At DFI, we take animal welfare seriously and have been selling 100% cage-free and free-range eggs under our exclusive Meadows brand since its launch in 2021. As of 2023, we have successfully launched six SKUs of cage-free and free-range eggs in our stores.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eggs are an essential low-cost protein for millions of our customers across the region. We understand this makes eggs an especially price-sensitive everyday food item and have worked to make our cage-free eggs affordable for more of our customers. To achieve this, we partner with animal welfare organisations, including the Humane Society International (HSI) and our suppliers, to improve the welfare of laying hens producing eggs for our Meadows brand cage-free and free-range eggs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Collaborating with HSI, we developed strict DFI prerequisites for our cage-free eggs in conjunction with industry standard production audits and certifications. Today, all Meadows cage-free egg suppliers follow these DFI-recognised certification standards. 
Going forward, we will continue working with our suppliers and partners to promote animal welfare and positively impact the communities we serve.

DFI Retail Group: Meadows offering more choice of cage-free eggs 

Through Wellcome Hong Kong’s partnership with KIN, an innovative local food company, in 2023 we launched KIN cage-free eggs and KIN organic free-range eggs. KIN sourced its eggs from sustainable farms that do not use hormones or antibiotics, providing customers a more ethical alternative to conventional eggs.

Wellcome Hong Kong: introducing KIN cage-free eggs and organic free-range eggs

Starting in October 2021, IKEA Swedish Restaurants in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan began introducing certified cage-free eggs across their menus.&nbsp; As a result, a total of 11 IKEA restaurants in these regions now use cage-free eggs for their dishes.

In April 2024, IKEA Macau launched a new menu at their Swedish Restaurant that featured the use of cage-free eggs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Menu items included honey ham, potato and egg salad as well as Scotch egg with fries and truffle mayonnaise. This underscores IKEA’s continued commitment in healthy and sustainable living.

IKEA Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan: continue offering cage-free egg menu

IKEA Hong Kong is committed to offering customers a variety of more sustainable and healthier food options at its Swedish food markets, restaurants and bistros in the city.&nbsp;In addition to introducing&nbsp;cage-free eggs in IKEA Swedish Restaurants since October 2021,&nbsp;IKEA Hong Kong joined the Better Chicken Programme in April 2023 as part of this promise. This global initiative focuses on animal welfare at supplier farms to ensure broiler chickens are raised sustainably, resulting in better quality chicken, healthier people and a reduced environmental impact.&nbsp;

To enhance the social environment for chickens, supplier farms do not use broiler cages or multi-tiered cage systems. They must maintain optimal humidity, ventilation and temperature levels to prevent discomfort. In addition, suppliers work with a poultry veterinarian to develop a health plan to regularly check their flocks’ condition, ensuring no hormones are used and eliminating the routine use of antibiotics. The programme also addresses sustainable animal agriculture issues by sourcing feed that does not contribute to deforestation and climate change. Farms must also create a waste management plan to maximise the value of poultry manure while minimising its environmental impact. By implementing these measures, IKEA Hong Kong is able to offer customers more sustainable and better chicken.

IKEA Hong Kong: Better Chicken Programme

Launched in August 2021, Meadows has expanded its sustainable seafood range, offering more Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified products across its canned seafood lines. The MSC blue tick shows the product is caught from a fishery that adheres to standards set to help conserve seafood stocks and protect ocean ecosystems. With more than a third of the world’s seafood stocks currently over-fished, science-based MSC certification affirms we are helping to sustain resources for future generations and the livelihoods of communities that depend on the ocean’s resources.

The MSC certification standard ensures the fishery has minimised its impact on the ecosystem and that tuna stocks are healthy and well-managed. This includes taking measures to ensure as little harm as possible to other marine species, including dolphins, turtles and seabirds.

DFI Retail Group: More MSC-certified sustainable seafood 

We are dedicated to sourcing responsibly, expanding our choice of sustainable products, and using sustainable ingredients and packaging materials for our diverse range of products across our banners. We place a strong emphasis on promoting ethical and fair trade practices throughout our supply chain. In doing so, we aim to ensure that our products are not only of high quality but also contribute positively to the well-being of the planet and the communities we serve.&nbsp;

Since October 2022, 7-Eleven Hong Kong has switched to using 100% Arabica coffee beans, certified by the Rainforest Alliance, an esteemed international organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.&nbsp;

7-Eleven Singapore also embraced Rainforest Alliance-certified 100% Arabica beans in its 7CAFÉ coffee in 2023 and prioritised responsible sourcing by introducing FSC-certified cups and lids for 7CAFÉ hot coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meadows launched our first line of Own Brand recycled aluminium cookware in December 2023, offering saucepans made from at least 90% recycled aluminium.&nbsp;

Also, we transitioned 42% of our Own Brand paper products to FSC-certified sources during 2023. We aim to maintain this momentum, committing to use 100% FSC-certified paper for Own Brand products by 2028.

