Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study - Environmental performance / Community development / Growth of business, share value, product or service value, profitability
Sailing Boat Catering Management Ltd - Reusable lunch box for student meals
Years ago foam, cardboard and other non-recycled materials were popular raw materials for meal boxes. At that time, Sailing Boat has been providing professional student luncheon services and the average daily order was 500 pcs. In 1998, upon Hong Kong government announced ull time primary school programme? Sailing Boat Managing Director - Mr. Wong anticipated that daily waste generation of disposable meal boxes would be up to 100,000pcs after that programme execution.
At the same time, statistics were indicating that Hong Kong landfills have been running out of capacity, hite contamination? i.e. the disposal of foam boxes, would become a major environmental threat. Having strong environmental protection vision and mission, and considering the affliction caused by its products, Sailing Boat decided to introduce recycle meal boxes in 1998. The handling procedure was that boxes would be delivered and returned at the same day. Then, they would be treated by tailor-made and efficient cleaning and sanitizing process. To make use of recycle meal boxes introduction, Sailing Boat expected to educate and indoctrinate young generation and our clients ?primary and secondary students with the knowledge of environment protection at the same time.
coMealBoxes?have been used and promoted for 6 years, its quantity is about 75% of Sailing Boat total yield and it continuously attracts new but environmental concern parents and school in-charges to change. An enhancement programe to promote coCutlery?started in 1999 that aimed at replacing disposal tools. The first year replacement index was up to 20% and in 2004 it is up to 90%.
In the progress of this nvironmental management scheme? Sailing Boat realised and overthrew the misinterpretation of environmental management ?high cost and low efficiency. It can be proved by the Company production profile. For example, there are 180 school days each year with 10,000pcs daily meal boxes consumption per day. The yearly cost is $1,800,000 when the cost of one disposable meal box is $1. However, the yearly cost of using recycled box is only half of it.