Luo Yan (far right) speaks at the CCFA China Sustainable Consumption Conference in Beijing on June 8. [Photo/Yili Group]

Yili Group called for green consumption and sustainable development at the 2018 CCFA China Sustainable Consumption Conference in Beijing on June 8.

The conference was co-hosted by China Chain Store & Franchise Association and China Sustainable Consumption Roundtable. More than 200 representatives from the United Nations Environment Program, Marine Stewardship Council, non-profit organizations and enterprises attended the conference.

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd, a provider of healthy and nutritious dairy products, is China's largest dairy producer. Luo Yan, the firm's deputy president, spoke at the conference and explained that the group was racing to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In reference to SDGs, Yili group set up a World Integrally Sharing Health (WISH) system which can integrate the idea of sustainable development into mutually-beneficial industry chains, quality and innovation, public welfare, and nutrition and health. The group also released a report designed to link ideas about sustainable development with statistics and cases.

To develop with minimal impact on the environment, Yili group started to work with international food packaging companies, including Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc in 2017, and began using packing materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC materials have been produced using less power, and are biodegradable and recyclable. As of 2017, Yili Group had used 2.4 billion packaging units made from FSC materials, helping to protect 5,333 hectares of forest.

Yili Group plans to continue working toward a "green industry chain" and partner with more organizations to protect the environment.

Yili Group's "WISH" sustainable development system. [Photo/Yili Group]