UNIQLO's Sustainability Journey in Malaysia - for the Environment, People & Society

UNIQLO is not just an ordinary clothing retailer. When it comes to environmental and social issues in the world, UNIQLO takes proactive measures to respond to the society's needs as the business grows in tandem with sustainability.

Do you know that, for more than 20 years, UNIQLO and its parent company Fast Retailing have been on a path to sustainability, and have taken a strong stand in making the world a better place with the Power of Clothing?

Following the footsteps of its parent company Fast Retailing, which announced in December last year its sustainability targets and action plan to meet them across the group by year 2030, UNIQLO Malaysia is stepping up efforts locally with initiatives focusing on the environment, people and society to create a better Malaysia. 

With this, UNIQLO aims to do more with the clothing it produces besides delivering its intrinsic values to the  customers. So, UNIQLO pledges to meet the definition of “good clothing” from the standpoint of the environment, people and society. 

In line with this, UNIQLO Malaysia’s increased efforts will fall under two key Initiatives.

Key Initiatives: Making Good Clothes that are Better for the Environment

❤ Reduce greenhouse gas emissions at UNIQLO stores and office

• 50% of carbon emissions from electricity at all stores is currently offset through redemption of renewable energy certificates.
• Stores have switched to 100% LED lighting and reduced the amount of lighting.
• Target to offset 100% of carbon emission from electricity by 2023.

❤ Introduce products with increased proportion of recycled materials

• Since 2019, UNIQLO has increasingly introduced recycled materials into its products.
• Globally, UNIQLO aims to increase proportion of recycled materials to approximately 50% by 2030.
• UNIQLO Malaysia will introduce 2022 Spring/Summer collection, of which 15% of polyester used will be derived from recycled PET bottles.

❤ Towards Zero Waste

• Reduce Plastic Waste - Continue to recycle and upcycle plastic used in the delivery of items to our stores by working with social enterprises; and to switch plastic e-commerce delivery mailers to boxes.
• Reduce Paper Waste - Customer shopping bags were switched from plastic to paper bags in 2014 and paper bag charge was implemented in 2021 to encourage customers to bring their reusable bags for shopping. 
• Reduce Clothing Waste - To expand recycling of waste fabric into other materials like furniture, and to provide clothes repair and upcycling services for customers to repurpose their UNIQLO clothing and extend the value and lifecycle of their clothes.

❤ Biodiversity Protection

• To continue our support to WWF-Malaysia in marine conservation, which started in Melaka and expand beach clean-up activities and marine pollution reduction projects to other states.
• To progress more into biodiversity protection and contribute towards local marine and forest conservation.

Key Initiatives: Making Clothes that are Good for People and Society

To promote social contribution, UNIQLO Malaysia has been collaborating with non-governmental and non-profit organizations (NGOs & NPOs) to support various communities since 2019. They include:

❤ Providing COVID-19 Relief where it is needed most through such initiatives as donating 500,000 face masks, 80,000 AIRism masks and items to frontliners at hospitals and vaccination centers, and students at schools; donating medical equipment to mental health departments of hospitals; and monetary donating for 500,000 meals for vulnerable communities affected by the pandemic.

❤ Extended relief to flood victims in the Klang Valley. A total of more than 46,000 UNIQLO products, including warm clothing from the HEATTECH series and AIRism masks, were donated to flood victims through Malaysian Relief Agency. A monetary donation was also made to provide 2,000 food packs for those affected by the floods.

❤ Promoting social awareness of people with disabilities in Malaysia through UTme! X Early Autism Project collaboration.

❤ Clothing support for the homeless and B40 population during the festive seasons and natural disasters. Clothing corners were set up for those in need at Homeless Transit Centres in Kuala Lumpur and Penang with pre-loved clothes donated from the public.

❤ Donation of AIRism Sanitary Shorts to girls and women who may face period poverty; and front open clothing to heart surgery patients for easier access of surgery care; and to people with disabilities for ease of dressing. Several workshops and sustainability education were conducted for a few schools to ensure children have a better understanding about sustainability.

In 2022, UNIQLO Malaysia hopes to reach out and support more communities through social contribution activities. Plans include:

❤ Enhancing COVID-19 Recovery Support by collaborating with government offices to provide job seekers suitable clothes for job interviews; and

❤ Providing entrepreneurship training to vulnerable women and ensure they are digitally literate, so as to help them to be financially independent.

For employees at UNIQLO Malaysia, the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Committee was set up in 2020 to share, brainstorm, support and drive D&I activities internally. UNIQLO Malaysia will continue to educate, engage and empower employees to promote Diversity & Inclusion culture, which focuses on:

❤ Gender: we encourage female leadership and women empowerment;

❤ People with Disabilities (PWD): we employ, evaluate schemes, train and develop people with disabilities. Currently, PWDs make up more than 2% of UNIQLO Malaysia workforce. UNIQLO aims to hire at least one PWD at each store. 

❤ Global One Team: we provide employees opportunities for international assignment, talent and leadership development, cross border recruitment and employee engagement.

With the goal of creating a better Malaysia together with Malaysians for the future, UNIQLO Malaysia will continue to take steps to protect and reduce its burden on the natural environment, address societal challenges by providing more sustainable support, and further its corporate D&I practices.

For further information on Fast Retailing announcement on fiscal 2030 sustainable targets and action plan, please go to https://www.fastretailing.com/eng/sustainability/news/2112021500.html.

For more information about UNIQLO Sustainability, please visit www.uniqlo.com.