Visualising CO2 emissions from stores and factories nationwide to achieve carbon neutrality

We operate 975 Komeda Coffee Shop coffee shops and other food and beverage outlets nationwide (as of December 31, 2022). We provide a space for “relaxation” by offering morning service and our main products, such as coffee and shiro noir. In order for our customers to feel “more at home,” we believe that protecting the global environment and creating a sustainable society are important issues. In fact, it is said that if global warming is not controlled, the areas where Arabica coffee is grown will be reduced by 50% by 2050. With less land under cultivation and less production, we may not be able to drink coffee as casually as we do today. Therefore, we are also committed to addressing climate change. Our actions include sustainable coffee cultivation and distribution, switching to renewable energy, and reducing food loss. Promoting decarbonization is also part of them. Komeda has set goals to “reduce CO2 emissions from Scope 1-3 to 50% of the 2015 level by 2030” and to “achieve virtually zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In order to achieve these goals, we need to create a roadmap, but we have not been able to calculate our CO2 emissions for 2015. Thus, we decided to introduce a system in order to grasp the standard figures and make a concrete reduction plan.

I managed to handle the calculation of CO2 emissions for Scope 1 and 2 alone by myself, by using Excel. However, when it came to Scope 3, it was necessary to calculate CO2 emissions for the entire supply chain, including raw materials and logistics, and I found it difficult to collect and compile the data by myself. We also felt that we needed a partner who would support us in achieving our goals, rather than tackling issues on our own. Then we looked for a service that would not only visualise our CO2 emissions, but also provide advice on calculation and proposals for reduction. We compared the services of four companies, including ASUENE, but ASUENE was the only one that had the ability to read billing data using AI-OCR and upload past data managed in Excel at one time. We chose ASUENE because it significantly reduce man-hours and the pricing was in line with our company’s budget. When we first introduced the system, we were a little concerned about the accuracy of the AI in uploading data, but now we can use it without worry because it is double-checked by human operators. We are currently in the process of beginning to visualise the CO2 emissions of our approximately 20 directly managed stores, and we are already finding usability of As Zero to be very good. I like the system that makes it possible for multiple people to access and perform input work at the same time. Also, the CS staff is very quick to respond and follow up with us, and we can immediately ask them anything we don’t understand. I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn about decarbonization-related information, which is updated on a daily basis, through interviews.

After introducing ASUENE, we have been able to significantly reduce the man-hours required for Scope 1 and 2 calculations. Previously, we had been using Excel to manage the data. It took us about a month to collect, input, and visualise a year’s worth of data and we couldn’t get on with other tasks. Now we are able to start working on the Scope 3 calculation, which we had not been able to tackle. However, I find the Scope 3 calculation very difficult. First of all, we have to collect the necessary data with approximately 900 franchise stores that fall into Category 14. Since each owner has a different management system, it is difficult to collect in the same format, and the work required to register the obtained data is also enormous. We will first select 10 model stores among our franchisees, and while utilizing the supply chain data linkage function of ASUENE, we would like to gradually increase the accuracy of the calculation. In addition, in Category 1 “Purchased Products and Services,” there are already approximately 1,000 items related to store operations alone, thus we need to involve many departments in the calculation of CO2 emissions. However, it is still difficult to calculate accurate figures, and it is also an area where it is difficult to make improvements. However, we cannot start without doing something, so we will start with visualisation.

In the future, we would like to proceed with full-scale Scope 3 calculations. Furthermore, we would like to create a roadmap for reductions toward achieving our reduction targets. In 2022, we issued an integrated report for the first time since our establishment. Our vision for 2050 is to become a group that co-creates daily “relaxation” together with all stakeholders through teamwork that values diversity and individual growth opportunities, as well as working in a sustainable global and social environment. The atmosphere of a store is created not only by employees but also by customers, and we will continue to work together to create a relaxing space. KOMEDA COMES TRUE. with YOU” is the watchword for Komeda’s sustainability activities. With YOU” means “together with everyone. It is difficult for a single company to reduce CO2 emissions, so we are glad to have partnered with ASUENE, whose system allows us to see the amount of CO2 emissions and consult with them on how to reduce them. We are very happy to have partnered with ASUENE. There is no clear-cut solution to environmental problems. Still, nothing will change unless we take action. We will gradually implement activities that will make a sustainable society together with our stakeholders, starting with what we can do.