Since its founding, the Suntory Group has contributed to culture and society with the aim of enriching lives and culture based on the spirit of "Sharing the Profit with Society."
Ongoing Social Contributions
In the spirit of our founder, Shinjiro Torii, who called for "Sharing the Profit with Society," we have maintained his principle by returning profits to society. We have been particularly active when it comes to charitable and social welfare activities directed toward people from less fortunate circumstances. Suntory has been ever mindful of changing social needs in the social contribution activities it has continued carrying out to this day.
Support through the Social Welfare Organization Hojukai
Hojukai was founded in 1921 as a free clinic. In 2011, it celebrated its 90th anniversary. Now incorporated as a social welfare organization, it operates Tsubomi Nursery School (established in 1975), a special care facility for seniors called Takadonoen (1974), a low-cost facility for seniors called Amanoen (1976), and the general-purpose welfare facility Domyoji Takadonoen (2008).
The organization has responded to more current needs in recent years by also providing in-home care services such as home-visit care (helpers), ambulatory care (day services), and in-home care support (care plan).
- Domyoji Takadonoen, operated by Hojukai
- Socializing at Takadonoen and Tsubomi Nursery School
Helping to Enrich Lives and Culture
The Suntory Group's dedication to enriching lives and culture continues to this day. Our first step in that direction was the Suntory Museum of Art, which opened in 1961 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. Also in 2011, Suntory Hall, which opened in 1986, marked its 25th anniversary. The Suntory Group has made great efforts to support culture in a variety of ways, including the operation of these 2 facilities. In addition to operating cultural facilities, today we also conduct a diverse range of other activities such as providing support for the arts, scholarships, and sports.
Suntory Hall
Suntory Hall opened in 1986 as Tokyo's first dedicated concert hall. To mark the Hall's 25th anniversary, we have further enriched our lineup of performances by the world's leading musicians and of diverse programs of our own design, all under the theme of "Music Moves our Hearts as One."
Suntory Foundation for Arts
The Suntory Foundation for Arts was established in 2009 with the goal of creating synergy between activities conducted in the fields of music and the arts by the Suntory Music Foundation and Suntory Museum of Art, as well as to make new contributions to society.
• Suntory Museum of Art
The Suntory Museum of Art opened in 1961 with a basic principle of Art in Life. This year, 2011, it celebrates its 50th anniversary and will hold exhibitions centered on its collection, which includes national treasures and important cultural assets, under the theme of "Art Revisited, Beauty Revealed."
• Music Division
The Music Division was established in 1969, with the aims of developing Western music in Japan and improving music culture. The division promotes classical music and nurtures budding composers through such programs as the Suntory Music Award, the Keizo Saji Prize, and the Akutagawa Award for Music Composition.
Suntory Foundation
The Suntory Foundation was established in 1979. It awards grants for international and high-caliber academic research, and nurtures and provides grants to outstanding individuals, through such programs as the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities and the Suntory Prize for Community Cultural Activities.
Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences
Preceded by the Institute of Food Chemistry, which began operating in 1946, the Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences was established in 1979 as the Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research. The Institute was renamed in January 2011 and incorporated.
In addition to its research activities, the foundation also awards grants for young researchers.
Sporting Activities That Inspire and Excite
We participate in corporate sporting events and support sports promotion activities. We have our own rugby and volleyball sports teams that compete in league games. Both teams place special emphasis on promotional activities targeting youths, planning and carrying out community-based activities such as holding rugby and volleyball classes mainly during the off-season.
- Rugby team Sungoliath
- Volleyball team Sunbirds
Strengthening Support for Youth Education
The Suntory Group's cultural facilities and sports teams provide children with opportunities to meet top athletes and come into contact with genuine works in fields such as sports, music, the arts, and the environment. Since Japan's birth rate is declining, it is increasingly important to help coming generations in their development. Given such circumstances, we are enhancing our activities in this area and helping to form the characters and individuality of children.
Suntory Hall hosts a joint program with New York's Carnegie Hall called "Carnegie Kids at Suntory Hall." Under this program, children aged 3 to 6 years old can spread themselves out freely on a carpet and listen to music performed by leading musicians.
The Suntory Museum of Art operates an education program that provides a venue for exchanges linking visitors with the museum, and also holds a variety of other programs tied into individual exhibitions such as lectures and workshops. Additionally, we are also actively working to provide guidance about sports through our rugby and volleyball teams.
- Carnegie Kids 2010
- A workshop for parents and children under our program for handing down Japanese culture
- Rugby classes
Employees Support for Social Contribution
In 2010, 11 employees took advantage of our Volunteer Leave Program to take part in voluntary activities at senior facilities operated by Hojukai and other programs. We have also created a Volunteer Activity Support Program which subsidizes the purchases of equipment, materials, and other items by NPOs at which our employees volunteer. These NPOs work in such areas as social welfare, environmental conservation, and international exchange.
The Suntory Group also encourages its employees to participate in the various activities the Group operates and is working to raise their awareness about activities that contribute to society.
- Volunteer activities at Hojukai
- Gardening volunteers at Amanoen
Supporting Park Greenification: Suntory Flowers Ltd.
- Park greenification
Suntory Flowers Ltd. collaborates on greenification programs by supplying and planting flower seedlings at various public parks in order to give people in their local community "lives with flowers."
Supporting the Kiritappu Wetland Trust: Häagen-Dazs Japan, Inc.
- Supporting the Kiritappu Wetland Trust
Since 2007, we have been providing support to the Kiritappu Wetland Trust located in the town of Hamanaka in the heart of the Konsen district in Hokkaido, a producer region for the milk that is the key ingredient of our product. In addition to providing financial support, every October, alongside local residents, employees have been taking part in volunteer activities designed to preserve the scenery of the wetlands.
