Inclusive Store Development | Core Theme 1 | Sustainability

MARUI GROUP is developing stores that are comfortable in terms of both facilities and customer service to provide enjoyable shopping experiences to all customers, including senior citizens, differently abled individuals, non-Japanese people, and members of the LGBTQ community, regardless of age or gender.

Issues Related to Society and Shopping Centers

Developing comfortable stores requires tracking the issues faced by Japanese society and shopping centers in terms of both store environment and empathy (customer service) and addressing these issues to ensure enjoyable shopping and peace of mind for all.

Source: Annual Report on the Aging Society, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, 2020
Source: Annual Report on Government Measures for Persons with Disabilities, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, 2020
Source: 2020 LGBTQ+ Survey, Dentsu Diversity Lab, DENTSU INC.

Source: FY2019 Barrier Free and Universal Design Awareness Survey, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
Source: FY2019 Barrier Free and Universal Design Awareness Survey, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

Co-Creation with Customers

We are implementing universal design concepts at Marui and Modi stores throughout Japan. For example, when developing Hakata Marui, we incorporated the input of various sources, such as Kyushu University and Lifestyle Design Lab. These organizations helped us identify issues faced by people with disabilities at shopping centers through workshop-style investigations, and we also received feedback from various individuals for input in store development.

Customers using wheelchairs were invited to participate in planning meetings
Mirairo inspected facilities to verify ease of use
Charging spaces equipped with outlets were established to provide peace of mind to customers shopping using electric wheelchairs
Audio guidance is offered on the first and second floors in part to guide customers with vision impairments
The heights and functions of chairs on each floor were changed to offer comfort to various customers
Signs displaying distance to restrooms were installed to offer peace of mind to senior citizens and customers using wheelchairs

HARA8 Food Court

In 2019, HARA8, MARUI GROUP's first food court, was opened on the second floor of Marui Family Mizonokuchi.

Concept Planning Meetings with Customers

In preparation for the opening of HARA8, we began holding planning meetings with customers at Marui Family Mizonokuchi in February 2017. A total of 529 such meetings were held, which saw participation from an aggregate total of 2,700 customers. In addition, joint store development efforts were undertaken together with a total of 38 business partners.

At planning meetings, we received input from customers indicating a desire to eat a variety of different dishes with small portions and to be able to find small snacks that can be eaten in between meals or before dinner. This input provided hints regarding times, portion sizes, and other elements of operation that helped us respond to a diverse range of dining needs.

HARA8 food court
Planning meetings with customers

Concept Shops

MARUI GROUP is developing concept shops based on the themes of sustainability, well-being, and personalization at Shinjuku Marui Main Building and Ueno Marui. These concept shops represent a new form of service and venue MARUI GROUP offers for small business operators, who might want to open a physical store location but lack the necessary resources and expertise. We thereby aim to support such business operators in taking their first step toward transitioning from being an exclusively online operator to having a physical presence. Concept stores are staffed and operated by MARUI GROUP employees with expertise in sales floor management and customer service and feature a robust lineup of products that are friendly to both people and the environment.

Messages to Customers

MARUI GROUP aims to be a leader in developing products, services, and stores that bring joy to all customers, regardless of their age, gender, or physical characteristics. In this manner, we strive to guarantee that a pleasurable store experience can be had by people with and without disabilities and by members of the LGBTQ community and other individuals that do not conform to traditional gender categories.

TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE

MARUI GROUP's involvement with TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE^*1 began in 2016 with its participation in TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2016, an event arranged by this organization. It was at TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2017 that we first opened a booth at the event site. At this booth, we exhibited a lineup of all sizes of Rakuchin Kirei series shoes, Rakuchin Kirei series pants, and Order Suits. Many visitors tried on pumps, which were provided in sizes ranging from 19.5 cm to 27.0 cm, and business shoes, which were provided in sizes ranging from 22.5 cm to 30.0 cm.

