FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has concluded a series of clean-up initiatives in local communities. The clean-up activities contributed to the removal of 200 kilograms of litter. It is part of our efforts to restore and protect the environment.
In total, 116 FedEx team members dedicated about 100 hours to collect litter from parks, roads, and riverbanks in various areas, such as Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Aichi, and Osaka.
In addition, through our collaboration with sustainability-related NGOs like Hands On Tokyo, a local non-profit dedicated to combating ocean pollution, FedEx collected 80 kilograms of debris along the Arakawa riverbank before it reached the ocean.
“At FedEx, we are committed to creating possibilities not only for local businesses, but also for our local communities. Our team members are passionate about making a positive change and contributing to societal needs,” said Kei Alan Kubota, managing director of FedEx Express Japan. “Sustainability is a common social concern, and I am proud to see our volunteers actively engage in efforts to making our communities more sustainable and creating a better place to live for future generations.”
Although Japan is perceived as a neat and clean country, littering has become a growing social problem. According to the Ministry of the Environment, over half of the surveyed municipalities reported the implementation of new regulations to address littering, and almost half incur fines or worse, getting a prison sentence[1]. Moreover, several other issues, such as the swelling influx of international tourists into Japan following the ease of COVID-19 restrictions and the escalating problem of plastic waste along the country’s coastline, have also contributed to the problem.
The clean-up initiative is part of the company’s culture where FedEx team members give back to their communities through service programs around the world, alongside its global community engagement initiative FedEx Cares. The company is currently running its Drive forward. Give back. campaign, the global call to action for team members to support communities through volunteering, purple totes collections, and new grants programs like the FedEx Founder’s Fund.
