Seven & i Holdings, 7-Eleven’s Tokyo-based parent company, has debuted plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to close to zero by 2050 at its stores, both in Japan and the U.S., according to Nikkei Asia.
Over the next five years, the company has committed to spending at least 5% of its capital investment in the environmental field, for a total investment of 100 billion yen, or about $960 million USD.
Seven & i Holdings currently produces 2.2 million tons of greenhouse gases a year. The company had already committed to reducing by at least 80% its emissions from its fiscal 2013 level by 2050, but that target was updated in response to Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s recently announced net zero. emissions goal.
More than 90% of the company’s power consumption takes place at its convenience stores, according to Nikkei Asia, so it plans to use solar panels and LED lamps. In partnership with Toyota, fuel-cell trucks will be introduced for the distribution of supplies, and a pilot program using two of those trucks is now under way.
In addition, Seven & i Holdings is reportedly considering entering the business of operating renewable power plants, such as wind farms and hydroelectric plants, and investing in renewable energy operators.
As part of the zero-emissions campaign, 250 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. will offer electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by 2027. The company also plans to increase the use of recyclable materials in its private-label products.