Seiyu Introduces Intra-Company Environmental Tax

A Japanese supermarket operator, Seiyu Ltd., is launching an intra-company environment tax system, tentatively named "ECOTAX." It aims to reduce the company's environmental burden by levying a green tax on energy consumption and waste generation, and by making stores compete with each other.

The company headquarters, with all data on energy consumption and waste generation from each store, converts the data into an equivalent amount of CO2 emissions, and determines the eco taxes accordingly. The planned tax rate is 10,000 yen (about U.S.$80) per metric ton of CO2 equivalent.

Stores receive credits to reduce eco taxes imposed on them by holding environmental study seminars, expanding their sales of eco-friendly products, and cutting back on containers and packaging. The ECOTAX head office calculates and collects the balance between the taxes levied and the amounts credited, and uses the funds for environmental programs and community service activities.

The company plans to introduce the ECOTAX on a trial basis in September 2002 prior to its full-scale implementation in 2005.




Posted: 2002/08/25 09:26:02 AM
Japanese version