Environmental Conservation/Protection

Since 2001, Fast Retailing has been dedicated to environmental protection activities, which includes our support for the Setouchi Olive Foundation and other initiatives. Through the Setouchi Olive Foundation, Fast Retailing employees plant trees, volunteer in neighborhood clean-up drives, and participate in other activities that raise awareness of environmental issues.

The Setouchi Olive Foundation

The Setouchi Olive Foundation was founded in the year 2000 by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando and the late Kohei Nakabo (an attorney). The goal of the foundation is to protect the natural environment of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The foundation was started to restore the abundant nature of Teshima Island (Kagawa Prefecture), as well as the myriad other islands located in, and shorelines surrounding, the Seto Inland Sea in the wake of the Teshima Incident, Japan's largest illegal waste dumping scandal occurring in the 1980's.

To support the goals of this foundation, Fast Retailing began fundraising activities in 2001 at UNIQLO stores and in September 2011 at GU stores. The funds raised are used to support tree-planting, revegetation, marine debris reduction and removal, environmental education, and other activities.

The Setouchi Olive Foundation donation box in stores

Tree-planting activities on Teshima island, Kagawa Prefecture

History of Activities

The Setouchi Olive Foundation became a nonprofit corporation in July 2007 to ramp-up its activities. In June 2013, the foundation launched the Teshima - Island School website to provide information about the history of the Teshima incident and record stories to preserve for future generations. The foundation website is designed so that as many people as possible become aware of the implications of the Teshima incident. To goal is to ensure that younger generations never forget the incident and realize how vitally important it is to take care one's home town.

Employee tree planting and revegetation activities

Fast Retailing employees participate on a volunteer basis in the tree planting and revegetation activities of the Olive Fund. Volunteers have expressed their appreciation for these opportunities. One volunteer stated, "Working with local people in tree planting and revegetation activities has given me the chance to learn about industrial waste disposal issues and to become aware of environmental problems issues in a way that was up close and personal." As of 2023, more than 1,145 employees have participated in the program.

Revegetation activities on Teshima island, Kagawa Prefecture

Local Cleanup Activities

UNIQLO CLEANING DAY

UNIQLO Germany holds a regular UNIQLO CLEANING DAY activity with customers and local organizations in Berlin. The goals of this program are to contribute to the communities in which UNIQLO has stores and to raise the consciousness of UNIQLO employees about sustainability issues. UNIQLO stores and social media provide channels to put the call out for participants. More than 200 people are pitching in each time.

UNIQLO CLEANING DAY, a clean-up activity where employees work together with customers

Clean-up activities in the neighborhood around the Ariake office

At UNIQLO Japan, employees are involved in weekly clean-up activities in the neighborhood around the Ariake office (Tokyo). Participants collect trash, weed the sidewalks, and rake leaves. The idea is to beautify the areas around the office.

Employees cleaning the area around the Ariake office

A Social Contribution Activity that Makes Street Cleanup Fun (Spo-GOMI×UNIQLO)

A New Approach to Street Cleanup (Spo-GOMI*x UNIQLO x GU)

Today, one of the most serious environmental problems is ocean garbage, with much garbage originating in urban areas making its way into our oceans via rivers and streams. UNIQLO (in 2021) and GU (in 2023) launched Spo-GOMI, with the goal of addressing this problem by cleaning up the streets around UNIQLO and GU stores with local community members, while also contributing to the development of the next generation. Spo-GOMI is a sport in which participants and their team members remove garbage from the streets within a specified time and compete for points based on the quantity and quality of garbage collected. All participants wear matching original uniforms and use their heads and hands to clean up the city. Anyone, from children to adults, can participate in this event and learn about environmental issues while having fun and becoming more aware of the garbage discarded in their neighborhoods and cities.

*Spo-GOMI is an activity run by the Social Sports Initiative since 2008.

Original Spo-GOMI x UNIQLO Uniform

Activity Results (Cumulative total)

From November 2021 to the end of August 2023, the programs have been held at 21 locations nationwide, with a total of 1,706 participants and a total of 1,299 kg of garbage collected.

Group photo of participants after a Spo-GOMI x UNIQLO activity
（UNIQLO Asakusa store, total amount of garbage 32.65 kg）

Contributing to Local Communities by Donating Water Treatment Systems to Schools in Vietnam

Fast Retailing regularly conducts risk assessments throughout the value chain using Aqueduct, a water risk assessment tool developed by the World Resources Institute. We conducted a survey on the actual water conditions and fluctuations in water prices for the factories that were risk-assessed by Aqueduct, and identified factories facing water risk. As a result of the survey, we learned that factories in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam are at risk of salt damage, and that this risk extends to tap water. Since salt damage is a complex problem that cannot be easily resolved quickly, we began working with NGOs, governments, and other local stakeholders to donate water treatment systems to schools near factories that are at risk of salt damage in Vietnam. These water treatment systems are also made available to nearby residents in the event of an emergency. As of August 31, 2023, we have donated water treatment systems to 14 schools.

Fast Retailing will continue its efforts to solve social issues in communities exposed to environmental risks based on the results of risk assessments.

Partnering with local stakeholders to donate water treatment systems to schools and other institutions at risk of salt damage to provide drinking water