In recent years, we have been hearing the word “sustainable” more and more often.
As global awareness surrounding environmental issues continues to grow, the question becomes:
What can each of us do?
And as a company and a member of society, how should we take responsibility?

As a company dedicated to enriching people and communities, GLOBAL PRODUCE is committed to engaging with these questions sincerely.

One of the initiatives we began in March of this year is the clear file collection program, conducted through the ASKUL Resource Circulation Platform.
In this article, we would like to introduce this sustainability activity and what we have learned from it.

What Is the ASKUL Resource Circulation Platform?

The ASKUL Resource Circulation Platform is a system designed to circulate resources throughout the entire product lifecycle—from design and planning to manufacturing, sales, post-use collection, and recycling or reuse.
Launched in April 2022, it aims to create a “system that prevents things from being thrown away” by collaborating across the value chain.

Every day, we use beverages, packaged foods, detergents, and many other products. Behind this consumption lies a large amount of waste in the form of packaging and containers.
ASKUL is working with partner companies to build reuse models in the B2B field that allow containers to be collected and used again.
This approach not only reduces waste and disposal costs—it also contributes to lowering CO₂ emissions.

Currently, ASKUL is also conducting pilot programs for reusable containers for hand soap and sanitizing alcohol. These tests represent a promising step toward building a circular society.

At GLOBAL PRODUCE, we were drawn to the idea that we could take part through a small, familiar action: collecting used clear files, which we often use for work.

Our Internal Initiative: 285 Files Collected

Since starting the program in March, each GP member reviewed their desk and shelves and contributed any unused clear files to the collection box located in the Café area.
The initiative blended naturally into daily life—it never felt forced.

By August, we had collected and sent 285 clear files to ASKUL.

The collected files are repurposed in three ways:

1. Reusable files are cleaned and passed on to new users.
2. Used files with wear are bought by ASKUL, and the proceeds are donated to THE OCEAN CLEANUP, a marine conservation organization based in the Netherlands.
3. Remaining files are recycled into recycled plastic pellets and transformed into new products.

When we looked at the lineup of recycled items, we found that these clear files return to daily life as pens, desk trays, trash bins, bands, and more.

From “Throwing Away” to “Passing into the Future”

This initiative made us realize how much our perspective on everyday items can change.
What we once viewed as something “to discard” can instead be seen as “a resource to pass forward.”

With just this shift in mindset, waste becomes a material for new creation, and through donations, we also support environmental conservation.
It is a simple, positive, and meaningful action—and one we were happy to participate in.

Conclusion

GLOBAL PRODUCE is a company that creates events.
Events are one-of-a-kind experiences, but they also require significant materials and energy.
That is why we believe we have a responsibility to act with sustainability in mind—not only in our work, but also in our day-to-day routines.

The clear file collection initiative is something anyone can participate in.
It helps make sustainability feel less like something special, and more like something woven into everyday life.

Through this activity, we realized that each of us has many small actions we can take.
A file that once sat unused in the corner of a desk may someday help protect the ocean.
Thinking that way brings a little more hope into our everyday choices.

We will continue to keep a collection box in the company café and encourage each member to contribute items whenever they notice them.
As a company, we will continue working to translate sustainability into everyday action—and to create positive cycles in society.