SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free yesterday gathered its employees to remove 18 kilograms of trash in a jogging and clean-up activity named Jub Ging Relay Campaign in Seoul’s Myeong-dong district.
Jub Ging (a combination of pick up and jogging) is the Korean translation of ‘plogging’, which means picking up trash while jogging or walking, an activity that has become popular in the country.
About 40 Lotte Duty Free employees took part in the activity, as part of the company’s ESG programme.
The campaign is one of the initiatives led by a zero waste task force involving businesses in the capital city under the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The task force is a public-private cooperation network, initiating environmental strategies to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Lotte Duty Free became a member of the group in 2023.
During yesterday’s event, employees received eco-friendly plogging kits consisting of garbage bags and tongs from the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Participants in groups of four walked and ran around the Myeong-dong area for an hour to collect litter.
The travel retailer gave away prizes to those who took part.
Lotte Duty Free said it plans to carry out the Jub Ging campaign on a regular basis to contribute to the local community.
Lotte Duty Free Head of Marketing Department Yang Hee-sang said: “I think it is very meaningful that we are carrying out this Jub Ging relay campaign with the voluntary participation of our executives and employees.
“Lotte Duty Free will continue to actively participate in community contribution activities and strengthen ESG management.”
The travel retailer has been leading the sustainable management of the Korean duty free industry through an extensive ESG programme.
Aside from this clean-up activity, the company has introduced the use of shopping bags made of tarpaulin and paper, reducing plastic usage by more than 90%.
Lotte Duty Free plans to fully convert all four types of plastic shopping bags to paper bags this year.
Part of the retailer’s commitment to sustainability is to develop eco-friendly shops by using solar power generation facilities and electric vehicles.
Lotte Duty Free said it aims to “spread positive influence” by conducting social contribution activities to co-exist with the local community, such as supporting startups, local commercial areas and migrant women. ✈
