Bodyfriend, Advancing ESG Management Through Small Everyday Practices

Bodyfriend's in-house cafe practicing the 'Plastic Zero Campaign' by using reusable cups.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Bodyfriend announced on the 27th that it is leading ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management activities by eliminating disposable products in its in-house cafe and establishing a resource circulation system to promote recycling.

Since July 2018, Bodyfriend has been conducting a 'Plastic Zero Campaign' that stops the use of all disposable products in its in-house cafe. This is to create an eco-friendly culture within the company, encouraging employees to practice environmental protection and to proactively recognize ESG management. Practices include using personal tumblers instead of disposable cups, using paper packaging and straws, and providing reusable containers in the employee welfare facility’s side dish store.

Since the campaign began, Bodyfriend has saved approximately 600,000 disposable plastic cups over about 50 months until last month. According to investigations by the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Forest Research Institute, this is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 13 tons (13,800 kg) and corresponds to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by approximately 117 pine trees.

This year, Bodyfriend opened 10 new showrooms and relocated and expanded 9 showrooms, also establishing a 'resource circulation system' that reduces waste through furniture recycling. They practice upcycling by redesigning and reusing furniture, lighting, and appliances from closed or relocated showrooms to fit the concept and interior of new showrooms. This adds new value to inventory items that could be discarded, minimizing waste, protecting the environment, and increasing cost-saving effects.

In fact, the newly expanded and relocated Cheonan Buldang showroom last month practiced 100% upcycling through the resource circulation system. About 10 furniture items, including armchairs, round tables, wooden stools, and rattan chairs, were reused to minimize discarded waste.

Additionally, since March 2020, Bodyfriend has been promoting activities to recycle all materials (plastic, scrap metal, etc.) of massage chairs by collecting used massage chairs free of charge from new customers and delivering them to recycling companies. This exceeds the government-recognized resource recycling rate standard of 80%. In 2020, 11,000 massage chairs (about 1.3 million kg), in 2021, 12,700 chairs (1.37 million kg), and up to the first half of this year, 9,000 chairs (1 million kg) were collected and recycled.

A Bodyfriend official said, “Although it is a small effort, we are continuously establishing mid- to long-term goals to fulfill our corporate social responsibility with the belief that the collective practice of all employees can bring about significant change,” adding, “We will continue to actively engage in sincere environmental management.”