October 26, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI), the listed retail company of the Gaisano Group, is strengthening sustainable retail practices to minimize its environmental impact.
MRSGI said it is making strides in environmental responsibility by adopting practices like solar power, LED lighting and water conservation.
Backed by a capital investment of P230 million, MRSGI’s sustainability initiatives are seen integral to the company’s long-term vision of embedding environmental responsibility into its core operations.
“We are deeply committed to integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations,” MRSGI president and COO Manuel Alberto said.
“Our work is driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a desire to make a lasting impact. It requires hard work, innovation and perseverance, but we are dedicated to pushing boundaries and setting new standards in environmental stewardship,” Alberto said.
The company has expanded its solar power initiative to more store locations after commencing its journey toward sustainability in 2017 with the installation of solar panels at its Super Metro Carcar store.
Solar panels were installed in seven additional locations with a total of nearly three-megawatt peak solar capacity, generating clean energy and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions of nearly 420 tons of carbon.
MRSGI said that it would further expand its solar installations to additional stores to further advance the group’s sustainability efforts.
“This shift to solar power aligns with MRSGI’s broader sustainability goals, which focus on energy reduction and cost efficiency,” the company said.
On top of its solar power initiative, MRSGI has also undertaken a comprehensive LED lighting conversion across its stores.
The company said nearly 20 stores have been fully converted to LED lighting, resulting in significant energy savings and reduced operational costs.
“This shift to energy-efficient lighting has enhanced the quality of in-store lighting, improved the overall customer experience and reduced MRSGI’s energy consumption by around 10 percent, equivalent to about 830,000 kilowatt hours per month,” it said.
MRSGI said water conservation is also another key area of focus for the company, introducing in five of its stores systems that are designed to capture and reuse water to reduce water consumption and support sustainable resource management.
The company said it is exploring opportunities to expand these systems to more stores in the future.
“Looking ahead, we are excited to build on our current achievements and continue expanding our sustainability efforts,” Alberto said.
“Our goal is to explore innovations and practices that will further reduce our environmental footprint and enhance our contributions to a sustainable future. We believe that by embracing these opportunities, MRSGI will not only drive positive change but also secure our position as a leader in responsible retailing,” he said.
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