Water Sustainability

Sustainable Water Philosophy

As a company that depends on and benefits from the water and as a company that operates globally, the Suntory Group must contribute towards a sustainable society by taking an honest look at the world's water challenges. Based on our Basic Environmental Principle, we have formulated the Suntory Group Sustainable Water Philosophy to develop initiatives that contribute to solving water issues in each world region of the world. Based on this philosophy, we are developing and promoting initiatives that are tailored to the conditions for water resources in each area of the world where we do business.

Global Sustainability Committee

To promote sustainability management, the Global Sustainability Committee (GSC) acts as an advisory committee to the Board of Directors. The Group’s sustainability strategies and the progress on priority themes (water, climate change, containers and packaging, raw ingredients, health, human rights and enriching life) are discussed in the GSC under the lead of the Chief Sustainability Officer.

For more information on the Global Sustainability Committee, see Environmental Management.

Water Risk Assessment

The Suntory Groups has made achieving water security a vital issue in the Suntory Group's Environmental Principles and continues to conduct various water-related assessments at Suntory Institute for Water Science which was established in 2003. We conducted risk assessment of water sustainability at our direct operation sites^* for sustainable business activities. We also consider water risk assessment when developing new businesses.

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  Suntory Group plants that manufacture finished products: 23 plants in Japan, 54 plants overseas

For more information, see Water Risk Assessment.

First in Japan to earn The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Certification

In 2018, the Suntory Okudaisen Bunanomori Water Plant (Tottori Prefecture) received the AWS certification as the first Japanese facility. The Suntory Kyushu Kumamoto Plant (Kumamoto Prefecture) followed in 2019 and the Suntory Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant (Yamanashi Prefecture) was also certified in 2021. In 2023, the Suntory Kyushu Kumamoto Plant has received “Platinum,” the highest rating within the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification. AWS is an organization founded by corporations and NGOs, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to promote water sustainability on a global scale. AWS has developed certification in sustainable water use for factories around the world, and promotes water conservation and stewardship. In addition, as Japan's sole corporate member of AWS, the Suntory Group has signed into a partnership with the same organization^* in February 2021 to contribute its expertise and take a leadership role to promote water stewardship.

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  Listed under the current name of the organization. The name at the time of conclusion was AWS Asia Pacific.

For more information, see "Achieving the AWS Certification for Water Stewardship."

Initiatives at Production and Research Sites

Effective Use of Water Resources

The Suntory Group’s plants use a large amount of water, for example, in cleaning production equipment and cooling, in addition to using it as an ingredient in our products. In order to conserve limited water resources, we intensify our activities to achieve targets toward 2030 of “Reduce water consumption at the Suntory Group plants worldwide by 35%^*” through enforcement of 3Rs for water, ensuring that the minimum amount of water is required (Reduce), water can be used repeatedly (Reuse), and water can be processed and used elsewhere (Recycle).

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  Reduction water intensity based on the business fields in 2015

A variety of activities related to the 3Rs are being implemented at the Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant of Suntory Products Ltd. In particular, through advanced "water cascade" recycling process, we are an industry leader in terms of water usage per production unit.

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  The Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant of
  Suntory Products Ltd.

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  Reuse of water recycled at each stage of
  cleaning stored in 200-ton tanks

Water Cascade Recycling Process

Water used in the manufacturing process is classified into five grades based on quality, such as coolant water and cleaning water. This is a technology to reuse water in stages, from applications that require a higher grade to those that can be supplied at the next grade.

Effective Use of Rainwater

Japan is fortunate to have plentiful rainfall, and rainwater is one of our important resources. The Suntory Group accumulates rainwater in tanks for use in watering plants.

Suntory Products Ltd. Kanagawa Ayase Plant uses rainwater to water plants

Strict Wastewater Management

The Suntory Group established voluntary standards for waste water that are equally or stricter than the legal regulations and manages quality so that we may release waste water in a state as close to nature as possible. Waste water from our plants is first purified using anaerobic waste water treatment facilities^* and other equipment before it is released into sewers and rivers. Inspectors use measuring equipment to take daily readings of things like water quality under a constant monitoring regime.

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  A treatment method that decomposes pollutants using microbes (anaerobic bacteria)

24-hour waste water management system

Initiatives at the Water Source

Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary (Water Source Conservation/ Preserving Biodiversity)

The Suntory Group started its Natural Water Sanctuary Initiative in 2003 to improve water resource cultivation and preserving biodiversity. The initiative has now expanded to approximately 12,000 hectares in 22 locations in 15 prefectures across Japan, and is recharging twice the volume of water it pumps from underground at its owned plants in Japan. With the Suntory Institute for Water Science playing a central role, we are collaborating with researchers from various fields to carry out ongoing activities based on science, looking ahead decades or even 100 years into the future.

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  When there are contracts and agreements with different durations, the longest duration is given.
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  Planned to conserve for a century.
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  Planned to conserve for several decades.
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  In Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, we are a member of the Nishiyama forestry development promotion committee and we are cooperating in local forest preservation activities with people in the community. The area of the forests subject to this activity is not counted as part of our total Natural Water Sanctuary area.

For more information, see Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary.

Water Initiatives Worldwide

The Suntory Group practices coexistence with nature in all regions of the world where we do business. We will continue to engage in various initiatives in the future with an aspiration of becoming a global pioneer of water sustainability.

Spain

In Spain, Suntory Beverage & Food Europe engaged in ecosystem conservation activities with the cooperation of the local community, in the hope of revitalizing the ecosystem in and around the Júcar river near its plant in Carcagente. In addition, together with local universities and specialist institutions, we are conducting a hydrological survey for water source conservation activities in the Tagus River basin, centering on the Guajaraz reservoir, which is the Toledo Plant's water source.