Sustainability

Environmental Management

Policies and Our Approach

Policies and Our Approach

The circular system consisting from plants and forests nurtured by water, rivers, oceans, atmosphere, and the ecosystem made by living things are the basis of all life.
As a company that delivers the blessings of water and nature to our customers, we believe that protecting beautiful and clean water with healthy ecosystems, using them appropriately, and replenishing to nature is a great responsibility. As a member of the Suntory Group, Suntory Beverage & Food (“the Company”) strives to build a prosperous and sustainable world by preserving and regenerating the natural environment and reducing environmental impact.

Suntory Group’s Environmental Principles

The Suntory Group Environmental Principles (established in 1997, revised in 2022) clearly define priority issues, including achieving water security, conserving and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems, promoting a circular economy and transitioning to a net-zero carbon society. To fulfill the principles, Suntory Beverage & Food addresses these issues, values communication with society, and works together with stakeholders to build a sustainable society.

Suntory Group’s Environmental Principles

At the Suntory Group, environmental management is at the core of our business strategy.
In our commitment to cultivating a sustainable and vibrant society now and in the future, these environmental principles inform the actions we take each day across our entire value chain.

  1. Achieving water security

    Water is the most vital resource for our business. At Suntory, we aim to become net water positive by using water carefully and localizing water stewardship to contribute to nature’s healthy water cycle.

  2. Conserving and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems

    Thriving water and agricultural systems are crucial to our business. We strive to protect and regenerate biodiversity through local water source conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.

  3. Promoting a circular economy

    To effectively reduce waste and efficiently utilize limited resources, we imbed sustainable principles throughout the lifecycle of our products, promote the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) for all raw materials, use renewable resources when available, and collaborate with stakeholders to build a fundamentally circular system.

  4. Transitioning to a net zero-carbon society

    In the face of climate change, we are doing our part to achieve a net-zero carbon society by reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain.

  5. Engaging with society

    To achieve a vibrant global environment, we are championing the transformation to a sustainable society by collaborating with our stakeholders, deepening dialogues with local communities, and transparently disclosing our progress.

Implementation Structure

Environmental Management Structure

To promote sustainability management, the Sustainability Committee acts as an advisory committee to the Company’s Board of Directors. The sustainability strategies and the progress on priority themes (water, climate change, containers and packaging, raw ingredients, health, human rights and enriching life) are discussed by the Sustainability Committee under the lead of the Chief Sustainability Officer. The progress of environmental and social activities as well as business risks and opportunities are reported to the Board of Directors twice a year. In addition, the Board of Directors is provided with the opportunities to hear advice from third-party experts on sustainability management.

Suntory Beverage & Food’s sustainability management promotion organization

Suntory Beverage & Food’s sustainability management promotion organization

Targets and Progress

Environmental Vision toward 2050 and Environmental Targets toward 2030

The Suntory Group, which includes the Company, has established the Environmental Vision toward 2050 and Environmental Targets toward 2030 to provide clear direction for its environmental management. Engaging in greater efforts to address global issues and help build a sustainable world, in April 2021 the Group revised its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets in the Environmental Targets toward 2030, and in December 2021, it revised the water targets.

Environmental Vision toward 2050

Water Sustainability

  • Reduce the water intensity*1 of production at our owned plants*2 by 50%*3 globally.
  • Replenish more than 100% of water used at all of our owned plants globally through conservation of the surrounding ecosystem.
  • Achieve sustainable water use for all key ingredients.
  • Share the Sustainable Water Philosophy to the communities where our business operates.

Climate Change Measures

  • Aim for net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the whole value chain by 2050

    Continue to promote energy conservation, proactively implement renewable energy solutions, utilize next-generation infrastructure options and work together with stakeholders across the value chain in order to contribute to realizing a decarbonized society

  • *1
    Water intensity is the amount of water withdrawn per unit of production, which is 1 kiloliter of production.
  • *2
    Owned plants that manufactures finished products and excludes plants for packaging and ingredients.
  • *3
    Reduction of water intensity of production based on 2015 baseline.

Environmental Targets toward 2030

Reduction of water used in direct operation
Reduce the water intensity of production at our owned plants*1 by 20%*2 globally. In addition, explore reduction of absolute amount of water withdrawn in highly water stressed areas
Water replenishment
Replenish more than 100% of water used in at least 50% of our owned plants*1 globally, including all those in highly water stressed areas, through local water source conservation efforts.
Sustainable water use in raw ingredients
Collaborate with suppliers to improve water-use efficiency in the production of water-intensive key ingredients*3 in highly water stressed areas.
Water education and access to safe water
Expand water education programs and initiatives to provide safe water access for more than 5 million people.*4
Greenhouse gas (GHG)
  • Reduce GHG emissions from our direct operations*5 by 50%*6
  • Reduce GHG emissions across our entire value chain by 30%*6
  • *1
    Suntory Beverage & Food plants that manufacture finished products.
  • *2
    Reduction of water intensity of production based on 2015 baseline year.
  • *3
    Coffee, etc.
  • *4
    The target of 5 million people is the Suntory Group’s target.
  • *5
    Sites of Suntory Beverage & Food.
  • *6
    Based on emissions in 2019.

