Ecosystem and Biodiversity Protection
Key Performance in 2023
Manage biodiversity risks in risk areas
100%Cumulative planting
722024 treesRelease young blue swimming crabs into the Thai sea, accumulating baby crabs
1.2 millionKey Progress in 2023
“Planting Forests, Growing Futures” Project (continuous)
The project follows a step-by-step impact mitigation approach
CPRAM Green Life #Plant for a Sustainable World Project
Sustainable Blue Swimming Crab Alongside Thai Seas Project
Company Operating Area Water Shortage Risk Assessment Project (continuous)
Significantly Affected Key Stakeholders
Supporting the SDGs
SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
6.6 Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
SDG14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1 Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
15.1 Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
Performance Against Goal
2030 Goal
100%All areas of business operations have projects in collaboration with local and national stakeholders or independent third parties they contributed to the reduction of negative impacts on ecosystems or biodiversity
Progress against goals
Performance Summary 2023
Number of trees planted to mitigate ecosystem impact
Plant species grown
Collaboration with stakeholders categorized by project type
| Project Type | Area (rai cumulative) |
Number of seedlings/trees planted (trees cumulative) |
Predict carbon dioxide absorption (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) (In the case of fully grown trees*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collaboration with other sectors including the government sector, temples, and schools | 7301 | 662533 | 28488.92 |
| Collaboration with nearby communities’ private networks to plant forests and promote careers | 272 | 14135 | 307.81 |
| Support tree saplings for employees to plant | 137 | 26874 | 1155.58 |
| Plant trees within Company areas | 903 | 18482 | 794.73 |
* Note: Calculated from trees, GHG 1 tCo2e is equivalent to 23.26 5 year old teak trees/ 1 tCo2e.
Risks and Opportunities
Activities and conducts which currently inflict damage towards the ecosystem can be appraised as an expense for all governments around the world to the tune of approximately 74.4 billion dollars or approximately 2.6 trillion Baht. At the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), resolutions to conserve, protect and restore land areas, watersheds and seas were ratified. However, strict laws and regulations to prevent biodiversity loss have not been reviewed and developed in a sufficiently stringent and effective manner to collectively enable achievement of global biodiversity framework conservation goals. Strict policies to ensure oversight of both the government and business sectors are therefore a crucial starting point. Additional management is necessary in matters relating to reducing damage to the ecosystems, the environment, natural resources, agricultural area and associated human rights protection through land ownership as it impacts occupations, income sources, farmer life quality and communities.
The Company is cognizant of unstable ecosystems and potential impact towards business operations including agricultural product quality and quantity decline in addition to insufficient quality raw materials which may cause supply chain interruptions or terminations due to production and delivery challenges. Therefore, the Company aims to raise environmental and ecosystem awareness and operate responsibly throughout the value chain. The Company has introduced policies to initiate cooperative networks between business sectors and relevant sectors to implement measures to restore land and aquatic ecosystem biodiversity.
Management Approach
The Company operates together with Tier-1 Suppliers, Non-Tier 1 Suppliers and business partners within the value chain through measures complying with biodiversity and natural resource policies. The Biodiversity Exposure & Assessment, which covers Company areas and operations, stipulates avoiding business operations which will affect protected areas as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Company has established Mitigation Hierarchy guidelines to manage negative impacts from business operations which may cause biodiversity loss (No Net Loss: NNL). Simultaneously, the Company is committed to collaborating with network partners and all stakeholder groups in implementing projects to restore, conserve, and create positive changes in both land and aquatic ecosystems. This measure enables net positive impact (NPI) while remediating balance and increases ecosystem diversity.
Biodiversity risks and impacts assessment
In addition to respect and compliance with regulations and local laws regarding biodiversity conservation, the Company has implemented operating policies in terms of biodiversity and natural resources, and risk and environmental impact assessments which encompasses land and aquatic ecosystems biodiversity in areas of business activities. The areas of business activities include 100% of manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, product sales areas, and 100% of Tier 1 suppliers business activity areas.
Application of information technology in tandem with biodiversity databases enables risk and potential impact assessment in terms of biodiversity and acquired data can be further analyzed to establish ecosystem action plans, preventative measures and mitigation channels. It has been used to assess risks and potential impacts on biodiversity and can be further developed to create action plans to prevent or reduce impacts on the ecosystem. In continuously expanding development guidelines with stakeholders, Company and supplier business activities are prohibited in protected areas and areas with potential impact on land and water biodiversity.
