The entire Suntory Group is committed to environmental management in order to pass on to coming generations a global environment that is an important business resource for the Group.
Group-Wide Commitment
With the awareness that coexistence with nature is one of the most important issues facing all of humankind, back in 1991 the Suntory Group established the Environmental Department and Environment Committee. In 2010, Suntory Holdings Ltd. created the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Division, whose purpose is to ensure that business and ecology are promoted by the entire Group. The Division seeks to reinforce environmental management in each Group company on the foundation provided by the Basic Principles of Suntory's Environmental Policy. Additionally, we are committed to creating a worldwide environmental management regime based on the environmental management initiatives that have thus far been operated only at Group companies in Japan.
Basic Principles of Suntory Group's Environmental Policy
(Established in 1997, Revised in 2010)
As a group of companies that shares with its customers in the blessings of water, the land, and the sun, the Suntory Group positions environmental management as the foundation of its business activities, and is committed to passing on a sustainable and vibrant society to future generations.
- 1. Achieving water sustainability
In line with our corporate message, "Bringing Water to Life," we take great care in our use of water, which we recognize as the source of all life and the substance upon which our own business is based. We return water to the natural environment only after it has been thoroughly purified and ensure we protect forests and other natural ecosystems so that they can produce even more of the water than we use.
- 2. Maximizing resource usage by promoting the 3Rs through innovative technologies
Aiming to help bring about a sustainable society, we promote the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) of raw materials and energy resources, at all levels throughout our organization, by continuously refining our technologies. We also work in other ways to develop our business in a sustainable manner.
- 3. Mobilizing group-wide efforts to become a low-carbon company
As a global citizen, we approach environmental conservation from a global perspective and make efforts to reduce CO2 emissions along our entire value chain.
- 4. Maintaining dialogue with society and educating the future generations
To protect our precious natural environment so that we can pass it on to future generations, we are engaged in an ongoing dialogue with society, disclosing information appropriately, and providing environmental education for young people.
- 5. Constantly striving to be a "Good Company"
By constantly raising the eco-consciousness of our employees, we strive to become a company "Growing for Good" that makes efforts to conserve biodiversity in harmony with people and nature and continues to create new value.
Setting Mid-Term Targets and Progress Reports
In 2009, we set two medium-term targets aimed at improving our environmental management. One target is to expand our water-resource cultivation areas (expanses of forest promoting the creation of water), and the other is to reduce CO2 emissions.
- • Expand the total area of Natural Water Sanctuary forests for water resource cultivation to around 7,000 hectares by the end of 2011
(approximately 1,795 hectares in place as of 2008) - • Reduce CO2 emissions from all domestic business activities by 20% from 2007 levels by 2012
We have been steadily expanding our water resource cultivation areas, with approximately 5,223 hectares of forests in place as of April 2011. Our efforts are continuing toward achieving our goal of 7,000 hectares by the end of 2011. Owing to production increases that far exceeded what had been planned, we reduced CO2 emissions by only 1% compared to 2007 (our goal is to achieve a 20% reduction by 2012). However, we will be stepping up the efforts of the entire Group in this direction in the years to come.
Reducing Products' Environmental Impact
The Suntory Group generates a wide variety of waste and by-products across its diverse range of businesses. Throughout the entire lifecycle of each product, from its planning and development to its disposal, we strive to quantitatively assess its effects and reduce its impact on the environment.
Furthermore, as we expand our business overseas, we are committed to examining and determining the environmental impact of our overseas manufacturing sites so as to assess how much of an environmental impact we have worldwide.
Environmental Management
Obtaining ISO 14001 Certification as a Group
The Suntory Group has been actively pursuing ISO 14001 certification for all Suntory Group companies in order to improve environmental management for the entire Group. In 2010, we obtained certification for Suntory Products Ltd.'s Okudaisen Bunanomori Water Plant and Kanagawa Ayase Plant, and for Suntory Wine International Ltd. and Sungrain Ltd., completing the process of obtaining certifications for all of the Group companies in Japan*. Certifications were obtained at Group companies overseas* for 12 sites, mainly manufacturing facilities (as of December 2010).
- * Group companies subject to Japan's SOX law
Environmental Risk Management Strategies
The Suntory Group carries out environmental impact assessments in accordance with ISO 14001 standards on the actual frontlines of its businesses. We identify priorities and develop measures to prevent in advance risks that might otherwise arise. In particular, we are working at risk management in the manufacturing process, having completed and put into use an operations manual that has paid close attention to the surrounding environment.
Introducing Environmental Accounting
We use and disclose the content of environmental accounting that conforms to the Environmental Accounting Guidelines 2005 of the Ministry of the Environment. Environment accounting serves as an important tool for quantitatively evaluating our environmental-conservation initiatives in our business activities. (In 2010, we made environmental investments of 3.5 billion yen, and had environmental costs of 9.1 billion yen.)
- • Obtained ISO 14001 certification at Suntory Products Ltd.'s Okudaisen Bunanomori Water Plant and Kanagawa Ayase Plant, and at Suntory Wine International Ltd. and Sungrain Ltd.
- • Consolidate ISO 14001 certification for all Suntory Group businesses in Japan