In 2018, we continued to display the Rakuchin Kirei series while also holding an OUT IN JAPAN^*2 photograph exhibition. For the exhibition, we helped coordinate the outfits of 153 groups comprising 179 people by supplying them with outfits from MARUI GROUP's VISARUNO and ru private brand lines.

MARUI GROUP once again took part in the parade at TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2019, this time launching its first float. In the parade, a total of 126 employees and family members marched through Shibuya while wearing original MARUI GROUP rainbow t-shirts. Meanwhile, rainbow flags were displayed at MARUI GROUP stores. Shibuya Marui and Shibuya Modi, which are located near the site of TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2019, worked together with TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE to hang 237 rainbow flags throughout the Shibuya Koen Dori street business district. This gesture was meant to encourage Shibuya to be a place that is accepting of members of the LGBT community and of a diverse range of other individuals.

TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE canceled its events in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while an online event was held in 2021. MARUI GROUP arranged an online corner for this event where it introduced its Pride House Tokyo EPOS CARD and its kono yubi to-mare community site.

*1 Organization with a motto calling on people to be proud and enjoy being themselves and that seeks to help create a society in which everyone is able to live optimistically and to be themselves, regardless of their sexual preference or their sexual identity; the name "TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE" is also used for the organization's events
*2 Project designed to place the spotlight on members of the LGBT community and other sexual minorities in Japan by having various photographers take diverse portraits of everyday individuals falling into these classifications; the project aims to compile a gallery of 10,000 people over the next five years

TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2019 parade
Rainbow flags hung throughout Shibuya Koen Dori street business district
MARUI GROUP online corner at TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE 2021

LGBT Job Seeker Support Events

In 2017, an event designed to support LGBT job seekers was held at the VISARUNO private brand store in Yurakucho Marui in collaboration with ReBit. The event encouraged job seeking members of the LGBT community to find suits that truly fit them. Through the event, we aimed to help individuals undertake job hunting dressed in a manner that corresponds with their gender identity. Taking advantage of our Order Suits and the wide range of sizes we provide, members of the Yurakucho Marui sales floor staff helped customers choose the suit that best matched who they were.

Job seekers that visited the store during the event period offered their honest opinions. Some stated that they were surprised at how welcoming the store, and by extension the Company, was while others expressed that they did not realize how many sizes were available, suggesting that we advertise this fact more. This event was extended to Marui City Yokohama, Namba Marui, and Shinjuku Marui Men in 2018 (only Yurakucho Marui is still holding such events).

Furthermore, GENDER FREE HOUSE, a store based on the concept of allowing customers to enjoy fashion that matches themselves regardless of their gender, was opened on a limited-time basis in Yurakucho Marui during 2019. In addition, another event was held to assist job seeking members of the LGBT community in completely coordinating their job-hunting attire in order to address any concerns they may have in selecting suits. During this event, we helped alleviate the various concerns customers faced when choosing suits, shoes, bags, and other articles that matched who they were.

Pride House Tokyo EPOS CARD

Group credit card company Epos Card Co., Ltd., offers the Pride House Tokyo EPOS CARD in collaboration with Pride House Tokyo^*3 with the goal of supporting the LGBT community. The ¥500 issuance fee for this card is donated to LGBT causes and the points accrued based on card usage may be allocated to donations. As such, the Pride House Tokyo EPOS CARD provides an easy opportunity for anyone to take the first step in supporting the LGBT community.

*3 Project that seeks to create spaces in which people can feel at peace regardless of their sexuality or gender in conjunction with international sports events

Credit card
Prepaid card

Co-Creation with Para-Sports

MARUI GROUP has concluded a partnership with the Japan Blind Football Association (JBFA) through which it is engaging in various other co-creation activities.

In June 2020, MARUI Blind Soccer Park was opened at a MARUI GROUP training center. This facility was designated as an official Japanese national Paralympic Team Training Center for use by the national five-a-side football team.

MARUI GROUP plans to continue co-creation with blind soccer and other para-sports in its efforts to accommodate all customers.

MARUI Blind Soccer Park, Japan's first dedicated blind soccer court
Attached clubhouse employing design principles
Athletes of the Japan Blind Football Association

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