SINGAPORE. Lagardère Travel Retail Singapore has launched a three-month campaign named “Choose a present that gifts the future”. It highlights a series of sustainability efforts involving its internal team and business partners, and underlines the retailer’s commitment to protecting the environment.
The campaign was launched in April as part of the International Earth Day celebration and will run until June to coincide with World Environment Day.
Following last year’s launch of a sustainable living campaign at Lagardère Travel Retail’s Discover Singapore store Changi Airport Terminal 2, in the same location this similar initiative aims to put a strong focus on the significance of environmentally responsible consumption to preserve people’s livelihoods.
The ‘present’ denotes the sustainable gifts and souvenirs offered by Discover Singapore. The word could also be interpreted as the ‘present moment’ to create a sense of urgency in making an eco-conscious switch today, Lagardère Travel Retail noted.
Among the sustainable practices being promoted under the new initiative is the introduction to the store of new Singapore homegrown brands with eco-friendly product lines.
This includes handcrafted artisan cold process soaps which are free of synthetic fragrances and artificial colouring. They are made using natural ingredients and packaged in upcycled milk and juice cartons contributed by the Singapore community, with minimal use of new resources.
To reduce packaging waste, reusable soap bar travel pouches were also included in the collection, to replace single-use wrapping or containers.
A range of homeware including coasters and serving trays using eco-friendly substitutes, including Jesmonite – a non-toxic material which serves as a safe alternative for resin, plaster and concrete – has also been introduced. It is derived from upcycled coffee grounds and plastic wastes collected and processed manually.
Other products featured such as tiered plate stands are also made from upcycled kitchenware collected from the local environment.
Lagardère Travel Retail Singapore and Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Ann Pang has also led efforts in applying sustainable solutions to other operational practices.
For example, the Discover Singapore concept offers newly-designed shopping bags made with biodegradable materials that leave no toxic residues.
To strengthen the company’s commitment to energy reduction, Pang has also overseen the implementation of other energy-saving measures across the retailer’s operations.
These include regular housekeeping, for instance, deleting emails that are no longer needed and closing unused programmes, tabs and windows to protect digital devices’ shelf-life.
Additionally, the company has also encouraged its team to join the “My Recycling Diary” programme to share green practices such as recycling that are part of their daily lifestyle. The individual with the most innovative ideas is rewarded with dining vouchers.
To round out its sustainability initiatives, it also conducted a book donation drive (see image below) to encourage the idea of reusing resources by donating reading materials to the needy.
The collected books will be channelled to the social enterprise Dignity Mama bookstore, which will resell the books to generate funds. The organisation operates through zero-cost products and donations to employ adults with special needs.
Lagardère Travel Retail said it is committed to making a difference and leading by example in shaping a more sustainable future. ✈
