Top Commitment
This year marks the 120th anniversary of the Suntory Group.
As stated in our corporate philosophy "To Create Harmony with People and Nature," the Suntory Group carries out business activities with its mission to create more affluent lifestyles while simultaneously giving gratitude toward the blessings of water and nature and realizing constant harmony with society and the beautiful global environment by delivering the highest quality products and services to people around the world.
September 2019
Takeshi Niinami
President and Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board, Representative Director,
Suntory Holdings Limited
Aiming to Realize Sustainability Management on a Global Level
The challenges we need to confront are serious and wide ranging. These challenges include global climate change and water shortages, stress on resources due to population growth, widening wealth gap, increasing amount of waste, and destruction of the natural environment.
The world is actively moving to find solutions to these problems as shown by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the 2015 United Nations Summit as well as Paris Accord established at the COP21 (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The Suntory Group sincerely confronts these same problems as it expands businesses globally and knows it must further accelerate initiatives able to contribute to resolving each issue.
In order for the entire Group to contribute to solving these issues, in June 2019 we formulated the Sustainability Vision in June which defines the type of sustainable society that the Suntory Group strives to realize and sets seven important sustainability themes that we must focus on.
In addition to environmental initiatives, including those focusing on water and CO2, contributing to a recycling-oriented society, and contributing to healthy lifestyles that enrich the spirit, we intend to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and prosperous society based on our vision of "Growing for Good" while continuing to work on supply chain based human rights issues.
In Pursuit Water Sustainability, Our Most Important Issue
Comparatively speaking, water is one of the most important issues as it is a valuable resource for supporting people's lives, and the source of Suntory Group's corporate activities. In order to become a global top runner, we are working to give priority to water sustainability as a "Mizu To Ikiru" company.
We at the Suntory Group will continue to listen to the voices of our customers and other stakeholders, and, as a multi-faceted food and beverage company, look ahead 100 years into the future to continue to innovate and step up to challenges in order to pass down a sustainable society to future generations.
Voluntary Declaration toward Consumer Orientation
Philosophy
Under the corporate mission of “To create harmony with people and nature,” we will offer products and services that pursue highest quality and enrich the lifestyles of people around the world and contribute in realizing a sustainable natural environment.
We strive to be a Growing for Good company that is a good corporate citizen and trusted by the consumers following this corporate mission.
Initiative Policies
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1.We will offer products and services that create harmony with the customers
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2.We will pursue safety and reliability from consumers' standpoint
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3.We will utilize consumer feedback in our business activities
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4.We will strive to provide information to the consumers
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5.We will nurture corporate culture and awareness take action from the viewpoint of consumers
Contributing to the realization of creating harmony with people and nature through giving back to society
We aim “To Create Harmony with People and Nature” society. The mission of the Suntory Group is to contribute to building society sustainable over the long term by working toward relationships in which both parties benefit without sacrificing the prosperous life culture of people or preservation of the natural environment. The Suntory Group is pouring its strength into a wide range of social contribution activities. The foundation for our philosophy to value these social contribution activities is rooted in the “Giving back to society” spirit actively passed down since our founding. This founding spirit has been cherished in Suntory to this day. During the early days, we have built free clinics and orphanage for the under privileged and war orphans. During the time of rapid economic growth, we engaged in activities related to cultural and art such as the Suntory Museum of Art and Suntory Hall to enrich people’s hearts. Since 1973, we have been engaging in environmental activities such as Save the Birds activities. As illustrated by these examples, we have been proactive in activities that contribute to solving issues the customers and society face in each era.
As our customers spread across the world, we engage sustainability, an issues faced by the international society. As part of these efforts, we are especially active in water sustainability incorporated into our environmental activities conducted under Mizu To Ikiru. Water is the most important management resource for the Suntory Group as well as a vital resource shared by everyone around the world. That is why we are grateful for the bounty nature has given us as a source for our products. To ensure a healthy natural ecosystem giving us these blessings from nature, we will always endeavor in a variety of initiatives, including the Natural Water Sanctuary projects, Mizuiku - Natural Water Education Program and our bird conservation activities. As a “Mizu To Ikiru” company, we will aim to stand as a corporate group which protects the forests that cultivate water and quenches the needs of society as water quenches the thirst of all living things. Our hope to realize a society sustainable over the long term is the same as the passion shown by our founder.
Shinjiro Torii, Suntory founder
Suntory Group Plastic Policy
Based on this Plastic Policy, Suntory will aim for fully sustainable plastic bottles in all the PET bottles used globally by 2030.
1. Recycle & Renewable:
(1) Aim to switch all the PET bottles used globally for Suntory products to be made of recycled or plant-based material by 2030, achieving zero use of virgin petroleum-based materials.
