Biodiversity
Rakuten's Approach
From the variety of agricultural products sold on Rakuten Ichiba to the travel destinations promoted on Rakuten Travel, our businesses are supported by the richness and diversity of natural ecosystems. These ecosystems are under growing threat from a dual crisis: climate change and biodiversity loss, both closely linked and driven by human activities. This not only puts the continuity of our business at risk, but also endangers communities worldwide, with issues such as food supply insecurity or freshwater shortage.
As a company committed to addressing our environmental impact and playing a leading role in the fight against climate change, we recognize that we must also confront our potential contribution to biodiversity loss. Across every stage of our value chain, we strive to identify, reduce and eliminate adverse impacts on ecosystems, and help safeguard the natural environment.
Our commitment to the protection of biodiversity is outlined in our Group Environmental Policy.
Management System
We have established streamlined, Group-wide implementation systems and reporting lines for environmental matters. The Rakuten Group Sustainability Committee holds quarterly Environment Subcommittee meetings, where members work to translate environmental measures into concrete actions for each organization. Progress is reported to the Board on a quarterly basis.
For more information on how we manage environmental issues, please refer to our Climate Change webpage.
Strategy
As we work to provide sustainable platforms and services with a positive impact on society and the environment, addressing climate change plays a central role, with direct benefits for nature. To do this effectively, we implement both Group-wide policies and service-level initiatives tailored to the specific characteristics of each industry with the Rakuten Ecosystem.
In recent years, various frameworks have been developed to help companies better identify and assess their dependencies on biodiversity, as well as related impacts, risks and opportunities. These frameworks support the development of effective management strategies. Since 2024, Rakuten has been a member of the TNFD Forum, an international network supporting the work of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)* activities. Utilizing the LEAP approach — Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare — we are systematically analyzing how our services interact with nature-related issues, progressing one business segment at a time. Our assessment scope covers the full value chain, including our operations, surrounding areas and upstream and downstream activities.
* The TNFD is an international organization that develops framework to help the private sector assess and disclose risks and opportunities related to natural capital and biodiversity.
Identify and map the natural assets, ecosystems and biodiversity our business depends on or affects, including geographic and supply chain links.
Analyze the condition, trends and health of these assets, considering ecosystem services and environmental pressures.
Evaluate risks and opportunities linked to nature, including regulatory, reputational, operational and financial impacts.
Develop and implement strategies and governance to manage risks, capitalize on opportunities and drive nature-positive outcomes.
Based on the insights gained through our TNFD assessments, we are refining our strategy to better address biodiversity dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities. This enables us to build more resilient operations and support sustainable business growth. We also commit to actively engaging with affected stakeholders applying mitigation hierarchy framework to guide our action.
Our Operations
Rakuten’s direct operations primarily include offices, data centers, our mobile network, as well as several sports facilities and fulfillment centers. While energy use and greenhouse gas emissions remain our top environmental priority, we also implement waste and water management programs to mitigate other negative impacts.
- We collect waste and water data across the Group, verified by a third party.
- Using this data, we identify opportunities to improve water efficiency and reduce waste generation and implement related action plans.
- We separate waste to increase recycling rate and reduce landfill disposal.
- We raise employee awareness through e-learning modules and in-office signage focused on responsible water usage and waste reduction.
Case Study
Assessing Biodiversity Risks across Supply Chains
We aim to realize a sustainable society across our entire supply chains. Our suppliers play an important role in achieving this goal, and it is essential that we work together with a shared understanding of what sustainability. The Rakuten Group Sustainable Procurement Code of Conduct for Suppliers outlines the actions we expect from all suppliers, including the protection of the environment and biodiversity.
Our biodiversity risks assessment currently focuses on evaluating the level of compliance with our Code of Conduct among critical suppliers, which included 182 companies in 2024. In practice, we assess their awareness and maturity in addressing biodiversity-related issues, such as pollution and natural resource management.
Critical suppliers are first required to attend briefing sessions to review the Code and sign a pledge of compliance. They then complete a self-assessment questionnaire covering the Code’s 9 sections, including environmental protection. Based on their responses, we provide feedback, and when certain risks are identified, we may conduct on-site audits and request corrective action plans.