DFI Retail Group: Sourcing more sustainable products and packaging 

Mannings launched the PharmaCare programme in March 2023. A first-in-sector employee benefits programme, it offers professional pharmacist consultations and medication services for minor ailments, helping to alleviate pressure on public healthcare. We initially rolled out the programme to Mannings Hong Kong as a pilot, and subsequently more broadly to Mannings Macau as well as HKBN.

PharmaCare provides in-programme employees, as well as their immediate family members and domestic helpers, with convenient access to professional pharmacist consultation and medication services for minor ailments, such as colds and flu, allergies, aches and pains, gastrointestinal conditions, women's health concerns, minor skin conditions, eye conditions, and oral health. PharmaCare can also, upon request, issue a pharmacist’s note for employees to apply for sick leave. The programme saw more than 9,000 visits following its launch in 2023.&nbsp;

Mannings Hong Kong: Innovative pharmacy service piloted in Hong Kong

Wellcome is committed to delivering quality and value and responding to changing customer needs. Since the onset of the pandemic, our customers have become increasingly health aware and more health conscious when choosing food. We now cater to more dietary requirements and are able to offer our customers over 1,000 items of food classed as low fat, sugar-free, organic, hydroponic, gluten-free or no hormones added.

Wellcome Hong Kong: Wellcome Offers More Healthy Choices

yuu partnered with Foodlink, the Conservancy Association and the Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage to enable members to make donations to NGOs working with people in need, promoting environmental protection and safeguarding cultural heritage in Hong Kong. The yuu App provides an easy platform to reach our customers and encourage charitable donations. We also triple yuu Members’ donations on the 8th of each month. In 2023, yuu and our members donated 176,499,644 points to reduce hunger and 13,684,007 points to protect the environment, equivalent to $950,918 to the three charity organisations.&nbsp;

yuu Hong Kong: Donation to Promote Environmental Protection

Mannings Hong Kong collaborated with an NGO, Junior Chamber International Tai Ping Shan (JCITPS), on a campaign to promote the safe disposal of unwanted or out-of-date medicines. When disposed of improperly, unused medicines could contaminate soil, water and the wider environment, increasing the risk of drug resistance in the community if they accidentally enter the food chain.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The month-long “Safe Disposal of Unused Medicines” campaign saw 26 Mannings in-store pharmacies providing complimentary collection services, and successfully preventing over 1.18 million pills and capsules from improper disposal.&nbsp;

In addition, Mannings pharmacists joined hands with JCITPS to organise 13 talks for 3,300 students between April and June 2023 to raise awareness about the proper handling of unused medicines and reducing their potential impact on the environment.&nbsp;

Mannings Hong Kong: Promoting Safe Disposal of Unused Medicines

To improve everyday life for vulnerable communities, we established the Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (I-SEA), a programme co-created by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, IKEA Indonesia, IKEA Supply and our local implementation partner Instellar. I-SEA is a two-year business acceleration programme that supports the growth of social enterprises already working to increase equality, inclusion, and sustainability in the region, to help them increase their impact.

&nbsp;

Commencing in 2022, the first cohort completed the I-SEA programme in June 2023 successfully supporting 10 innovative social enterprises in providing jobs and delivering goods or services to address local needs. In late 2023, we are welcoming a second cohort to the I-SEA programme, supporting an additional 10 social enterprises working in circularity and sustainable agriculture to create a better everyday life for marginalised local communities.

IKEA Indonesia: Supporting social entrepreneurship

Since October 2022, 7CAFÉ has switched to using 100% of our Arabica coffee beans that are certified by Rainforest Alliance, an international organisation that promotes sustainable agriculture and forestry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

We have also started offering oat milk as a dairy-free alternative at 7-Eleven. Oat milk emits significantly less greenhouse gases than conventional dairy milk. Our team has also found ways to reduce environmental impact by sourcing paper cups and lids that are made with more environmentally friendly materials. The new coffee cup lids are made from bagasse, which is 100% biodegradable, and the paper cups are made with trees that were grown on plantations which do not contribute to deforestation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

7-Eleven Hong Kong: 7CAFÉ Launching Sustainable Coffee Beans 

We are committed to providing innovative healthcare solutions that meet our communities’ evolving needs. To this end, Mannings launched the AI Wellness Scan in Hong Kong in September 2023 to raise awareness of active health management and disease prevention. This facial scan is a non-invasive solution that measures customers' key vital signs, such as heart rate, oxygen saturation and stress level, in just 30 seconds.

