Policies and Our Approach
Basic Policy on Social Activities
Since first opening its doors, the Suntory Group has been involved in community contribution, arts, culture, sports and environmental activities based on the spirit of Giving back to Society. The social activities of the Suntory Group contribute to sustainable growth of its businesses while solving issues in local communities.
Suntory Group Basic Policy on Social Activities
The Suntory Group follows the principle of “Giving Back to Society” established by our founder. We actively engage in undertakings for the public benefit to create a world in which people can lead meaningful lives.
“To inspire the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature,” which is our corporate philosophy, we strive to deliver the highest quality products and services to customers while taking responsibility for contributing to enriching society and sustainable planet.
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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 the wide-range of volunteer activities of employees.
Our Initiatives
Social Contribution and Welfare
Support through the Social Welfare Organization
Social Welfare Organization Hojukai
Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii began the Hojukai in 1921 with the establishment of the "Imamiya Dispensary" free clinic in the Airin district of Osaka City to assist people living in financial hardship based on his strong belief in social contribution. The Hojukai was named by combining one Japanese kanji character of Shinjiro Torii's wife's name and one Japanese kanji character from our Kotobukiya company name from that time. During the turmoil after the Second World War, accommodation facility was provided for victims of war, people that returned from overseas and people that did not have a place to go, which are currently used as special elderly nursing home and nursery schools. Hojukai continued activities as a social welfare organization and it operates Takadonoen (special care facility for seniors established in 1974), Domyoji Takadonoen (a general-purpose welfare facility established in 2008), the Tsubomi Nursery School (1975), and the West Asahi-ku Community General Support Center (commissioned by Osaka City in April 2011).
To respond to the current needs, The Hojukai has been putting efforts in at-home nursing care services such as home-visit nursing care, outpatient nursing care, and in-home long-term nursing care services. In the spring of 2017, Tsubomi Nursery School moved to a new premise with the aim of an even more unique and comfortable facility as well as a nursery school that nurtures a wealth of sensibility.
"Hojukai," the first corporation to conduct social welfare activities in Osaka, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2021.
For more information, see Social Welfare Organization Hojukai (in Japanese)
Donating Suntory Products to Children Homes with the Cooperation of Food Bank Activities
The Suntory Group has donated approximately 94,000 cases of food and drinks to entities such as orphanages, welfare institutes, community centers, and disaster affected areas since 2010 through the Second Harvest non-profit organization that engages in Food Bank activities. The products that are donated are given under the condition that they have the same quality as the products sold commercially. We also conduct the same level or quality assurance, customer service, and all other operations for those products as the products sold commercially. This program started in Tokyo Metropolitan area in 2010 and was later expanded to include Okinawa in 2013. In the future, we will continue this food bank activity to deliver the appropriate amount of food as necessary.
Engaging in Charitable and Voluntary Activities
The Suntory Group will continue to conduct community contribution activities through charities.
Employee Volunteer Activities
The Suntory Group conducts a wide range of social contribution activities based on its spirit of Giving back to Society, but a relationship between society and every Group employee is also important.
We actively suggest that employees use time created through work style reform promoted throughout the entire Group to participate in employee volunteer activities to discover new value and serve as opportunities for individual growth.
For more information on the Employee Volunteer Activities, see Employee Volunteer.
Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament
Entry fees to the amateur-professional charity tournament, money from charity corner sales, etc. from the Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament (started in 1990) have been used to support Kobe City’s disaster recovery efforts from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The support continued from 1995 to 2010.
Since 2011, we have donated fire trucks and other equipment to Natori City and Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture as support for disaster-affected areas that were severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since 2016, we have been providing recovery support to areas affected by the Kumamoto Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Although the 2020 event has been cancelled, we have made a donation to Hyogo Prefecture to support medical professionals.
Currently, our activities include support for junior golfers and the development of the golf industry, and we will continue to engage in charitable activities that meet the challenges of the times.
Suntory Dream Match
We use a portion of the proceeds from "Suntory Dream Match," an event held since 1995, to conduct charity activities centered on baseball and catch-ball classes for children, taught by former professional baseball players.
