Japanese IT equipment and services company Fujitsu (www.fujitsu.com) plans to further reduce plastics use across its business activities by ending the use of plastic cups and straws as well as no longer offering plastic bottled drinks in meeting spaces and cafés. In addition, plastic bottled drinks in vending machines on Fujitsu property will be gradually replaced with cans or paper cartons, which the company estimates will reduce the number of plastic bottles used from about 7m per year to zero.

Plastic bags will also be eliminated from convenience stores and other shops on company property, to encourage employees to carry reusable bags. In addition, starting in the second half of 2019, the group will recycle plastic packaging from procured components. These actions will be combined with increased collaboration with second-hand goods companies.

Fujitsu said it is working on a global scale to raise employee awareness of the plastics waste problem and perceives the spreading of plastics waste in oceans as well as the impact on the ecosystem as one of the most important global environmental issues next to climate change. The company said it has already taken steps to reduce plastics waste and the use of plastics in its business activities, for example by promoting the use of fewer resources in its products and packaging, making them recyclable and reducing waste in its offices.

Shagun Sachdeva, consumer insights analyst at GlobalData (London / UK; www.globaldata.com), said the move by Fujitsu will help it to capitalise on influential consumer trends. “This strategic move by Fujitsu comes at a time when most consumer giants are focused on increasing their positive social impact and actively integrating ocean plastic into their products or their missions,” he said. “With consumers increasingly becoming more critical of brands' messages, the onus is on the companies to convince consumers beyond mere marketing that they are committed to mitigating the environmental impact of their products and business activities.”

According to GlobalData’s Q4 2018 consumer survey, 32% of Asian consumers often consider how ethical/environmentally-friendly/socially-responsible the product/service is while making purchasing decisions. By comparison, only 22% of Japanese consumers keep eco-friendly aspects at the forefront.