Suntory Beverage & Food’s FY2023 Results

Water Sustainability

Reduction of water used in direct operation
Reduced the water intensity of production at our plants*1 by 21% (compared to FY2015)
Water replenishment
Implemented water replenishment activities at 32% of our plants worldwide
Implemented activities at 33% of our plants located in areas of high water stress
Sustainable water use in raw ingredients
Kept informed on water management of tier 1 suppliers using Sedex
Water education and access to safe water
Suntory Mizuiku and other water education programs reached 710,000 people
Provided access to safe water to 360,000 people
Expanded to a total of 1,070,000 people*2

Climate Change Measures

Greenhouse gas (GHG)
  • Reduced GHG emissions at our sites*3 by 22% (compared to FY2019)
  • Reduced GHG emissions across our value chain by 14% (compared to FY2019)
  • *1
    Suntory Beverage & Food plants that manufacture finished products.
  • *2
    The total of 1,070,000 people is the Suntory Group's progress.
  • *3
    Sites of Suntory Beverage & Food.

Our Initiatives

Reducing Environmental Impact in the Entire Product Life Cycle

Suntory Beverage & Food generates various by-products and waste from a wide range of business activities. We are committed to reducing environmental impact by quantitatively understanding our impact on the planet throughout a product's life cycle — from planning and development to disposal and recycling. In addition, following the expansion of business overseas, we assess the environmental impact of overseas production sites to determine the environmental impact on a global scale. We actively communicate with suppliers throughout the entire supply chain.

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations

In addition to complying with environmental laws and regulations (such as the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures and the Energy Conservation Act in Japan), each of the Company’s plant is committed to environmental management by setting voluntary standards for wastewater treatment, boiler facilities and other environmental facilities that are equal to or more stringent than those set by laws and regulations.
In 2023, no serious accidents or violations affecting environmental pollution occurred.

Certification Acquisition

ISO 14001 Certification

Suntory Beverage & Food has actively advanced the acquisition of the international ISO 14001 certification standard at each Group company as one method to continually evolve by integrating business and environmental activities. With the completion in acquiring the integrated certification and the start of operations at Group companies in Japan, we are working to enhance management to abide by laws at sites with a low environmental impact and conduct even more efficient environmental management with these sites as targets from 2017. We are in the process of obtaining certifications at overseas Group companies with focus on our production sites. As of 2023, approximately 70% of the production sites operated by Suntory Beverage & Food Group companies outside Japan have acquired ISO 14001 certification. We are enhancing the links between each department involved with the business value chain to ensure that all or our business activities take into consideration environmental perspectives, in every stage from the procurement of ingredients to disposal.

Achieving the AWS Certification for Water Stewardship

In 2018, the Suntory Okudaisen Bunanomori Water Plant (Tottori Prefecture) received the Alliance for Water Stewardship (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 AWS certification.

Promoting Environmental Education

Suntory Beverage & Food promotes environmental education to raise employees' environmental awareness. We implemented various environmental education initiatives including e-learning for all our employees in Japan and sharing information on the Intranet. In addition, we regularly hold workshops and seminars to learn specific skills that are required in each operation. We also have started online program on sustainability management that can be taken by all employees globally.

Seminar on managing Wastes Disposal and Public Cleansing Act

Seminar on managing Wastes Disposal and Public Cleansing Act

Environmental Impact Management and Training for Suppliers

We collect primary data on GHG emissions from suppliers and aggregate Scope 3 emissions. We also use Sedex, the world’s largest platform for sharing ethical supply chain data, to understand environmental impacts by suppliers and conduct risk management regarding the environment. In a collaborative effort with business partners to minimize environmental impact across the entire supply chain, we hold annual policy briefings for major raw material suppliers, contract manufacturers, and logistics partners. We introduce the Suntory Group’s environmental goals and performance, and support suppliers in setting GHG reduction targets and advancing further initiatives.

Participating in Climate Acton Initiatives

SBT Initiative Certification

Participation in the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders

As a member of Suntory Group, the Company participates in the World Economic Forum (WEF). In the environmental field, the Suntory Group has joined the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and signs joint statements on climate change policy released annually ahead of COP meetings.

Third-Party Assurance

The Company obtains third-party assurance for data on: water usage/wastewater volume; energy consumption; and greenhouse gas emissions by KPMG AZSA Sustainability Co., Ltd. Third-party assurance reports are posted on the Suntory Group website.

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