Corporate Impact & Employee Engagement

Case Study: LIXIL

In 2020, LIXIL Global joined forces with Social Innovation Japan’s “mymizu” initiative to tackle single-use plastic through the ‘LIXIL Community Day mymizu Challenge’.

More than 2,600 people across the company’s global workforce formed teams and battled it out in a friendly competition to see who could save the most plastic bottles during a month-long campaign.

In a short space of time, the company was able to save 34,000 bottles - the equivalent of the height of two Mount Fujis of PET bottles in a fun, engaging and meaningful way.

“For this year’s LIXIL Community Day, we wanted the teams to be able to participate in an eye-opening experience and one that would be engaging despite the restrictions caused by the coronavirus health crisis. Taking part in the mymizu Challenge was just that: an innovative and enjoyable way to strengthen our employees understanding of and engagement with sustainability and the SDGs. As LIXIL is strengthening its commitment to tackling plastic reduction in our own operations, the campaign has contributed to bolstering awareness and a mindset shift within the company”
- John Short, Leader, Communications & Corporate Responsibility, LIXIL

For LIXIL employees, the activity contributed to team-building efforts, led members to implement long-term change in their behaviors, and was overall met with highly positive feedback.

• “I’ve gotten used to using my own water bottle, instead of buying PET bottles. Now I am thinking about how I can reduce plastic use in general. I’ve started using beeswax wrap for example! I have seen this change in team members too, who have become more aware of plastic waste. Many of them intend to continue the good habits formed during the Challenge.” said one LIXIL member.

• Another one shared that, “it was actually a small effort to make, but we saw the number grow every day and realized that small steps have the potential to scale up for meaningful change.”