(2) Actively work and collaborate with government agencies, industry, environmental, non-governmental and non-profit organizations for the measures necessary to develop an efficient recycling system based on the situation of each country where we do business.
2. Reduce & Replacement:
Reduce the amount of plastic used by changing the design of containers and packaging and look for the introduction of alternative containers that do not negatively impact the environment in order to effectively utilize resources.
3. Innovation:
Actively invest in innovation for materials and processes that improve the recycling rate and minimize environmental impact.
4. New Behavior:
Promote activities that drive change in consumer behavior. Each Suntory employee will work to change their lifestyle, promote sorting and collection, and actively participate in social contribution activities such as cleaning up rivers and beaches.
Identified issues that are especially important for the Suntory Group from global social issues and business challenges that are expected from and have high level of interest from stakeholders. We then organized these issues in to four initiatives in order to realize the "To Create Harmony with People and Nature" corporate philosophy.
(1) To Create Harmony with Customers and Partners: Products and Services
To deliver joy to the customers with the highest-quality of products and services
The Suntory Group values communication with customers and reflects their feedback widely in its corporate activities while also working to preserve and improve quality in all of its processes including planning and development of products and services, procurement of raw materials such as water, agricultural products and packaging materials, manufacturing, distribution, provision of goods and services - based on the Suntory Quality Policy of "All for the Quality" to continually provide products and services able to earn the trust and satisfaction of customers. We also actively tackling alcohol-related problems.
(2) To Create Harmony with Nature: Environment
To preserve limited water and resources for future generation
It is our responsibility to engage in sustainable business practices through the promotion of environmental management in accordance with our mission — To Create Harmony with People and Nature — so that we may pass down a rich global environment to future generations. We have established our Environmental Vision toward 2050 and set Environmental Targets toward 2030 in 2018 based on corporate tagline "Mizu To Ikiru." Suntory Group commits to the promotion of environmental management based on two axes: preservation and regeneration of natural environment and reduction of environmental impact. The entire Group promotes environmental management.
(3) To Create Harmony with Society: Cultural and Social Contribution
To build a bright future with initiatives rooted in the region
Based on the founding spirit of "Giving back to Society", we engage in wide range of cultural and social contribution activities that best suit the time, centered in the fields of arts and culture, sports and social welfare such as developing the next generation, supporting disaster affected areas and contributing to local communities.
(4) To Create Harmony with Employees: Diversity Management
To nurture employees with bigger global dreams
Suntory Group aims for human resource development rising to the challenge to create new values with diversity management as its basic policy and to create a working environment filled with creativity where all employees can exert their full potential.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the 2015 UN Summit call on businesses to address social issues and to promote a sustainable society. While the world works to solve these problems together, we will continue to tackle these issues as we expand our global business based on our vision “Growing for Good”.
Important sustainability themes for the Suntory Group
We used the SDGs to identify priority areas for future activities. With the cooperation of external consultants and supported by reports from organizations such as the World Economic Forum, we analyzed important issues at our company. We assessed their importance both for stakeholders and for the Suntory Group, and identified four high priority initiatives: Target 6 - Water and Sanitation, Target 3 - Health and Welfare, Target 12 - Responsible Production and Consumption, and Target 13 - Climate Action. In addition, with the recognition that water is the most important area for our business as a “Mizu To Ikiru” company, we will work across the Group to protect water. In addition to environmental conservation, Suntory Group emphasizes "enriching people’s lives," which includes providing goods and services to customers and promoting innovation that contribute to a society in which we coexist “To Create Harmony with People and Nature.”
