management Plan Formulation Committee deliberates on defining themes for ESG issues, establishing a process for resolving those issues, and setting numerical targets. The Board of Directors then makes a decision based on the deliberation.
After that, we set up an ESG Promotion Team in which departments in our company cooperate with each other on the targets that have been determined. It meets periodically once a month to report on the progress of issues, to raise problems and to deliberate on other matters. The Planning Section, a department which responds to ESG issues, manages progress on the contents of activities by the ESG Promotion Team. It then makes a report to the President once a month. It also makes a report to the Board of Directors or the Management Plan Formulation Committee at least twice a year.

・Promotion System

ESG Promotion Team

A：Environmental Consciousness (Resource) Team (FY2021-)

• Member
  Executive officer in charge of the Store Management Department, Shop Dressing Department, General Administration Department, Logistics Department, Store Management Department, Merchandise Department, Planning Section
• Purpose
  To promote the reduction and recycling of product delivery materials and fixtures and consumables used in stores and the Head Office.
• Main Initiatives in FY2023
  1. 1）Hanger recycling
     • ・Expanded the types of hangers that can be recycled.
     • ・Developed recycling facilities in Japan.
       (pelletized in Japan and then molded into hangers overseas).
     • ・Increased the complete recycling volume* by unifying the colors of hangers in all businesses (111.0% year-on-year).
       *Complete recycling: This is a mechanism to recycle wastes into materials used by the Shimamura Group.
  2. 2）Plastic bag recycling
     • ・Preparing to implement complete recycling from clear plastic bag to clear plastic bag
     • ・Implementation of new small delivery bags (scheduled to be operational in Japan from November 2023 and from March 2024 overseas)
     • ・Formulation and implementation of measures to improve awareness of shopping bag recycling
  3. See details of our initiatives
  4. 3）Reduce
     • ・Reduction in excessive delivery materials
     • ・Reduction in consumables with a review of store operations (paper, tape, etc.)
     • ・Reduction of 5 million sheets of paper annually by engaging in paperless operation at stores

  

  

B：Sustainable Procurement Team (FY2021-)

• Member
  Executive officer in charge of the Merchandise Department, Merchandise Department, Import Department, Merchandise Management Department, Planning Section
• Purpose
  To consider human rights and environment in the supply chain, reduce CO₂, and expand sustainable products and auxiliary materials.
• Main Initiatives in FY2023
  1. 1）Expansion of sustainable products
     • ・Expansion of sustainable materials.
     • ・Strengthening traceability of sustainable products
  2. 2）Expansion of sustainable auxiliary materials
     • ・Switched to the sustainable auxiliary materials.
     • ・Progress on the non-use of plastics (switch from plastic to paper)
  3. See details of our initiatives
  　　　　　　　　　　
  4. 3）Supplier Human Rights and Environment
     • ・Receipt of the declaration of compliance with the Shimamura Supplier CoC* from all suppliers and an improvement in the accuracy of management methods
       *CoC: Code of Conduct
     • ・Addition of energy and water usage management to the PB factory review checklist
     • ・Held briefing sessions for suppliers entitled "Responding to Human Rights and the Environment" (a total of 496 companies participated)
     See details of our initiatives

  

  

C：Diversity Promotion Team (FY2021-)

• Member
  Executive officer in charge of the Human Resources Department and Education Department, Human Resources Department, Education Department, Store Management Department, Merchandise Department, Planning Section
• Purpose
  To promote the participation and advancement of women, the employment of people with disabilities and a work-life balance.
• Main Initiatives in FY2023
  1. 1）Expansion of the promotion of women to management positions
     (Training and Information Sessions)
     • ・Revised the educational curriculum for candidates to be store managers
       (number of participants: 76.6% year-on-year).
     • ・Operation of the educational curriculum for candidates to be block managers
       (number of participants: 112.2% year-on-year).
     • ・Held briefing sessions for regular employees (part-timers) who are willing and interested in being promoted to store manager.
     • ・Awareness campaign to promote store manager positions using posters and our in-house newsletter.
  2. 2）Expansion of the promotion of women to management positions (system)
     • ・Dissemination and operation of the current program for balancing childcare and work (nursery school introduction service and the system to allow children to stay in store lounges).
     • ・Established a role model for employees returning to work after childcare leave and enriched a personnel system based on the opinions of those returning to work.
     • ・Promotion of Shimamura Women's Empowerment Curriculum (SWEC).
  3. 3）Expansion of the employment of people with disabilities
     • ・Recommended the acquisition of a license as professional life counsellor for people with disabilities (331people acquired as of February 2023).
     • ・Expansion in the employment of people with disabilities in all businesses and all blocks.
     • ・Sharing of good examples by business with a high rate of employing people with disabilities and implementation of educational activities at store manager meetings.
  4. 4）Work-life balance
     • ・Improvement in the operational efficiency of the head office
     • ・Response to the diversification of the work systems for part-time employees
     • ・Change in head office working hours
  5. See details of our initiatives

  

  

  

D：Environmental Consciousness (Facility and Logistics) Team（FY2022-）

• Member
  Executive officer in charge of the Construction Department, Construction Department, Store Management Department Logistics Department, Planning Section
• Purpose
  To reduce CO₂ emissions in stores, transfer centers and our Head Office (e.g., power consumption) and during delivery to stores (e.g., exhaust gas from trucks).
• Main Initiatives in FY2023
  1. 1）Reduction of CO₂emissions (stores)
     • ・Opening of sustainable stores and verification of effects
     • ・Replacement of old LED lighting with the latest LED lighting (104 cases in FY2023)
     • ・Replacement to air conditioners which use less electricity (45 cases in FY2023)
  2. 2）Reduction of CO₂ emissions (logistics)
     • ・Expanded "modal shift" to use JR containers and EV trucks for some deliveries.
       (FY2023: Opening of five JR container routes and two ferry routes)
     • ・Increase of electric trucks (introduction of five electric trucks in FY2023)
  3. See details of our initiatives

  

  

E：Clothing Infrastructure Promotion Team（FY2022-）

• Member
  Director, Executive Officer, General Manager of Planning Office、Store Management Department、Merchandise Department、EC business
• Purpose
  Sold clothes to people who have difficulty going shopping, such as the elderly and those living in depopulated areas.
  (traveling sale and online stores)
• Main Initiatives in FY2023
  1. 1）Systemization of travel sale
     • ・Expansion of travel sale: Implemented 31 times in FY2023
       (implemented seven times in FY2022)
     • ・Creation of a manual for the nationwide implementation of travel sale
     • ・Start at all stores of the Shimamura business from FY2024 (excluding some stores)
  2. 2）Implementation of shopping tours
     • ・Implementation of shopping tours in various facilities: Implemented 8 times in FY2023 (not implemented in FY2022)
     • ・Start at all stores of the Shimamura business from December FY2023
  3. See details of our initiatives
  4. 3）Online Store
     • ・ Expansion in the handling of products for the elderly
       (apparel, nursing care underwear, etc.)

  

  

ESG Education

We promote a "Shimamura-style ESG response" across the Shimamura Group. We provide opportunities for employees to learn about ESG so that they all engage in ESG activities. ESG education raises the understanding and interest of our employees in ESG. Each employee then engages in ESG activities in their duties as a personal matter.
In addition to explaining to full-time employees our state of progress on ESG in in-house meetings once a year, we provide the following ESG education to full-time employees.
Education for employees with a new position: New employee education (full-time employees), new store manager education and education for employees assigned to a new department Periodic training: ESG study sessions in each department (at least once a year for all employees) Explanation of ESG progress in in-house meetings