For suppliers providing Rakuten-branded products made of paper, we conduct separate assessments to identify sourcing regions and evaluate deforestation risks.
The 2024 assessment revealed that environmental protection received the lowest score among all surveyed sustainability topics. Notably, 37.5% of respondents had not implemented biodiversity protection measures.
Find information is available on our Supply Chain Management webpage and through our CDP survey.
E-Commerce Businesses
Rakuten is involved in the e-commerce business in various capacities: as a B2B2C*1 and C2C*2 platform operator a first-party retailer and a logistics service provider. Our Group companies therefore address biodiversity and natural resource concerns from multiple angles.
*1 B2B2C: an e-commerce model where intermediary platforms or services connect customers with businesses.
*2 C2C: an e-commerce model where intermediary platforms or services connect private individuals together.
Environmentally-friendly Packaging
Stakeholder concern around single-use packaging continues to grow as online shopping becomes more prevalent. To drive meaningful change while maintaining a strong customer experience, we are committed to using minimal, optimally sized packaging tailored to the dimensions of each product.
Across deliveries in Japan, we utilize shipping boxes made from 90％ to 95% recycled paper and cushioning materials derived from eco-friendly sources.
Rakuten Mart, our online supermarket, also offers the "OKIHAI" delivery service, which allows customers to receive their packages at designated locations even when they are not home. Orders are packed in sturdy, foldable containers that can be disinfected and reused for future deliveries, thereby reducing the need for excess cardboard.
Banning Unethical Practices: Wildlife Trade Restrictions
Rakuten complies with all applicable local and international laws on animal and wildlife protection, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Japan's Act for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Beyond legal compliance, our marketplace policy—for platforms such as Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuma—prohibits the sale of certain wildlife products, including those made from whale, dolphin, ivory, and sea turtle. We work with merchant partners to ensure ethical business practices and responsible sourcing that considers biodiversity. Non-compliant merchants may face financial and other penalties.
Highlighting Best Practices: Sustainable Production and Consumption
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Rakuten Ichiba
The Earth Mall with Rakuten, launched in 2018, is a dedicated section with Rakuten Ichiba promoting sustainable shopping experiences. It features a wide range of ethical and eco-friendly products and aims to contribute to sustainable society by engaging both consumer and merchant.
Among our offerings, we feature thousands of products that carry international certifications that ensure they are not linked to unsustainable practices such as overfishing or deforestation. Earth Mall also uses the power of e-commerce to share the stories behind the products on offer, helping customers make informed value-aligned choices. -
Rakuten Travel
Rakuten Travel is helping shift the tourism industry toward sustainability. In November 2022, we introduced Sustainability Icons to highlight hotels that adopt eco-conscious practices. These icons, based on GSTC Industry Criteria, address areas such as waste and water management and the preservation of natural environments.
We also developed a sustainability handbook to promote for hotels to encourage responsible operator operations and provided practical ideas for change withing the hospitality sector.
Promoting Circular Economies: Second-hand Marketplaces
As more consumers embrace the circular economy, we support them with services that promote sustainable consumption habits. Rakuma, our C2C marketplace, plays a key role in encouraging responsible shopping and supporting circular lifestyles.
Globally, Rakuten France is a global market pioneer in establishing a circular economy model. Two-thirds of the items sold on its platform, amounting to fifty million in total, are pre-owned. To raise awareness of the environmental benefits of second-hand goods, we analyzed 150 product categories and published CO2 impact comparisons between new and used items, helping customers make more sustainable choices.
Sports Business
Rakuten is committed to A Better Future Together with sports. Guided by the principles of “Sports for Everyone” and “Green for Future,” we actively pursue initiatives that promote circularity and resource efficiency.
Find out more
Resource Recycling and Waste Reduction
At the home stadiums of the Rakuten Eagles and Vissel Kobe, eco stations are set up on matchdays to encourage waste separation and improve resource recycling. We aim to increase the recycling rate by promoting the separation and collection of waste generated by attendees. These efforts support the effective use of resources.
