Watsons takes bold steps to meet sustainability goals, says retailer in its 1st Sustainability Report
August 12, 2022 Watsons Philippines has taken bold steps—from making changes in how the stores
operate to empowering customers with information about sustainability—to achieve its
goals consistent with its proposition of Look Good DO GOOD Feel Great, the retailer
said in its Sustainability Report Philippines 2021, Doing Good For The Community and
Planet.
Watsons has approached sustainability in the most dynamic way. The retailer has
spread awareness and conversion to a sustainable lifestyle through various efforts such
as holding informative and educational webinars with KOLs and influencers to spread
the word about the importance of living more sustainably and creating a stronger
presence and a permanent store corner for Sustainable Choices. Watsons also held a
Supplier’s Day event where the retailer shared its vision with supplier partners and
asked them to provide new product developments that would meet strict sustainability
criteria.
Aside from encouraging better manufacturing practices and responsible purchase
decisions, Watsons also partnered with Plastic Bank, a social enterprise that collects
and recycles plastic bottles while providing livelihood to registered collectors.
Watsons released the sustainability report as part of taking responsibility to help lead
the way to a sustainable future and give the public a clear focus on its priorities which
are covered under the 4 Pillars of Community, People, Customers, and the Planet.
As the leading pharmacy in the Philippines, Watsons’ goal is to uplift the health and
wellbeing of the Community. Realizing that the company’s strength lies in its People,
Watsons also makes sure its workforce is healthy and resilient. It recognizes the value
of involving its millions of Customers in adapting to more sustainable lifestyles by
providing more sustainable options. Watsons also aims to reduce the environmental
footprint of its store operations, which is a responsibility of every business to manage its
carbon emissions and help save the Planet.
In the report, the retailer also laid out its 2030 sustainability goals and forecasts
anchored on the 4 Pillars. By 2030, Watsons will have sponsored 3,300 cleft and/or
palate surgeries to help improve children's lives and have provided free medicines to
20,000 people for the Community. It would have Health & Wellbeing Certification GOLD
Investors in People by 2025. Around this time, Watsons expects 15% of its sales to
come from the Sustainable Choices selection and to collect 65,000kg of trash. Further
mitigation of the effects of its store operations on the planet by reducing electricity
intensity by 10% vs 2015 is also in its the pipeline. It also aims to recover and recycle
40 million plastic bottles and reduce by 50% scopes 1&2 GHG emissions vs 2018.
"Sustainability is being able to do successful business while positively impacting
everything around it, including employees, suppliers, customers, and the planet.
Gaining the support of our suppliers, employees, and customers for our sustainability
programs has been one of our biggest achievements. We believe businesses must do
more for the planet and we are happy to take the lead as a retailer," said Watsons
Philippines General Manager Danilo Chiong in the report.
As of end-2021, 100% of Watsons stores have been using LED lights and appliances
with inverter technology and has more than 1,200 products under the Sustainable
Choices category on the shelves. These Sustainable Choices products are free from
harmful ingredients (Clean Beauty), made of responsibly sourced palm oil and other
ingredients (Better Ingredients), use FSC or recycled paper, recycled plastic, or have no
plastic at all (Better Packaging), and promote the concept of refill.
Watsons is not just adding products to stores but influencing trends and behaviors for
the future, recognizing that customer preferences shift, and demand for sustainable
choices will grow.
"As we continue to learn, to educate and innovate, we expect that our products,
processes, and customers will also evolve. Even now, we have plans to begin installing
refill stations for liquid products in our 1,000th store. As a leading health and beauty
retailer, we feel the responsibility to be agents of change, and provide opportunities for
our shoppers and partners to be able to do good too," said Chiong.
You may read the full Sustainability Report Philippines 2021, Doing Good For The
Community and Planet here.
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