Disaster Recovery Support
The Suntory Group launched programs to support programs that aim to build the future of Tohoku and Kumamoto as part of the initiatives to continue supporting the recovery activities in the regions after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Kumamoto Earthquake.
Support for Disaster Areas
The Suntory Group provides help to the people and places afflicted by disasters by providing relief contributions and drinking water when large disasters strike Japan or other countries.
Year | Incident | Amount Donated | Beneficiary | News release |
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2010 | 2010 Canterbury (Darfield) Earthquake (New Zealand's South Island) | 3.25 million yen | Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trast | |
2010 | Haund-foot-and-mouth Disease Outbreak in Miyazaki Prefecture | 10 million yen | Miyazaki Prefecture, and the Miyazaki Community Chest Association Social Welfare Organization | Suntory Relief Aid for Haund-foot-and-mouth Disease in Miyazaki Prefecture (in Japanese only) |
2010 | Chilean Earthquake | 50 million yen | Chile Embassy | Suntory Relief Aid for Earthquake Recovery in Chile |
2010 | Haiti Earthquake | 10 million yen | The Japanese Red Cross Society | Suntory Haiti Earthquake Aid |
2011 | Thailand Floods | Approx. 2.5 million yen | The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand | Support for Recovery from Flood Damage in Thailand |
2011 | Christchurch Earthquake (New Zealand's South Island) | 6.2 million yen | New Zealand Red Cross | Earthquake Relief Donation, to New Zealand |
2011 | Queensland Floods, Australia | 8 million yen | Queensland Fund, Disaster Relief Appeal | Flood Relief Donation to Queensland, Australia |
2011- | Great East Japan Earthquake | 4.3 billion yen in 2011 2.0 billion yen in 2012 2.5 billion yen in 2013 2.0 billion yen in 2014 (total: 10.8 billion yen) |
Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Save The Children Japan, et al. | Relief Donation for Earthquake in the Tohoku Region of Japan |
2014 | Landslide disasters in Hiroshima | 1 million yen | Chugoku Shimbun Social Welfare Services Corporation | |
2015 | Nepal Earthquake | 3 million yen | Nepal Earthquake | |
2016 | Kumamoto Earthquake | 100 million yen in May 2016 300 million yen in October 2016 |
Kumamoto Prefecture | Release of Contributions to Kumamoto Prefecture |
2017 | Storm Disaster in Northern Kyushu | Fukuoka Prefecture (5 million yen) Oita Prefecture (5 million yen) |
Fukuoka Prefecture/Oita Prefecture | Relief Donation for the Storm Disaster in Northern Kyushu |
2017 | Massive Hurricane Disaster in United States | Approx. 110 million yen (1 million dollars) | American Red Cross | About Aid Following the Massive Hurricane Disasters in the United States |
2017 | Earthquake in Mexico | Approx. 22 million yen (200,000 dollars) |
Mexican Red Cross | About Aid Following the Earthquake in Mexico |
2017 | Hurricane Maria, the Virgin Islands | Approx. 55 million yen (500,000 dollars) |
Virgin Islands Aid Fund | |
2018 | Torrential Rains of July 2018 (in Western Japan) | 900 million yen (Hiroshima, Okayama, and Ehime Prefectures received 300 million yen each) |
Hiroshima Prefecture: Japanese Red Cross Society Hiroshima Okayama and Ehime Prefectures: Aid provided directly to each prefectural government |
Information About the Donations for the Torrential Rains of July 2018 |
2018 | Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake | 100 million yen | Hokkaido | Information About Support Provided for the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake |
2018 | Midousuji Gingko NamikiDamage by Typhoon No.21 | 50 million yen | Osaka City |
Year | Incident | Amount Donated | Beneficiary | News release |
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2019 | Typhoon No.15 | 50 million yen | Chiba Prefecture | Suntory Pledges ¥50 million to support Typhoon No. 15 Relief and Recovery |
2019 | Typhoon No.19 | 550 million yen | Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture | Suntory Pledges ¥550 million to support Typhoon No. 19 Relief and Recovery |
2020 | Bushfire Relife and recovery in Australia | $500,000 AUD | Australian Red Cross, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and the New South Wales Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) | SUNTORY GROUP PLEDGES $500,000 TO SUPPORT BUSHFIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY IN AUSTRALIA |
2020 | Australian Bushfires | 50 million yen | Kumamoto Prefecture | Suntory Pledges ¥50 million to support the Relief and Recovery of the Kumamoto area affected by the heavy rain |
2021 | COVID-19 Relief in India | $600,000 (approx. INR 44,184,000) |
