Guidebook Created with Standards and Four Key Tasks for Producing and Distributing 'Sustainable Products'
First Research Outcome Establishes Roadmap for 'Sustainable Raw Material Sourcing and Packaging,' to be Continuously Updated
Eco-Friendly Packaging Methods to be Pilot Tested in H2 with No Brand and Peacock PL, Then Expanded
MOU Signed with CJ CheilJedang... 'Green Economy' Cooperation Between Distribution and Food Companies
[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Emart announced on the 19th that, as part of its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, it will publish a guidebook presenting the standards and key tasks for 'sustainable products,' the first of its kind in the domestic distribution industry.
On the same day, Emart unveiled the 'Product Sustainability Initiative (PSI)' and stated that it will share values and lead cooperation with related industries, starting with an MOU with CJ CheilJedang.
PSI is a standard guide developed through joint research by Emart and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), containing criteria and principles to assess product sustainability. Its goal is to minimize the negative environmental impact during product production and distribution and to contribute to consumer health and safety.
The advisory group includes government agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, as well as Yonsei University's Department of Packaging, Emart buyers, and quality control teams. Joint research with major partners will be conducted in the future.
Emart plans to establish a 'Green Taxonomy' defining the scope of environmentally sustainable economic activities. The PSI developed by Emart is one of the core tasks in ESG management pursued by global distribution companies such as Walmart and Amazon. Walmart has developed its own indicators to assess the impact of products on climate change for 100,000 global partners. Amazon continues efforts to minimize packaging waste by creating a packaging certification system.
Emart classified the PSI research tasks into four major areas: eco-friendly products, sustainable raw material sourcing, health and safety, and packaging/plastics. The current Emart PSI includes research results related to sustainable raw material sourcing and packaging/plastics. Research on the remaining areas will be conducted later, and existing content will be continuously revised and developed by reflecting environmental conditions and societal opinions.
In sustainable raw material sourcing, a roadmap was established to improve sourcing procedures for seven raw materials (marine products, livestock, palm oil, timber, cotton textiles, soybeans, coffee and tea). In the livestock sector, animal welfare certification will be expanded, and priority will be given to aquaculture products raised without antibiotics. For cotton textiles, the use of recycled fiber products is recommended.
In the packaging and plastics sector, a 'Sustainable Packaging Index' was created. This index categorizes eco-friendly packaging practices into seven areas, such as minimizing packaging frequency and materials and using recyclable packaging. Emart plans to pilot the evolved packaging methods in new products of its private brands like No Brand and Peacock in the second half of this year and later expand them to general products.
On the 14th, Emart signed an 'Eco-friendly Sustainability Collaboration MOU' with CJ CheilJedang. Through this agreement, Emart and CJ CheilJedang will build an eco-friendly win-win relationship and continue efforts such as developing sustainable packaging indices, researching product package improvements, and promoting recycling. Various other eco-friendly campaigns will also be conducted together.
The Emart PSI can be viewed on Emart's website. The playbook containing the core contents is planned to be shared with partners in July.
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