CapitaLand launches global Earth Hour campaign with over 280 properties in support of Singapore’s Year of Climate Action
1.2 million STAR$® to further encourage the community to lower their carbon footprint in Singapore
Singapore, 19 March 2018 – CapitaLand has launched a global Earth Hour campaign across more than 20 countries, in over 280 of its properties – including 35 properties in Singapore – in support of Singapore’s Year of Climate Action. To encourage the global community to take climate action, a slew of activities focused on sustainable practices and caring for the environment will be taking place at participating CapitaLand properties worldwide, engaging millions of customers to lead greener lifestyles.
Iconic properties in CapitaLand’s portfolio such as Raffles City Singapore, ION Orchard, CapitaGreen, Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, Suzhou Center Mall, Raffles City Hangzhou will take part in WWF’s Earth Hour movement on 24 March 2018, 8.30pm local time, by switching off their façade and other non-essential lights. In Singapore, 1.2 million STAR$® rewards are up for grabs to further encourage the community to lower their carbon footprint. These rewards can be exchanged for CapitaVouchers for use in CapitaLand malls in Singapore or redeemed for merchant offers within the CapitaStar[1] mobile app.
Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief People Officer of CapitaLand Group and Chairman of the CapitaLand Sustainability Steering Committee said: “As we work towards our vision to transform city living globally, our focus on sustainability helps in our efforts to future-proof our portfolio. Building resilient and inclusive buildings
“When CapitaLand shapes real estate of the future, we are mindful to develop sustainable designs and solutions, with active placemaking initiatives to engage and educate our shoppers, tenants, residents, partners and stakeholders to play an active role in safeguarding our environment. Through the activities organised at our properties in conjunction with Earth Hour 2018, we are bringing the community together to combat climate change. We have also taken our activities online, leveraging our digital capabilities to better engage with the next generation of increasingly tech-savvy and mobile-first customer base.”
Singapore’s Year of Climate Action – CapitaLand goes digital to spread the word #CLEarthHour
Building on the success of CapitaLand’s Earth Hour digital quiz on the
Mr Tan added: “When CapitaLand shapes real estate of the future, we are mindful to develop sustainable designs and solutions, with active placemaking initiatives to engage and educate our shoppers, tenants, residents, partners and stakeholders to play an active role in safeguarding our environment. Through the activities organised at our properties in conjunction with Earth Hour 2018, we are bringing the community together to combat climate change. We have also taken our activities online, leveraging our digital capabilities to better engage with the next generation of increasingly tech-savvy and mobile-first customer base.”
CapitaLand’s participating properties worldwide, have organised activities such as eco-quizzes, recycling drives, cycling, terrarium building workshops, tree planting initiatives, candle light dinners, screenings of environment-related movies and more, all designed to engage the community, rallying everyone to play their part to save the environment. Some key highlights across the world include:
Singapore
At Ascott Orchard Singapore, children will learn about protecting planet Earth and learn how to make their own lanterns which can be used during Earth Hour. Guests will be encouraged to pledge their support for climate action to receive a prize. Items from a recycling drive will be donated to The Salvation Army.
CapitaLand malls in Singapore such as Bedok Mall, Lot One Shoppers’ Mall and Plaza Singapura have partnered with the Public Utilities Board of Singapore (PUB) to host roadshows to encourage the public to make a commitment towards saving water. Limited exclusive premiums from PUB are also available for water savers at the roadshow.
China
In Dalian, China, CapitaMall Peace Plaza will collaborate with Ele.me (one of China’s largest online food delivery service platforms) and Vivo (Chinese smartphone maker) to replace the use of plastic bags with bio-degradable or non-woven bags. Customers will also be encouraged to not use disposable utensils for meal deliveries. The mall is also partnering with Didi Chuxing (China’s ride-sharing giant) to share green tips with users within a 10km radius of the mall.
In Beijing, China, CapitaMall Crystal, an augmented-reality experience awaits. Shoppers can immerse themselves in a virtual jungle and learn more about biodiversity and the environment. There will also be an opportunity for children to express their artistic talent through graffiti, illustrating their wish for the environment.
Malaysia
In Penang, Malaysia, Gurney Plaza is collaborating with their tenant Neubodi, to encourage shoppers to donate their old or unused bras. The initiative is the first of its kind in Malaysia. The bras collected will be sorted and either reused and donated to third-world countries, or recycled where raw materials such as spandex, nylon, metal wire and plastics are converted into reusable solid fuel used to power cement kilns, industrial boilers and generators.
In Selangor, Malaysia, shopping malls Tropicana City Mall and The Mines, will be organising a ‘Grow Campaign’. A community green house will be built where children can learn about nutrition, plant crops and harvest them towards the end of the year. From
Europe
In Cannes, France, Citadines Croisette Cannes will be donating unclaimed lost and found items such as spectacles, clothes and other trinkets to charity associations. The serviced residence is partnering with ‘Les
India
CapitaLand’s serviced residences in India are also creating a positive impact in the community. The staff of Citadines OMR Chennai will be sharing about sustainability and Earth Hour with students at the public school nearby. Somerset Greenways Chennai is partnering with local schools to plant trees. Activities for guests include yoga by candlelight, encouraging guests to be mindful of the environment while keeping fit. For the little ones, they can look forward to growing their own seedlings.
For the full list of CapitaLand properties participating in Earth Hour, and to learn tips to live more sustainably, please visit, https://www.capitaland.com/en/about-capitaland/sustainability/sustainability-initiatives/earth-hour-2018.html
Receives world recognition for sustainability
In 2018, CapitaLand continued to receive world recognition for its global sustainability efforts. In February 2018, CapitaLand achieved the ‘Silver Class Sustainability Award’ in RobecoSAM’s Sustainability Yearbook 2018. CapitaLand is the only medal winner from Singapore. This is the second consecutive year CapitaLand has won the award. The companies recognised in the Yearbook are the world’s most sustainable companies in their industry and are moving the environment, social and governance (ESG) needle in ways that will help realise the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In January 2018, CapitaLand was ranked the world’s most sustainable corporation in real estate development and management in the ‘Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World’ by Corporate Knights Inc. These recognitions further consolidate CapitaLand’s reputation as a responsible global corporate citizen.
CapitaLand published its first annual sustainability report in 2009, making it one of the first companies in Singapore to do so voluntarily. CapitaLand is slated to publish its 2017 Global Sustainability Report by end May 2018.
[1] CapitaStar is CapitaLand’s cardless rewards programme with close to five million members in Singapore, China, India, Japan and Malaysia. In Singapore, it has over 870,000 Capitastar members