The Suntory Group’s 7 sustainability themes
Theme |
Commitment |
Related SDGs |
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Water |
Based on our Sustainable Water Philosophy, we as a group conduct activities including understanding of the water cycle, water conservation, recycling and wastewater management, watershed conservation, community engagement, and work with external stakeholders to achieve water sustainability. [Initiative] |
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CO2 |
Aiming to realize the net zero-carbon society, we are working to reduce carbon emissions at our facilities as well as in our operations throughout the value chain by adopting the latest energy-saving technologies and use of renewable energy. [Initiative] |
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Raw ingredients |
For agricultural crops and other raw ingredients that rely on the blessings of nature and are essential to our products, we cooperate with suppliers across the supply chain to identify social and environmental challenges and promote sustainability initiatives that enable us to grow together and contribute to enriching communities. [Initiative] |
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Containers and packaging |
For our main packaging materials and containers, we strive to reduce environmental impact throughout the product life cycle—from product design to transportation and post-consumption recycling—and work to achieve a circular economy. [Initiative] |
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Health |
We believe that as a consumer-oriented company, it is important to support the pursuit of a balanced life both mentally and physically. Our consumers have different needs and preferences at different stages of life, and through our diverse business activities, we support wellness at each of these stages. By offering choices in products, services and experiences across our businesses in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, health foods, and more, as well as by driving innovation to create value, we support consumers to achieve well-being and lead balanced lives. [Initiative] |
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Human Rights |
Group EmployeesIn addition to ensuring workplace safety, we promote health management and provide employees with growth opportunities from a long-term perspective. Along with promoting respect and preventing harassment, we embrace diversity, including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, language, and disability. We also embrace inclusion that accepts and values the individual differences and recognizes how differences make our Group stronger, and strive to create employee-friendly environments for all that are full of “Yatte Minahare” spirit. Value chainTo contribute to the well-being of all people that make up the value chain, we carefully review and identify our businesses’ impacts on human rights and cooperate with external stakeholders including suppliers to conduct activities for human rights protection. [Initiative] |
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Enriching life |
In addition to providing products and services that bring mental and physical enrichment, we also promote innovation, create new value, and contribute to creating a more “human” society for all. Based on our founding spirit of "Giving Back to Society," we seek to address social challenges and contribute to the welfare of society, including through activities in the arts, culture, science, sports, and next-generation education. In the regions where we do business, we value dialogue with the local communities, and strive to help address local challenges to benefit people’s lives. [Initiative] |
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Offer products and services in harmony the hopes of customers
Suntory Group offers products such as soft drinks, beers, spirits and liquors (whisky, chu-Hi, cocktails, shochu, etc.), wines, health foods, and flowers as well as restaurants and other services considering customer perspective.
Furthermore, we also engage in art, sports, and social welfare to realize a truly enriched society.
Our Philosophy Underpins Quality Assurance
The Suntory Group has always striven to better the quality of its products and services with a customer first approach since its founding. Every employee always endeavors to sustain and improve quality according to the Suntory Quality Policy of "All for the Quality", which clarifies our approach to quality, to earn even greater trust from customers.
Promotion of Quality Management
Following the acceleration of its own global development and expansion into new fields of business, the Suntory Group has been enhancing its Quality Management Systems as part of its Group Governance.
We installed the Quality Assurance Committee at Suntory Holdings Limited to promote quality management throughout the entire Group. This committee identifies quality risks and prevents trouble before it occurs in priority issues across the organization based on the Group quality strategy. The Chief Quality Officer (CQO) of Suntory Holdings Ltd. plays a vital role in this process by strengthening the quality management capacities through holding meetings on product quality with each Group company.
Responding, Sharing and Utilizing Consumer Feedback
The Suntory Group values two-way communication with the consumers in the belief it has held since its founding that consumer satisfaction should be given top priority. We respond sincerely to the opinions and requests that we receive from the consumers based on the Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation. We are strengthening initiatives to more widely reflect this feedback in our corporate activities, including improvement and development of better products and services.
Our Customer Center uses a proprietary information search system to respond quickly and accurately to consumers so that those who make inquiries, etc. are not left waiting. By recording the result of the responses when inquiries are received thought inputting the information in our core information management system, valuable information from the consumers is shared immediately with relevant departments to enhance quality, improve risk management, etc. We periodically share the feedback we receive from the consumers with relevant departments to strengthen our VOC activities*1 that reflect this feedback in our corporate activities and employees course for action, which includes improving our products and services and enhancing our provision of information.
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*1VOC (Voice of Customer) activities: Activity to reflect consumer feedback in management policy.
VOC Meeting
We regularly hold VOC meetings to share information and engage in discussion with each business department based on the feedback received from consumers. Both management and employees attend this meeting to broadly examine consumer-oriented efforts, such as improving products and services based on consumer feedback, preventing risk before it happens and creating new business activities. (2018: Approx. 70 meetings)
VOC Meeting
The Suntory Group believes information should be available in an accurate and easy to understand way for the customers to ensure customers’ peace of mind and trust in the products and services we provide. In doing so, information on quality assurance and related activities that we are engaged in should be disseminated through websites and other means.
Realizing Easy to Understand and Accurate Product Labeling
In addition, we promote the display of accurate information that is easy to understand through Quality Assurance Division checking and building a system to secure compliance and validity, collaborating with the related divisions in charge of development and production of each Group company.
Example of display to prevent drinking alcohol by mistake
We display the alcohol logo on products so that low alcohol drinks such as Chu-Hi are not mistaken for soft drinks. In addition, "Contains Alcohol" is written on the lid of the can with "Alcohol" written in braille on our main products.
Labeling examples for canned Chu-Hi product
Labeling examples to warn pregnant and nursing mothers
We also display, "Drinking while pregnant or breastfeeding may be harmful to the development of unborn babies or infants” on products in order to evoke caution about alcohol in pregnant and nursing mothers.