For example, the Rakuten Eagles are actively working to improve recycling. At Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, plastic bags used at food and beverage outlets have been made thinner and now contain 50% biomass material, significantly reducing their weight and environmental impact. Since 2022, water bottles sold at the stadium have been produced from domestically collected, eco-friendly materials. These are part of a horizontal recycling initiative using PET bottles collected in Japan to create new ones. Additionally, drink cup lids have been replaced with paper lids, while beer cups, straws and cutlery are now contain environmentally friendly components.
In the 2023 season, Vissel Kobe introduced drink cups made from the renewable material LIMEX. Rather than being discarded, these are collected and upcycled into benches for public use. We also collect plastic bags used for merchandise wrapping and recycle them into original shop bags. Since 2022, stadium signage—such as facades typically discarded post-season—has been upcycled into tote bags, accessories, and other goods, adding new value and promoting sustainability.
*Beer cups are made of 50% recycled PET material, straws contain 25% biomass, spoons and forks contain 10% coffee biomass (excluding some products).
Optimizing Water Use
At Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi, about 50% of the park’s annual water consumption (approximately 13,000㎥) comes from well water, which is used for irrigation and toilet cleaning. Vissel Kobe also uses well water and rainwater for toilet facilities, helping reduce tap water usage and conserve resources.
●Rakuten Eagles｜Sustainability Special Site
●Vissel Kobe｜United in Unity: Creating a Sustainable Society Together
Mobile and E-reader Businesses
As a producer and retailer of electronic devices, our environmental impact can only be reduced through close collaboration to promote circular production and consumption practices.
Rakuten Kobo: An Eco-conscious E-reader
In 2022, Rakuten Kobo launched the Kobo Clara 2E, its first eco-conscious e-reader made from 85% recycled plastic and 10% ocean-bound plastic. Revenue from 2021's carbon offsets supports the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project, which aids First Nation communities and protects British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests.
Rakuten Mobile: Promoting Device Reuse and Recycling
Recognizing the environmental impact of electronic waste, Rakuten Mobile offers a trade-in service for pre-owned smartphones and tablets through Rakuten’s e-commerce platforms. After thorough inspections at Rakuten-designated production centers, devices are resold as refurbished products on Rakuma and Rakuten Ichiba. All personal data is securely erased, allowing customers to trade in their phones confidently.
As part of the Mobile Recycling Network, a government-led industry initiative, Rakuten Mobile also offers a complimentary collection and recycle service for pre-owned cell phones, battery packs and chargers. This service helps Rakuten recover precious metals such as gold, silver, copper and palladium.
Case Study
TNFD Framework Adoption at Rakuten Mobile
As a first step toward aligning with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Rakuten Mobile conducted a 2024 assissment using the LEAP approach (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare). This focused on how Rakuten Mobile benefits from various natural capital sources in its operations.
Our initial TNFD assessment began by mapping the value chain related to key activities such as the construction and operation of base stations, data centers and manufacturing of branded mobile and wi-fi devices. This includes upstream and downstream activities such as, procurement, usage and disposal, as well as our own operational areas, to evaluate potential impacts and dependencies on natural capital.
While TNFD emphasizes assessing nature-related impacts and dependencies across the full value chain, we initially focused on our direct business operations, specifically analyzing tower base stations. Using internal data and external tools such as the ENCORE* database, we mapped potential biodiversity hotspot locations. Following the LEAP process, our analysis revealed a number of dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities. Examples include:
- Dependencies: soil, sediment retention and solid waste remediation services during tower construction
- Impacts: greenhouse gas emissions during network deployment and noise generated during construction and dismantling
- Risks: physical damage to towers from extreme weather events and increased operational costs due to stricter environmental regulations
- Opportunities: development of sustainable infrastructure technologies
Moving forward, we will refine our assessment through further data collection and analysis using external tools, and engage in dialogue with stakeholders to validate and address the dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities identified in this initial assessment.
*A tool for visualising how business activities depend on and may be affected by nature, and how changes in the environment may create risks or opportunities.