Biodiversity Risk and Impact Assessment Procedures
Determine the assessment scope and study area
The screening and initial assessment
Select complex areas to conduct an in-depth 3-prongs assessment
Develop an impact prevention plan and implement the plan accordingly
Build engagement and continuously improve development guidelines
Results of Biodiversity Risk Assessment
The Company considers location-specificity according to business operations activities both within Company operating areas and sounding vicinity of 0 to 5 kilometers in addition to upstream manufacturing plant activities and downstream activities relating to distribution centers and product delivery to stores and consumers. The manufacturing plants and distribution centers of Makro and Lotus’s which are located outside community areas total 616 locations. The mentioned locations are subject to policy considerations regarding conservation areas, protected areas, areas of critical biodiversity, significant natural areas including forests, large water bodies, and river basins in addition to verification according to biodiversity risk assessment tool (IBAT/BESTCAT) analysis.
Biodiversity Exposure & Assessment in 2O23
| Number of sites | Number of sites | Area (Hectare) |
|---|---|---|
| All operating areas (Overall) | 616 | 1383.232 |
| Operating areas subjected to biodiversity impact assessments (within the past 5 years) (Assessment) | 616 | 1383.232 |
| Operating areas with high potential for biodiversity impact (within the past 5 years) (Exposure) | 52 | 107.112 |
| Operating areas affecting biodiversity with implementation biodiversity impact managing and monitoring systems (within the past 5 years) (Management Plans) | 52 | 107.112 |
Biodiversity risk identification
The Company screens and assesses initial risk issues in the food retail industry through referring to location-specific World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) guidelines according to business operation activities throughout the value chain. It considers both factors whereby the Company risks affecting biodiversity (Biodiversity Impacts) and natural factors potentially affecting business operations or production (Ecosystem Service Dependencies). The Company has ranked existing critical risk factors likely to pose future impact and classified respective factors into 3 categories as follows:
Global Species Richness Impact
Threatened Species Impact
Soil and Water Dependency
The Company reviews risk issues based on context and related factors to determine critical risk issues and subsequently establish risk management plans and operational measures according to the Mitigation Hierarchy, covering 100% of the 52 operational areas where critical risk issues have been detected.
Mitigation Hierarchy Management Approach
From processes in assessing both direct and indirect risk issues, including significant impacts on both negative and positive aspects of biodiversity, pest invasion, decline of plant and animal species, immigration and changes in the ecological system.
The Company respects and complies with local regulations and laws regarding biodiversity conservation with local areas in an approach to strictly review operational measures while determining guidelines for impact mitigation according to Mitigation Hierarchy from avoidance to compensation. Studies conducted on plant and animal species within respective areas determine biological sensitivity, enable follow-ups and review Company biodiversity performance in terms of direct and indirect ecosystem and biodiversity
risk mitigation in the immediate and long-term.
Cooperation with stakeholders to reduce ecosystem impact
The Company cooperates with stakeholders including suppliers, business alliances, government agencies, local communities, and Company network partners to conduct businesses with responsibility towards ecosystems and biological diversity in communities surrounding operating areas. This approach preserves the ecosystem integrity.
The Company has established goals to plant 1,000,000 trees by 2025 and has implemented projects to support community tree planting. A working group has been tasked with planting perennial trees for a sustainable community, conservation, reforestation, and foresting careers, and follow-ups within operating frameworks in 4 areas as follows:
Stakeholder engagement frameworks to reduce ecosystem impact
Key projects in 2O23
1. Ecosystem restoration in communities surrounding operating areas project
The Company encourages employees to volunteer and realize the importance of preserving ecosystems and the environment surrounding operating areas, including 7-Eleven stores, Makro and Lotus's distribution centers, educational institution areas, distribution centers and office buildings throughout the country. This is achieved through facilitating participation with communities, government agencies, and local administrations in tree planning activities and community tree propagation continuously every year to increase green space, create quality environments and restore ecosystems. Over 18,482 trees have been planted to date.
Operating Areas
7-Eleven store areas, distribution centers and offices
Educational institution areas nationwide
Makro and Lotus’s distribution center areas and office buildings nationwide
CPRAM factory areas and office buildings
2. Collaborative projects with suppliers to reduce land and aquatic ecosystems impact
Reduce land ecosystem impact
“WE GROW for ALL, we grow for everyone” continuation project
CP ALL has continued the project for the 4th year through allocating tree seedlings and supporting the “Show off our trees” activities which allows employees to plant trees and record tree planting through the We Grow application.