Recognising the growing need for more accessible preventive healthcare, we launched this new solution to help people better manage their personal health. Supported by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the AI Wellness Scan reaches more than 90% accuracy in clinical trials.

Available at seven Mannings in-store pharmacies and corporate wellness events, nearly 3,000 wellness scans were conducted in the four months following its launch, with our team of professional pharmacists and dietitians providing personalised health consultation based on the scan results.

Mannings Hong Kong: AI Wellness Scan

The Living Our Values Awards focus on recognising individuals and teams that demonstrate our values in alignment with our strategic framework – Customer First, People Led and Shareholder Driven. There are six award categories in honouring excellence in customer-centric innovation, collaboration, sustainability, caring passionately, and individual contributions by teams or individual team members who live up to our DFI Values. Each award has a specific focus and evaluation process. They are open to submissions from leaders, allowing our people to showcase their exceptional achievements that contribute to our overall success by bringing our values to life.&nbsp; 
In 2023, we received over 6,600 nominations, after which more than 1,600 team members across all markets were awarded a Caring Passionately Award and 18 awards were given to teams and team members in other Living Our Values Awards categories. Caring Passionately is one of our core values and our corporate social responsibility initiatives are only possible with our team members’ support and enthusiastic participation. To acknowledge their crucial contribution and show our gratitude, we launched the Caring Passionately Awards in October 2022. Team members received awards in recognition of their exceptional acts of service, support or kindness towards our customers, colleagues and communities. 
&nbsp;

DFI Retail Group: Recognising our people for putting our values into action

We are committed to prioritising the safety and quality of our Own Brand Health and Beauty products above all else.&nbsp; 
At DFI, we do not conduct animal testing on our finished products, unless it is mandated by national regulations.&nbsp; 
Also, we continuously endeavour to enhance the formulations of our products, ensuring that each and every one of our Own Brand Health and Beauty products comply with local standards and safety requirements. 
&nbsp;

No animal testing on Own Brand Health and Beauty products unless required by national regulations

In Indonesia, Guardian worked with Save The Children Indonesia in the WASH project, which is the construction of clean water facility to provide clean water access to vulnerable communities in Desa Ciapus, a village within the Bandung city. The construction of the water facility – completed in late 2022 – could benefit over 230 families in the Ciapus village. It is expected to offer those in the village a stable and reliable access to clean water, giving them a better and healthier life for many generations to come.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Guardian Indonesia: Building Clean Water Facility in Rural Village

In 2022, yuu partnered with The Conservancy Association and The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage in Hong Kong to raise awareness for nature as well as cultural conservation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

yuu organised two Lai Chi Wo eco-heritage tours, during which over 70 yuu members and yuu team members covered a wide range of conservation activities that included a visit to the UNESCO-awarded Hakka village built over 300 years ago and learning about the rich biodiversity of the fung shui woods and mangrove forest. Through the immersive farming experience, they removed invasive weeds and watered the soil, and the volunteers grew an appreciation for the way our food is produced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Volunteering in this Lai Chi Wo eco-heritage tour is a great way to get involved in local environmental and cultural conservation. It was a great opportunity for me to get hands-on eco-farming experience and to feel closer to nature. The visit to the Hakka village is a great cultural encounter,” Julianna Chau, a yuu team member, said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

yuu: Organising Organic Farming Experience

In our commitment to bringing high quality food to our customers, we have improved our selection of vitamin supplements. Mannings’ Own Brand vitamins range now has over 50 SKUs and encompasses five major categories, including Vitamin C and Immunity, Multivitamins, Probiotics, Kids, and Bones and Joints. To ensure product quality, they were sourced from reliable manufacturers in Germany, Spain, the US, Australia and New Zealand with GMP certification.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

