From January to March 2023, PayPay and the Ministry of Environment held a joint workshop on environmentally friendly initiatives.
Having surpassed 55 million registered users as of February 7, 2023, PayPay has evolved into a so-called super-app that provides convenience and enrichment to the lives of users, and is on the way to becoming an indispensable part of Japanese infrastructure. What might be possible if the ever-growing PayPay racked its brains together with the Ministry of the Environment?
Let’s find out in our report on the 3-day workshop held between PayPay and the ministry.
Workshop Theme
Environmentally Friendly Initiatives Using PayPay
On the Floor of the Workshop
Nine participants from the Ministry of the Environment and five from PayPay, including from the Merchant Strategy Division and HR Division, participated in the three-day workshop.
Comments from the Three Teams
Team A
Our team came up with a way to combine LYP Mileage with environmental friendliness. Our idea was to award points during Environment Month, a ministry initiative. The exciting part of bringing PayPay and the MOE together was weighing how to cross-fertilize our unique challenges and strengths. Deciding on where to set our goal and how to enact solutions was challenging and very stimulating.
We tend to have a more business-oriented perspective, but focusing on the environment in this workshop inspired us with the new possibility of creating new, positive impacts on users.
Team B
Team B’s plan paired up mobility and the environment. We identified challenges in Japan and devised an idea that is both environmentally friendly and allows for the use of PayPay. Through the workshop, we experienced trying to make a difference in society from both the environmental and business sides. On the first day of the workshop, we brainstormed new ideas that would benefit PayPay, the ministry, and our users, but we struggled a bit with choosing a theme. However, mutual cooperation across our different initial goals gave us an opportunity to gain new perspectives, making it a very meaningful experience.
Team C
Our team put together a business model centered on promoting local production and consumption. It is designed to provide value-laden services while focusing on the mindsets of users. In the workshop, it was refreshing to think about areas of business that we don’t normally deal with, and both sides learned a lot from each other. I remember that our biggest point of discussion was on what is needed to promote sustainability and eco-friendliness. The differences in the goals and objectives between PayPay and the MOE led to each team member giving opinions from different angles, which made us realize that it is important for users to have a variety of options. It was only three workshops, but I’m glad we got to work together!
In Closing
Okano-san from Ministry of the Environment and Sode-san from PayPay provided us with some concluding comments on the three days of workshops and presentations.
Director, National Park Visitor Use Promotion Office, National Park Division, Ministry of the Environment
Well done in the workshop and thank you all for the past 3 days! All three teams’ presentations were excellent and highly interesting to listen to. I think our deep discussions were enabled by everyone having a firm idea of their objectives. It is precisely because we live in an economic system of mass production and mass consumption today that striking a balance between business and environmental perspectives is so difficult. We are hopeful that we may make new strides in the future through payment systems.
Director, Managing Corporate Officer, CAO & CHRO, PayPay Corporation
I really enjoyed listening to the presentations. PayPay is business-centered, so conversations with members from the Ministry of the Environment helped us consider new standpoints. I believe that PayPay and the MOE can team up to create innovation through new solutions to problems.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the workshop. Let’s make use of this invaluable experience and join hands in providing new value.
Special Thanks: Workshop participants / Planner・Author: Danata / Editor: PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team / Photographer: Tak, Keizo / Translator: Bryan / Translation Editor: Justin
*All employee affiliations are as of the time of this interview.