Impacts and Benefits
Distributed seedlings
To employees
“We love each other, we love the world” project returns profits to society and supports reforestation activities to reduce global warming
Lotus’s supports the campaign "We love each other, we love the world" to reduce global warming and create good air through sales proceedings from Lipon F dishwashing products with global warming reduction labels or carbon footprint labels in Lotus’s branches nationwide. With every 1 bag sold, 1 Baht is contributed to the Lotus’s Foundation for reforestation according to the “Lotus's Reforestation Project” in an effort to assist with greenhouse gas absorption. Lotus’s has implemented this reforestation project continuously for over 17 years through cooperation with both government and private agencies. In addition, fellow Lotus’s employees participated in the activity "Lotus’s Plants, Reduces Heat", which enabled the planting of 500 saplings. This activity invited community members and the youth to enjoy the organized event, share knowledge, and create awareness of collective conservation of natural resources, forests, and wildlife. In supporting natural resource.
Impacts and Benefits
Trees amounting
Donated
CPRAM Green Life #Growing for a Sustainable World continuation project
CPRAM has continued the project for the 3 year, delivering perennial tree seedlings to employees, communities, and interested parties across the country in an effort to plant seedlings within community residential and public areas. This project assists in increasing green space, restoring and maintaining ecosystem balance, and increasing trees to absorb carbon dioxide in various areas nationwide.
Impacts and Benefit
Planted
On an area of over
Next Gen New World continuation project
Lotus’s collaborates with the Khao Yai National Park Protection Foundation continuously for the 17th year to organize youth activities, volunteering, youth training, cultivation of environmental awareness and create good natured conservationists in an approach to conserve natural resources. In 2O23, forest conservation activities included the following:
Impacts and Benefits
youths attended the training
Planted
Covering an area
Reduce aquatic ecosystem impact
Sustainable Blue Swimming Crab Alongside Thai Seas continuation project
CPRAM Company Limited has implemented the Sustainable Blue Crab Alongside Thai Seas Project for the 12 year in a row. This project utilizes supply chain management in accordance with CPRAM's FOOD 3S guidelines (Food Safety, Food Security and Food Sustainability). The parties involved from upstream to downstream include fishermen, Sirimaranong raft (raw crab meat supplier), CPRAM Company Limited (food producer) and consumers. Academic support to effectively management conservation, protection and development of crab fisheries without negative impact towards ecology, resources and the environment is provided by Ranong Provincial Fisheries Office, Ranong Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center, and the Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Center Area 3. To increase the value of processed blue swimming crab products while complying with sanitary standards, matters relating to quality assurance standards, food security and food sustainability must be addressed. The initial project scope was based upon conservation of blue swimming crabs in the Gulf of Thailand but has since expanded to include activities in the Andaman area with the ultimate goal of preserving natural resources, maintenance of integrity, and upholding ecological balance in the Thai seas.
Impacts and Benefits
The recent release crabs during the Young Crab stage back into the Thai seas increases the collective
Accumulated total
Mangrove Planting Project
The Company in collaboration with Mahachai Distribution Center, Surat Thani Distribution Center and communities organize annual coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration efforts, with emphasis on mangrove forest areas which serve as marine animal breeding grounds, nurseries and habitat.
Impacts and Benefits
Forestation
Lotus’s cooperates with network suppliers to plant mangroves in Khlong Ban Amphur
Lotus’s collaborates with the Department of Promotion and Coordination of Marine and Coastal Resource Networks of the Marine and Coastal Resources Office No. 2 to participate in mangrove planting activities in Khlong Ban Amphur at Ban Pan Resort, Na Jomtien Subdistrict, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province. 5O volunteers from government agencies, the private sector, schools, coastal communities and marine protection organizations in the area participated in mangrove planting activities at Ban Amphur Canal with the goal to increase fertility and maintain ecosystem diversity and quality.
3. “Planting Trees, Growing Careers”
"Makro Plants Forests" continuation project
CP Axtra Public Company Limited in collaboration with Chonburi Province managed “Siri Charoenwat Forest Project under the Royal Initiative” and planted trees within the Siri Charoenwat Forest area. The significant ecological learning resource covers an area of 3,9OO rai. Simultaneously, the project supports seedling propagation by local community members and farmers as a means to generate income for farmers and rural communities. This initiative increases positive impact in the economically, socially, and environmental dimensions.