We have also made tremendous improvement on our vitamin products. As our customers become increasingly health conscious, we introduced the second generation of low-sugar vitamin gummies in China in 2021. Replacing white sugar with xylitol, a sweetener with lower calories than white sugar, the vitamin gummies came in four SKUs (Vitamin C, multi-vitamin, DHA algal oil and milk calcium). Shortly after the launch, we sold almost 80,000 units of products within six months. In 2022, our team continued to develop and launch the third generation with two extra SKUs: Blueberry Lutein Ester Gummies and Sodium Hyaluronate Gummies.&nbsp;

Recognising our innovative efforts, these low-sugar vitamin gummies received the Top 10 Product Innovation Award for snackable health supplements at the Annual Conference of Guangdong Chain Store and Franchise Association, the largest trade organisation in the Guangdong Province.&nbsp;

Ｍannings: Mannings Own Brand Health and Beauty Products

Meat production is a major contributor to greenhouse-gas emissions and land degradation. We’re trying to nudge people in the direction of consuming more plant-based foods.

7-Eleven Hong Kong has launched its own brand of plant-based ready-to-eat products, while the Group’s supermarkets offer more and more vegan meat substitutes from brands such as Beyond Meat, OmniFoods and Meat Zero. Other vegan options include our Better for You range, which features a range of nut milks, from oat to cashew; and IKEA’s plant-based food range, such as its plant balls.

IKEA restaurants and food markets in the region also offer more than 10 sustainably sourced food options and more than 20 alternatives to meat and dairy, from plant-based milk in coffee to MSC certified salmon.

Plant-based Products Protect Land Welfare

One important way we can look after people is by supplying them with healthier food. We try to source Meadows brand products with lower salt, natural colourings and lower sugar. We also recently launched the Nature’s Heart range of healthy nuts which are packed following a stringent quality system that ensures suppliers meet global food safety standards, pass quality assurance requirements and submit to regular product testing and factory audits. We also submit all our products for verification by third-party labs to ensure they contain what the product label says they do.

Healthy Food, Healthy People

We try to care for the well-being of our own team members, but also of the people employed by our suppliers. We’ve worked with 124 of our own-brand suppliers to set standards ensuring that they offer legal wages and safe working conditions, and guarantee they will not use children or forced labour.

Starting from January 2021, all our new suppliers in countries considered high risk for human rights violations must pass ethical audits to demonstrate they meet international labour requirements. We plan to work closely with our existing suppliers to develop ethical sourcing guidelines and encourage them to participate in ethical audits.

Improving Workers' Welfare

To consumers, the fresher the food, the better the quality. Taking advantage of available space, DFI built a vertical farm in its Malaysian Distribution Centre with partner Sustenir Agriculture. The farm grows the highest quality vegetables, free from pesticides, environmental pollution and heavy metals. Vertical farms use 95% less water than traditional farms and ease the burden on arable land. The leafy greens go from farm to store within 24 hours, which preserves their freshness and nutrition. Compared to imported produce, they generate 92% less carbon emissions while maintaining their nutritional quality. In Singapore, small-scale vertical farms in CS Fresh supermarkets showcase the sustainable concept of farm to shelf, so customers can see the benefits up close.

DFI Retail Group: Local Farming for Low-mileage Vegetables

Every year, we host an award presentation to honour the team members who have helped create value beyond our business. In Hong Kong alone, over 800 team members across different banners and functions, including those in the front line and at store support centres, received Long Service Awards in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Similarly, in Singapore, around 360 team members received the award across various business units. Over a third of them had been with the company for a decade or more and two for half a century! We firmly believe that their long tenure is a testament to the positive workplace culture DFI has worked so hard to cultivate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jennifer, one of the frontline team members who has been with DFI for 50 years, shared, “We work as a team like family; we treat customers as family and we work together. We smile, we talk, we mix around, we greet each other – that’s the reason I have been here for 50 years!”&nbsp;

DFI Retail Group: Presenting Long Service Awards to Team Members

Committed to helping lift the local economy, IKEA Indonesia has started the programme “Teras Indonesia,” which offers free exhibition space at all of the seven stores around the country to over 900 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to promote their brands.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local businesses can apply to set up pop-up stores within the IKEA outlet to sell their wares. The IKEA team will also lend their expertise to help the business owners make their store display more compelling to customers. The space can also be used for organising other community activities, such as workshops, seminars and talk shows, reinforcing IKEA’s mission of “creating a better everyday life for the many people”.

IKEA Indonesia: Supporting the Local Community

Our buying choices can make a tremendous difference. Through them, we try to promote animal welfare, provide healthier food, support the protection of workers and stock products that put less pressure on the environment.

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