Labeling to warn pregnant and nursing mothers
Expanding communication outlets: Use of online and SNS tools
We work to enhance information on the Customer Center homepage leveraging videos and illustrations for consumers who prefer to search for information online, in addition to the communication via telephone calls, letters, and e-mails. We have set up an inquire form in English due to the growing number of inquiries in foreign languages as a way to respond to an even greater number of consumers. In addition, we have also established a dedicated SNS account to actively support feedback from the consumers.
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Suntory Customer Center homepage
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Suntory Customer Support Account
Spreading the Word About Our Consumer Oriented Initiatives Throughout Society
The Suntory Group actively spreads information about its consumer oriented management philosophy and initiatives thought various media and activities.
Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation and Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation Activity Report
In April 2017, we revised our consumer-oriented philosophy and initiative policies passed down since the founding of Suntory to draw up and release Voluntary Declaration of Consumer-orientation. The specific activities that we have undertaken based on the declaration are reported to society in the Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation Activity Report. As a company that discloses its Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation, we have provided the declaration and content of activities on the Consumer Affairs Agency website.
Continuing to Meet Consumers Expectations
Each of our employees is putting their strength into internal enlightenment activities while nurturing work ethics for the purpose of becoming a company employee able to deliver products and services that surpass customer expectations by deepening our grasp of the changing awareness and interests of consumers.
Consumers Oriented Behavior Promotion (Nurturing of Work Ethics)
Consumers Oriented Brush-up Seminar
We hold the Consumers Oriented Brush-up Seminar annually for all employees. Each employee listens to complaints and words of encouragement from consumers and is presented with examples of consumers oriented activities performed in various actual work environments internally to deepen a consumer-oriented mentality and encourage action. In addition, seminars at each Group company nurture a consumer-oriented mindset and action in all of the activities at the Suntory Group.
Consumers Oriented Brush-up Seminar
Month for Enhancing Suntory's Consumer Oriented Spirit
Since 2018, we have designated May as the Month for Enhancing Suntory's Consumer Oriented Spirit, emulating Consumer Month established by the Consumer Affairs Agency. To provide opportunities to again think about what all employees can do for our consumers, in 2019 we sent messages from management throughout the company, put up awareness raising posters at all our location, and held internal lectures by inviting external lecturers. In addition, we held discussions at the department level about being oriented with consumers with approximately 850 departments and 8,500 employees participating.
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In-house lecture given by outside lecturer
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Awareness raising poster
Assigning Person in Charge of Promoting Consumer Orientation at Sites
In 2018, Suntory began appointing Consumers Service Leaders entrusted with the main role to further penetrate and grasp consumer-oriented business practices around the many sales sites.
In 2019, we have been promoting consumer oriented behavior in each department through efforts including starting to place some Consumer Oriented Ambassadors also in locations other than sales officers.
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Customer Service Leader meeting
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Consumer Oriented Ambassador meeting
Human Resource Development Program “Suntory University”
As a part of our human resources development program Suntory University, we carry out training in line with the career path of each employee. At first, during new employee training, participants will learn about the Suntory Group's consumer oriented spirit that has been continuously passed down since its foundation. Mid-level employees spend a day answering phones at our customer center to discover first-hand specific things they can use in their own work to become more consumer oriented by directly interacting with consumers. Employees who are being promoted to manager are practically taught important consumer-oriented decision-making techniques such as through group discussions based on case studies.
Strengthening Point of Contact Between VOC and Employees
We engage in activities to strengthen opportunities to share consumer feedback with employees, even those who rarely interact with consumers directly.
Transmission of Information via Intranet and Email
We share, via intranet and email, opinions and requests received from customers who are sent out on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis so that all employees will look at customer feedback on our products and corporate activities to influence their own work and actions.
Information through the “Monthly Report” on the intranet
FY2018 Results of Consumer Oriented Spirit Awareness Raising Activities and Nurturing Culture
| Activity | Target | FY2018 Results |
|---|---|---|
| Top Management Message (intranet, videos) | All employees | |
| Consumers Oriented Brush-up Seminar | All employees | 126 times, 5,500 participants |
| Consumer Month for Enhancing Consumer Oriented Spirit Lectures | 200 participants | |
| Consumer Month for Enhancing Consumer Oriented Spirit Discussion (2019) | 850 departments, 8,500 participants | |
| Customer Service Leader meeting | Activities held throughout the year | |
| Consumer Oriented Ambassador meeting | Starting from 2019 |
| Activity (Suntory University) | Target | FY2018 Results |
|---|---|---|
| New Manager Training Lecture on Nurturing Consumer Oriented Spirit |
New managers | 120 participants |
| Fourth Year Training Customer Experience Program |
Fourth year employees | 150 participants |
| New Employee Training Lecture on Basics of Consumer Oriented Spirit |
New employees | 180 participants |
| Activity | Target | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Report (intranet) | All employees | |
| Weekly Report (mail) | Management level |
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*VOC:Voice of Customer
