Suntory Holdings Limited has entered into an agreement with Kanagawa Prefecture to promote forest conservation for the water resource area utilized by the Kanagawa Ayase Plant of Suntory Beverage Products Limited. Established on December 25, 2009, the agreement governs what is referred to as the Suntory "Forest of Natural Water Tanzawa" Nature Restoration Project.
The project targets an area of approximately 577 hectares of public forest managed by Kanagawa Prefecture. Working with the Tanzawa-Oyama Nature Restoration Committee and Kanagawa Prefecture, Suntory will engage in conservation and restoration of the forest's water resource functions and enhancement of biodiversity. To promote nature restoration with the next 100 years in mind, current approaches in forest conservation, such as pruning and thinning, will be supplemented by partitioning areas to protect trees, monitoring (focused on forest ecosystem links between water, soil, and plants and animals), and other efforts.
Under a corporate philosophy of "Resonating with People and Nature," Suntory has long been involved in environmental conservation. Focusing on water in particular (indispensible in production), we have established "Suntory,Bringing Water to Life" as a corporate slogan to promote a respect for water and water-producing ecosystems in business activities.
Through the "Forest of Natural Water" program, Suntory works with local representatives to protect these water-producing ecosystems, help ensure biodiversity, and offer reforestation opportunities that strengthen ties between people and nature. Water resource areas by Suntory plants are targeted in particular, with a goal being to ensure a greater amount of groundwater recharge than the amount of water used in production. The program began in 2003 with the Suntory "Forest of Natural Water Aso" in Kumamoto Prefecture and has gradually been expanded. Minami Alps (Yamanashi) and Akagi (Gunma) sites were added last year, and ten areas across Japan now benefit from Suntory's efforts to protect sources of water. One objective is to bring the total area in the water resource cultivation program to 7,000 hectares by 2011.
The Tanzawa-Oyama Nature Restoration Committee was established in October 2006 to protect and restore the natural environment of the Tanzawa-Oyama area. An independent committee composed of a diverse range of participants from nonprofit organizations, the media, corporations, and other representatives from the public and private sector specializing in environmental and other matters, the committee is involved in inspection and evaluation according to the Tanzawa-Oyama Nature Restoration Plan of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government, as well as educational activities and community programs.
