Our Policies and Approach
Basic Policy on Social Activities
Suntory Group has long been involved in community contribution, arts, culture, sports and environmental activities based on the spirit of Giving Back to Society. Through our social activities we aim to contribute to the sustainable growth of our business as well as solution to social.
Suntory Group Basic Policy on Social Activities
Suntory Group follows the principle of “Giving Back to Society” established by our founder. We have actively engaged in social contribution efforts to help realize a society where people can enjoy a fulfilling and rich life.
To realize our corporate philosophy, “To inspire the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature,” we strive to deliver the highest quality products and services to customers while fulfilling our social responsibilities to achieve a prosperous society and a sustainable global environment.
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1.Promote activities based on the standpoint of the next generation and actual situation worldwide together with our employees around the fields of arts and culture, sports, social welfare, and the natural environment.
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2.Focus on a dialog with stakeholders and work to generate links and cooperation.
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3.Support wide-ranged volunteer activities by employees.
To support the development of the next generation, we provide opportunities for children to experience the best in such fields as music, art, sports, and environmental education. As the birthrate declines and the importance of nurturing the next generation increases, we are strengthening these activities to support the development of rich individuality and character in children.
In addition to the rapid decline in the birthrate, the low level of mental well-being among children has become a major issue in Japanese society today. To help realize a society where children facing various difficulties can take on challenges with motivation, hope and dreams, we are supporting children in our own unique ways through the Suntory next-generation empowerment activities “Kimi-wa-Michisu,” which we have been strengthening since 2023.
Our Initiatives
Suntory Mizuiku-Education Program for Nature and Water
Suntory “Mizuiku”* - education program for nature and water, a next-generation environmental education program launched in 2004. The program is unique to Suntory that helps children experience the wonder of nature, become aware of the importance of water and the forests nurturing it, and consider what they can do to pass on water to future generations. In Japan, he program centers on 2 activities: Outdoor School of Forest and Water and Teaching Program at Schools. As Suntory Group's business activities expand worldwide, we also expanded the program overseas in 2015.Buiding on the program in Japan, the global Mizuiku program promotes activities tailored to local water issues.
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*Sponsor: Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, etc.
For more information, see Suntory Mizuiku — Education Program for Nature and Water.
Plastics-related Educational Opportunities
As a company that uses PET bottles extensively, Suntory Group is committed to achieving a sustainable society by promoting understanding of PET bottle recycling and encouraging sorted collection through external seminars and other initiatives. Aiming to build awareness on the among the next generation, we concluded an agreement with Waseda University in 2021 to help realize a circular society. At elementary and junior high schools in municipalities with which we have concluded agreements for “bottle to bottle” horizontal recycling, we conduct classes to promote awareness and understanding of “bottle to bottle” horizontal recycling and proper separation of PET bottles, and give students a chance to think about recycling and resource circulation.
Supporting the Development of Children through Music
Suntory Hall operates a variety of programs for youth and children to provide opportunities for experiencing the excitement of live performances by top-class musicians and to develop a rich sense of humanity through music.
Subscription Concert for Children
Suntory Hall has held the "Children’s Regular Concert Series" since 2001 with the hope that children will develop the habit of regular visits to concert halls and bring classical music into their lives. This is Japan's first regular orchestra concert for children and youth. The 93rd to 96th concerts are scheduled to be held in the 2025 season. We collect and adopt illustrations for the flyers and the theme song for the season from the children in a format that allows children to not only listen but also participate. In addition, there are programs in which child and youth musicians selected through auditions can play duets with pianists or perform as part of the orchestra. In 2021, the "New Song Challenge Project" was launched to connect children and musicians, inviting young composers to submit new songs using original short melodies created by children.
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A four-hand piano performance by a young soloist,
who passed an audition, and Michie Koyama,
one of Japan’s top pianists, with the orchestra -
Young musicians who pass an audition
receive the opportunity to perform
with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
Suntory Hall Keizo Saji Junior Program Seat
This program follows on from the wishes of the founding President of Suntory Hall, Keizo Saji, desired to pass on classical music to the younger generation.
3 pairs of elementary and junior high school students are invited each time to attend select performances in the large hall on weekends and holidays.
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Keizo Saji Junior Program Seat
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Suntory Hall Academy
Suntory Hall Academy, comprised of the Opera Academy and Chamber Music Academy, is geared towards young musicians who are on their way to becoming professionals.
