7-Eleven’s 'Grounds to Green' wins double gold at PR Awards 2025

7-Eleven Hong Kong & Macau has earned double gold at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s PR Awards 2025 for Best CSR Communications and Best PR Campaign – ESG. The honours recognise “Grounds to Green”, a programme that turns everyday coffee waste into tangible benefits for the environment and the communities 7-Eleven serves. 

Rooted in Hong Kong for more than 40 years, 7-Eleven launched Grounds to Green, the city’s first “green cycle of care” initiative, to upcycle used coffee grounds from 7CAFÉ. 

In partnership with Foodlink Foundation, the grounds are converted at a charity-run organic farm into nutrient-rich fertiliser. This fertiliser helps grow fresh vegetables that are donated to more than ten local charities, including long-time partner Pei Ho Counterparts in Sham Shui Po, where the produce is cooked into hot, nutritious meals for those in need. 

An all-rounded PR approach that built understanding 

To bring the story to life, the team prioritised first-hand experience and credible voices. A farm media tour gave editors a close-up view of the model and time with NGO and social-enterprise partners.  

The story was sustained through wide pitching across Hong Kong media and a collaboration with Rice Zi, who documented the eco-journey and the contribution of Senior Buddy Charity Farm volunteers. In parallel, 7-Eleven engaged stakeholders end to end – from NGO partners and management to students and store teams – using school visits and staff volunteering to inspire the next generation and build internal advocacy. 

From programme to platform 

Grounds to Green is scaling and attracting new partners. Year-one targets include upcycling grounds from about 1.25 million cups of 7CAFÉ, avoiding roughly 17,000 kg of greenhouse-gas emissions, and supporting around 10,000 meals. The loop has now expanded through successive phases. 

In phase two, with Maxim’s Group, Coffee BOB reimagined surplus bread and coffee grounds as a craft beer, taking the story to new audiences. Phase three, From Grounds to Goodness, applies fertiliser made from 7CAFÉ grounds at New Life Farm, supporting crops that inspired two new 7-SELECT juices.  

7-Eleven has also deepened work with Maxim’s Group and partnered for the first time with WeGen farming to advance regenerative practices. Produce grown through this approach is now used in three new 7-SELECT ready-to-eat options, further closing the loop and bringing circularity onto the shelf. 

What’s next 

Looking ahead, 7-Eleven plans to scale Grounds to Green across a broader network and product lines, with an emphasis on reach, clear outcomes, and accessible, affordable choices for customers – embedding practical sustainability in everyday life across the city. 

This article is sponsored by 7-Eleven Hong Kong & Macau.