"Sufficiency Bamboo…Toward a Sustainable Future" continuation project
Bamboo, a high demand local plant, is suffering from a market shortage and requires overseas imports. The Company collaborates with participating schools in the “Building on the future of education CONNEXT ED” project for the 3rd year running. This sustainable bamboo alliance generated income for schools through providing online education regarding benefits of bamboo, breeding, cultivation, maintenance, and processing as well as allocation of water and soil resources. Additional support for schools within the network include provisions of bamboo seedlings and marketing related opportunities and channels.
Impacts and Benefits
Schools and network communities participating in the project
Total participants in the project (135 students, 11 teachers and 14,685 community member)
Support bamboo seedlings
Support value
Carbon absorb
4. “Planting Forests, Growing Futures”
The project has continued for a 3rd year as a center for breeding and cultivation while supporting seedlings for homes, temples and communities throughout the region in addition to organizing the “Planting Forests, Growing Futures” seminar. In 2O23, 176,635 saplings were delivered to employees and citizens in 179 communities, 28 provinces, covering an area of 883 rai, with project examples as follows:
Upstream reforestation community project
The Company collaborates with 9 community groups and upstream partners to promote conservation of nature and the environment to students and communities through supporting plant seedling nurseries, budget for greenhouse construction, seedling nurseries and maintenance. Tree seedlings from nurseries within the "Reforestation" project were passed on through the “Forest Surrounding Temples” project for planting at homes, temples, schools, communities, including the project "WE GROW for ALL, we grow for everyone" for employees to plant perennial trees.
Impacts and Benefits
Seedlings cultivated
Area coverage
Community members participated in the project
Reduced GHG emission
"Forrest Surrounding Temples" continuation project
CP ALL transfers seedlings from the upstream forestation communities project to temples and communities to restore and restore ecosystem integrity and biodiversity. The aim of this project includes promoting reforestation, adding green space to the communities, creating awareness of sustainable environmental conservation, and managing resources appropriately.
Impacts and Benefits
Seedlings delivered
Temples participated in the project
Community members participated in the project
Support value
Carbon absorb
“Forestry School Concept” continuation project
Under the Company goal of promoting the planting of 60,000 trees per year, the Company expanded the project "Sufficiency Bamboo…towards a Sustainable Future" to the "Planting Forests, Planting the Future" project. This project enabled the transfer of knowledge to schools by integrating knowledge relevant to planting trees in the content of various subject groups according to the core curriculum.
Impacts and Benefits
Schools participated in the project
Total participants in the project (2,499 students, 173 teachers and 8,189 community members)
Carbon absorb
5. Stepwise Impact Mitigation Guidelines Project
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Offset Restoring balance or implementing positive changes to the ecosystem |
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Restoration Restoring ecosystems in affected areas |
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Minimisation Minimize existing or potential impacts |
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Avoidance Prevent and avoid activities with potentially serious consequences |
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Ecosystem Transformation through Green Packaging programs
Plastic waste lies in the industrial business operations, especially in retail and wholesale businesses as all consumer goods require packaging. The importance of innovative packaging and packaging waste management in the industrial sector should be emphasized and continually developed to minimize land pollution and mitigate the negative impacts on the terrestrial ecosystem as well as on aquatic ecosystem.
CPALL stipulated Sustainable Packaging Policy and has engaged stakeholders to adopt packaging management guideline throughout the supply chain such as, eco-friendly packaging design and selection for Private Brand, reduce single-use plastics, packaging reuse or recycling, etc. The company’s packaging management is developed at the source of packaging waste and effectively monitored in order to minimize its impact on the environment.
The company is in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment led the campaign against plastic bags, declared an intention to refrain from plastic bag usage from 1 January 2021 onwards. The company also initiated the campaigns and programs which reduced plastic bag and single-use plastics usage around 5,191 million pieces in 2022.
In addition, the company has under developed plastic waste management roadmap from 2018 to 2030 by applying the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Framework to drive the reduction of plastic pollution and to aim for the reduction of the consumption of plastic bags and single-use plastic.
Related Policy and Guideline
| Biodiversity and Natural Resource Policy | Download |