In addition to receiving coaching from the world’s leading artists, fellows (academy members) attend regular workshops to deepen their musical knowledge and perform in actual concerts.
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Giuseppe Sabbatini,
one of world’s acclaimed Tenor,
also gives lessons in person
as the Executive Faculty of Opera Academy. -
Workshop of the chamber music academy.
Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (pictured second from left)
serves as academy director.
Violin Loaning Program for Students
Every year since 2014, the Suntory Foundation for the Arts has loaned a world-class violin for 3 years free of charge as the “Suntory Foundation for the Arts Special Prize” in the “All Japan Student Music Competition (sponsored by the Mainichi Newspapers), Violin Division, Junior High School Division and High School Division.” So far, 15 young musicians have received the loan.
Suntory supports the activities of the next generation of young performers by providing them with new opportunities through a variety of activities.
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‘10th Suntory Foundation for the arts Special Prize’
in 2023 Winner, Hibiki Oya -
TOMASO CARCASSI(made in 1751/Italy)
Supporting the Development of Children through Art
Aiming to become a museum that welcomes children, Suntory Museum of Art provides various programs that allow children to easily engage with art and cultivate love for beauty in enjoyable ways.
Offering Learning Programs
The Suntory Museum of Art is actively working to proliferate education to the next generation according to the “Art Revised, Beauty Revealed” Museum message.
The Museum offers free admission to children in junior high school and younger, and also distributes activity sheets. This tool not only guides users to notable areas of interest, but also cultivates a spirit to enjoy free inspiration brought by appreciation. For each exhibition, a variety of learning programs are held that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. In addition to talks, workshops, and activities such as the Art Club for junior and senior high school students at the Suntory Museum of Art, the Museum also actively welcomes visitors from elementary and junior high schools, as part of school programs, and holds teaching programs at schools.
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Activity sheet for children
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Suntory Museum of Art
Art Club for junior and senior high school students
All Day Kids' Museum!
All Day Kids' Museum! is a special event when the museum is open to elementary and junior high school students as well as their parents or guardians on a day that the museum is normally closed during which a variety of educational programs are held over the course of one day. This event has been held around once a year since 2014. While viewing exhibitions as they enjoy things such as doing quizzes and drawing sketches using a worksheet, a complete museum experience is offered through specialized programs for children, including interactive art appreciation, workshops, and a museum tour. All Day Kids' Museum! has been attended by a total of around 10,000 participants up to 2024. Additionally, at some exhibitions, kid-friendly "Family Times" are set aside to help children experience Japanese art.
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All Day Kids’ Museum!
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Interactive art appreciation program
Art Kids Club Iro-Iro Do-Re-Do-Re
This joint project of Suntory Hall and Suntory Museum of Art is a creative art experience and appreciation program for preschool children aged 3 to 6.
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Suntory Hall and
Suntory Museum of Art joint workshop -
Art Kids Club Iro-Iro Do-Re-Do-Re
Supporting the Development of Children through Sports
Suntory Group runs a variety of activities designed to support the healthy development of children’s minds and bodies through sports. As part of the activity, Suntory’s sports teams, Tokyo Suntory SUNGOLIATH and Suntory SUNBIRDS promote their sports.
In addition to holding clinics where players and staff directly teach children, Tokyo Suntory SUNGOLIATH instructs at rugby schools and operates rugby sports events while the Suntory SUNBIRDS instructs local volleyball teams and students and supports the operation of volleyball tournaments, to offer opportunities for children to experience sports.
Wheelchair basketball workshops are also held for elementary and junior high school students to promote and nurture parasports.
For more information, see Supporting Challenged Sports
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Rugby workshop
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Volleyball workshop
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Wheelchair basketball experience event
Q to VIEW Outreach Inquiry Class
Inquiry-based learning is not meaningful unless participants continually ask themselves questions.
During the special class Q to VIEW, students learn through hands-on videos and manga about how eminent people of the past have changed humanity's worldview (VIEW) through the questions they asked (Q).
Through this class, junior and senior high school students learn that inquiry can broaden their view of the world, and that sometimes this can bring about major changes in the way society works. The curiosity and spirit of challenge evoked there become a driving force behind their learning.
Suntory Group began providing teaching programs at schools in 2024, conducting a total of 3. Our goal is to have 1,000 participants by the end of 2025.
