2000

• Planning for our Natural Water Sanctuary Initiative begins

2003

• Suntory Kyushu Kumamoto Plant is completed. Forest management activities for groundwater sustainability begin in our Natural Water Sanctuary Aso, located in the water-source conservation area of the Plant
• The Suntory Institute for Water Science is established

2005

• Natural Water Sanctuary Akagi is established in the water-source conservation area of the Haruna Plant of Suntory Products Ltd. and the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Gunma Brewery
• The core Natural Water Sanctuary philosophy is formalized into a manifesto

2006

• Suntory Okudaisen Bunanomori Water Plant is completed. Natural Water Sanctuary Okudaisen is set up in the Plant’s water-source conservation area

2008

• Natural Water Sanctuary Minami Alps is established in the water-source conservation areas of the Suntory Minami Alps Hakushu Water Plant and the Hakushu Distillery
• Natural Water Sanctuary Akagi is expanded

2009

• A goal is set to expand the total water-source conservation area of our Natural Water Sanctuaries to approximately 7,000 hectares by 2011 Criteria for goal establishment: Total volume of groundwater replenished by the Sanctuary areas is greater than the total volume of groundwater used by Suntory plants in Japan
• Introduction of nature-friendly forest logging roads that blend into the natural landscape

2010

• Natural Water Sanctuary Tanzawa is established in the water-source conservation area of the Kanagawa Ayase Plant of Suntory Products Ltd.
• Natural Water Sanctuary Kyoto Minami-Yamashiro is established in the water-source conservation areas of the Ujigawa Plant of Suntory Products Ltd.
• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Okutama is established in the water-source conservation area shared by the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Tokyo Musashino Brewery and the Suntory Products Ltd. Tamagawa Plant
• Natural Water Sanctuary Omi is established in the water-source conservation area of the Ohmi Aging Cellar of Suntory Spirits Ltd.Renamed Suntory Spirits Ltd. in 2022
• Natural Water Sanctuary Hyogo Nishiwaki-Monryusan is established in the water-source conservation area of the Takasago Plant of Suntory Products Ltd.
• Natural Water Sanctuary Okudaisen is expanded
• In the alluvial fan of the Kinzan River, which flows out of our Natural Water Sanctuary Aso, winter-flooded paddies, a new water-source conservation initiative, begins
• Thorough forest zoning is adopted to clarify long-term visions for forest management by looking 50 to 100 years ahead

2011

• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Project Chichibu with the University of Tokyo and Natural Water Sanctuary Project Okutama with Tokyo University of Agriculture are established in the water-source conservation area shared by the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Tokyo Musashino Brewery and the Suntory Products Ltd. Tamagawa Plant
• The total area of our Natural Water Sanctuaries reaches approximately 7,141 hectares, achieving the expansion goal set in 2009
• The Water Science Forum is launched (later renamed Natural Water Sanctuary Forum)

Recognition & Awards

• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Initiative is awarded the Minister of the Environment Award – International Year of Forests Special Category at the 2nd Contest for Activities on Biodiversity (October 11, 2011)

2012

• Natural Water Sanctuary Gifu Higashi-Shirakawa is established in the water-source conservation area of the Kisogawa Plant of Suntory Products Ltd.
• Natural Water Sanctuary Kyoto Nishiyama is established in the water-source conservation area of the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Kyoto Brewery; forest conservation efforts that started in 2005 have been enhanced as part of the Nishiyama Forest Maintenance Promotion Council
• Natural Water Sanctuary Osaka Shimamoto is established in the water-source conservation area of the Yamazaki Distillery; forest conservation efforts that started in 2005 have been enhanced as part of the Tennozan Forest Maintenance Promotion Council
• Aerial laser scanning is adopted to better map hidden terrain and obtain forest data

2013

• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Tamagenryu-Kosuge is established in the water-source conservation area shared by the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Tokyo Musashino Brewery and the Suntory Products Ltd. Tamagawa Plant
• A new goal is set to expand the total water-source conservation area of our Natural Water Sanctuaries to approximately 12,000 hectares* by 2020. Criteria for goal establishment: Total volume of groundwater replenished by the Sanctuary areas is greater than the total volume of groundwater pumped up by Suntory plants in Japan This target is based on projected progress in water-saving activities at facilities in Japan
• Eagle/Hawk-Nurturing Support Program starts

2014

• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Tokyo Akigawa is established in the water-source conservation area shared by the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Tokyo Musashino Brewery and the Suntory Products Ltd. Tamagawa Plant
• Employee engagement in Forest Management Program activities begins
• GETFLOWS model to visualize underground water flow is adopted

2015

• Natural Water Sanctuary Nikko Kirifuri is established in the water-source conservation area of Suntory Malting Ltd.
• Natural Water Sanctuary Aso is expanded

2016

• Natural Water Sanctuary Tennozan is established in the water-source conservation area of the Yamazaki Distillery as a continuation of forest conservation efforts conducted by the Tennozan Forest Maintenance Promotion Council since 2005

2017

• At the time of the establishment of a new water source and dedicated production line at a contract manufacturing site of Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd., the Natural Water Sanctuary Shizuoka Oyama is established under the same standards as applied to Suntory’s owned plants

2019

• In preparation for the operation of the Suntory Kita Alps Shinano-no-Mori Water Plant, our Natural Water Sanctuary Kita Alps is established
• Natural Water Sanctuary Okudaisen is expanded
• Natural Water Sanctuary Minami Alps is expanded
• The goal of 12,000 hectares covered by water-source conservation area of our Natural Water Sanctuaries, set in 2013, is achieved one year ahead of schedule

2022

• Suntory publishes the Biodiversity Restoration Report, a compilation of the various challenges facing Japan’s forests. It also outlines the pioneering initiatives undertaken within our Natural Water Sanctuaries to help resolve them

Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary Biodiversity Restoration Report, online version (17.1MB)

2023

• Our Natural Water Sanctuary Tokyo Hinohara is established in the water-source conservation area shared by the Suntory Spirits Ltd. Tokyo Musashino Brewery and the Suntory Products Ltd. Tamagawa Plant

Recognition & Awards

• 5 Natural Water Sanctuaries (Hyogo Nishiwaki-Monryusan, Tokyo Akigawa, Shizuoka Oyama, Nikko Kirifuri, and Ohmi) are certified as Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (October 2023)