Ever Rich Duty Free Shop launched the 1% ESG Action Plan in 2023 as part of its long-term social welfare program in response to important environmental issues such as global warming and terrestrial/marine ecology. The program commits 1% of all employees’ time and corporate resources to sustainability initiatives.

everrich adopted 22.35 km of coastline (over 1% of Taiwan’s total coastline) and mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers from suppliers, brands, and consumers at 11 locations in northern, central, and southern Taiwan as well as the offshore islands for International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 16. The volunteers demonstrated how we can make a difference in environmental protection even if we just contribute 1% of our time.

The first-ever joint coastal cleanup program launched by the everrich Group attracted more than 1,300 participants, removed nearly 3,000 kg of trash, and cleaned up more than 11 km of Taiwan’s coastline. Many parents brought their children along for the clean up as well to set a great and valuable example for the next generation.

Every piece of trash collected by the volunteers were classified and recorded in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) form. Taking the time to record cleanup data actually provided more time to think.

Data on marine waste collected on the day showed that PET bottles were the most common. Employees in Penghu also found condoms from Zhejiang, China, while a complete bathtub was discovered on the coast of Linkou in New Taipei City. These surprising finds may seem amusing at first, but it also drew our attention to the fact that anything we discard end up coming back again and again in a closed loop.

1% may not sound like much but we believe that even tiny actions can make a difference. This year, everrich will continue to invest 1% and fulfill our Duty4Taiwan. We also look forward to seeing more people join us in protecting the land of Taiwan to realize the sustainable development of ESG through their actions.