Support through the Hibarigaoka Gakuen
The Hibarigaoka Gakuen has been supporting integrated education from kindergarten to high school since Shinjiro Torii became the first chairperson in 1950. Shinjiro Torii places importance on being devoted to one’s parents and kept saying “a person who is devoted to his own parents can do anything well.” The founding spirit has been passed down today and the school engages in educating people based on the belief that "Parents wish for the growth of their children, and children are grateful and respectful of their parents, and this natural human spirit is the basis for the family circle and the desire to serve society." Additionally, based on the Yatte Minahare spirit, we support the implementation of highly flexible educational programs that bring out children's spirit of adventure. From 2008, as educational supports of next generation, we have provided primary school and junior high school students environmental curriculum on flower (Hanaiku) and water (Mizuiku) and out of school activities. In March 2022, the 70th anniversary program was completed and the new cultural center Michishirube was opened. In addition, to supporting the school's "exploration activities," we provide a curriculum that utilizes the knowledge in the research fields of Suntory Flowers and Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences.
Planting trees at the outdoor education classes
Nurturing Challenging Spirit through Experiencing Camping at an Uninhabited Island
Since 2007, Suntory Group has been promoting Yoshima Project in cooperation with Kobe YMCA which operates a camping site in an uninhabited island in Shodo- gun, Kagawa Prefecture from 1950. The project is intended to nurture a spirit of challenge and dreams of children through experiencing the rich natural environment unique to an uninhabited island and holds Adventure Camp and various programs around the year. Every year, around 1,000 children visit Yoshima.
Yoshima Summer Camp
Next-Generation Empowerment Activities “Kimi-wa-Michisu”
The wide range of challenges facing children and youth is an important social issue in Japan. Suntory Group has committed to spending a total of 1.0 billion yen over 3 years to strengthen its initiatives for supporting children and youth to help create a society where they can overcome challenges with motivation, hope, and dreams.
The potential of children and youth is “Michisu (limitless)”. We will create a society in which all children can realize their potential, regardless of their environment or circumstances in which they were born and raised. This is our commitment. Primarily targeting adolescents, we work with NPOs and other pioneering organizations in this field to create opportunities for children to encounter the unknown and meet other people.
Targets of Support
The main target of these activities is adolescents. Children and youth of this generation are increasingly facing various difficulties, yet public support is considered to still be insufficient.
In addition to economic challenges, family problems such as abuse and discord, as well as a sharp increase in school absenteeism, have led to fewer social connections and insufficient opportunities to learn and experience things, making it difficult for children to feel motivation or hope. Financial, food, and academic support is of course essential. Yet, it has become clear that this alone will not be enough to fundamentally solve these problems. Attention is now being paid to the importance of providing opportunities for a variety of experiences and creating places where children and youth can connect with society.
Problem Solving Method
In order to resolve these issues, we believe that the role of NPOs and other organizations that deeply understand the circumstances and needs surrounding children and work in partnership with schools, local governments, and local communities is important. We therefore provide financial support, such as grants, to NPOs that share the same awareness of the issues, as well as personnel support, such as the secondment of employees to these organizations. Furthermore, with the aim of creating mechanisms to resolve issues surrounding children and youth, we are working on collaborative projects with NPOs, including launching new businesses.
We also receive advice and support from professionals and experts in various fields as advisors and fellows in our activities.
Main Results in 2024 and Activities for 2025
In August 2024, with the non-profit organization Florence, we jointly developed and launched the Children's Adventure Bank, a platform to eliminate personal experience disparities between children. In addition to Suntory, 27 other companies have cooperated to provide experiences at leisure facilities, outdoor activities, factory tours and other experiences to a total of 4,360 children and youth (as of February 28, 2025).
Regarding the "Kimi-wa-Michisu", which supports the growth and development of organizations such as NPOs, the first round of public applications was conducted in 2024, and 6 organizations were selected. In the second round in 2025, 7 organizations were selected.
Column (Voice of Employee in Charge)
2 years will soon have passed since the activities were launched. As we come to realize the breadth and scope and depth of the issues, which could be considered a microcosm of modern social issues, we are once again reminded that the power of collaboration is key in resolving these challenges. Challenges that would otherwise be impossible for Suntory to overcome alone can be overcome through collaboration with a variety of sectors, including NPOs, businesses, and government. With this belief, we now aim to increase awareness, empathy, and collaboration both inside and outside the company through our Kimi-wa-Michisu activities to create a collective impact.
