Yamato Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture; Tokyo Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Yutaka Kawashima), which is in charge of the gift business within the Onward Group, is engaged in initiatives aimed at reducing food loss and environmental impact to realize a sustainable society. We are now releasing details of these initiatives and their results.

[Main Topics]

1 Approximately 90% of expired shipment foods effectively utilized through outlet sales for employees

2 Donated 2,961 items, 503kg of food annually to "Certified NPO Food Bank Shinshu"

3 Adoption of environmentally friendly materials such as FSC-certified paper and "LIMEX" (Limex), which uses limestone as its main ingredient

4 Promotion of "Card-type" and "Social-type" catalog gifts (quantity composition ratio +7.3 points)

Scene inside the employee outlet store at the Nagano Head Office

1 Approximately 90% of expired shipment foods effectively utilized through outlet sales for employees

At our company, for food gifts, we set our own shipment deadlines to ensure that customers receive products with sufficient remaining shelf life. Therefore, foods that have reached their shipment deadline, although still of good quality, cannot be provided to customers. Additionally, some miscellaneous goods cannot be delivered to customers due to reasons such as box defects.

To reduce such food loss and effectively utilize products, we have been conducting outlet sales for employees at our Nagano Head Office since 2019. Approximately 800 items are sold monthly at the outlet, with annual sales ranging from approximately 8 to 10 million yen. In particular, about 90% of expired shipment food products are effectively utilized through this initiative. We are thoroughly operating to minimize waste by further reducing prices for products nearing their expiration date.

The outlet also serves as a welfare benefit for employees, leading to a dual achievement of reducing food loss and improving employee satisfaction.

[Scene inside the outlet store]

Open during lunch breaks on Thursdays and Fridays. It is used mainly by employees working at the Nagano Head Office, as well as employees from other branches visiting on business trips. During the new life season, home appliances and tableware are popular. Employees have commented, "By actually experiencing the products we deliver to customers, our understanding of the products deepens."

2 Donated 2,961 items, 503kg of food annually to "Certified NPO Food Bank Shinshu"

In addition to sales for employees, we are also promoting the effective utilization of food through donations to food banks. The purchasing department selects eligible products and provides foods that meet the acceptance criteria to the food bank.

We have been continuously donating to "Certified NPO Food Bank Shinshu" every month since January 2024. In fiscal year 2025, we donated a total of 2,961 items and 503kg of food, comprising 30 different items such as retort curry, canned goods, beverages, and sweets.

By combining sales for employees and donations to food banks, we are contributing to food loss reduction and community support.

[Example of donated items]

3 Adoption of environmentally friendly materials such as FSC-certified paper and "LIMEX" (Limex), which uses limestone as its main ingredient

Our company is also working to reduce environmental impact through material selection in the product creation stage.

For "booklet-type catalog gifts," we use FSC-certified paper (※1) produced from responsibly managed forest resources. This is primarily used for the main catalog gift booklets, and the amount of FSC-certified paper used in fiscal year 2025 was approximately 1.27 million kg. Additionally, some products use FSC-certified paper for their gift boxes.

Furthermore, we use vegetable inks (※2) made from plant-derived raw materials for printing. For "card-type catalog gifts," we are gradually switching from conventional plastic materials to the environmentally friendly material "LIMEX" (Limex) (※3), which uses limestone as its main ingredient.

※1 FSC Certification: An international forest certification system indicating that products are made from raw materials from responsibly managed forests.

※2 Vegetable Ink: Printing ink that uses a certain percentage or more of renewable vegetable oil.

※3 LIMEX: An environmentally friendly new material primarily made from limestone, used as an alternative to paper and plastic.

Example of booklet-type catalog gift using FSC-certified paper for catalog and gift box. Example of card-type catalog gift using LIMEX and FSC-certified paper for gift box. FSC Certification and Vegetable Ink marks (gift box, booklet-type catalog gift)

4 Promotion of "Card-type" and "Social-type" catalog gifts (quantity composition ratio +7.3 points)

In addition to "booklet-type catalog gifts," we propose diverse gifting methods such as "card-type catalog gifts" and "social gifts."

"Card-type catalog gifts" are catalog gifts where a card with a QR code leading to the product ordering website is enclosed, without a booklet. "Social gifts" are a service that allows gifts to be sent via URL through social media or email, even to recipients whose addresses are unknown.

In fiscal year 2025, the combined share of "card-type catalog gifts" and "social catalog gifts" in our total catalog gift sales volume was 27.7%, an increase of 7.3 points from 20.4% in fiscal year 2024, and 10.5 points from 17.2% in fiscal year 2023.

Going forward, Yamato Co., Ltd. will continue to strive for environmental load reduction and the realization of a sustainable society through all business activities, from product creation to post-delivery.

About Yamato Co., Ltd.

Yamato Co., Ltd., responsible for the gift business within the Onward Group, is a company that offers a wide range of gift services centered on catalog gifts. With its integrated system for planning, production, sales, and operation, and its extensive track record, it provides diverse gift services for both corporate and individual clients, always keeping in mind the feelings of both the giver and the receiver. In recent years, the company has been expanding its business by engaging in areas such as hometown tax donations in collaboration with local governments and social gifting.

https://www.ymt-yamato.co.jp/

・Company Name: Yamato Co., Ltd.

・Nagano Head Office: 1178-11 Toyoshina Kōke, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, 399-8204

・Tokyo Head Office: 7F Onward Park Building, 3-10-5 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0027

・Yamato Direct Stores (Takanawa Gateway, Futako-Tamagawa, Shibuya, etc. - 6 stores nationwide)

Store List (https://www.ymt-yamato.co.jp/service/#diregt)

・Representative: Yutaka Kawashima, President and Representative Director

・Business Description: Planning, production, sales, and operation of gift products and catalog gifts

▼Inquiries regarding this matter

Yamato Co., Ltd. Promotion Div.

TEL: 03-6629-1505

WEB: https://www.ymt-yamato.co.jp/contact/

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: CSR