British Asian Trust Confederation of Indian Industry National Restaurant Association of India Government-led relief efforts |
Suntory Holdings and Beam Suntory Donate $600,000 to Organizations Supporting COVID-19 Relief in India |
2021 | Tornados in Kentucky | $1 million | Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund American Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Fund |
SUNTORY HOLDINGS AND BEAM SUNTORY CONTRIBUTE $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT RECOVERY FROM DEVASTATING TORNADOS IN KENTUCKY |
2022 | Tonga’s Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami | US $87,700 (10 million Japanese yen) |
Kingdom of Tonga | Suntory Group to Donate Over US $100,000 to Support Tonga’s Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami Response |
2022 | Humanitarian Assistance in Ukraine | $600,000 | Humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) | Suntory Group to Support Humanitarian Relief Efforts in Ukraine |
2023 | Maui Fire and Disaster Relief | US $70,000 | Maui Strong Fund, Hawai‘i Community Foundation | Suntory Holdings to Donate US $70,000 To Support the Maui Fire and Disaster Relief |
Providing Free Beverages When Disasters Strike
Suntory Foods Ltd. has developed and is furthering the installation of emergency beverage vending machines. This system normally sells beverages from vending machines in peace times but will provide them for free during emergencies such as when disasters strike. Beverages can be easily accessed even if the power goes out. Many people used this system after the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in March of 2011. We are furthering the installation on premises with focus on public facilities and hospitals.
Coexisting with Communities around Our Plants
The Suntory Group’s major plants are making efforts to engage in dialogue with local residents. We also work to provide venues for interacting with the local community through measures such as opening parks and trails created at our plants. We have third parties conduct environmental impact assessments when we construct new plants and work to get the understanding of the people who neighbor the site. We also make efforts to harmonize the plants with nature by preserving the sites’ biodiversity and pursuing greening initiatives on their grounds.
Promoting Greening of Plants
The Suntory Group’s plants consider biodiversity and promote greening that is in harmony with local environment, receiving awards in various locations as model green plants.
Model greening plant commendation (hosted by Japan Greenery Research and Development Center)
Year of commendation | Plant of commendation | Name of commendation |
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1987 | Suntory Tonegawa Brewery | Tokyo Commerce and Industry Bureau Director's Award |
1989 | Hakushu Distillery | Prime Minister's Award |
1993 | Azusa-No-Mori Plant | Minister's Commerce and Industry Prize |
2002 | Yamazaki Distillery | Minister Prize of Economic, Trade and Industry |
2006 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Japan Greenery Research and Development Center Award |
2008 | Takasago Plant | Japan Greenery Research and Development Center Award |
2014 | Suntory Tonegawa Brewery | Minister Prize of Economic, Trade and Industry |
2014 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Minister Prize of Economic, Trade and Industry |
2014 | Haruna Plant | Japan Greenery Research and Development Center Award |
2019 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Prime Minister's Award |
2023 | Kita Alps Shinano-no-Mori Water Plant | Japan Greenery Research and Development Center Award |
Other greenification commendations
Year of commendation | Plant of commendation | Name of commendation | Hosted by |
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1986 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Greenery Award | Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry |
1997 | Suntory Tonegawa Brewery | National Arbor Day Awards Grand Prize in the Contest for Environmental Greening |
Gunma Prefecture |
2005 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Prize for Kumamoto Scenery/Prize for Local Scenery | Kumamoto Prefecture |
2011 | Okudaisen Bunanomori Natural Mineral Water Plant | Award from The Japanese Society of Revegetation Technology (Technology Award) | The Japanese Society of Revegetation Technology |
2018 | Kyushu Kumamoto Plant | Kumamoto Environmental Grand Prize | Kumamoto Prefecture |
Dialogue with Customers through Plant Tours
We offer plant tours of our breweries, whisky distilleries, wineries, and natural mineral water plants so that more people can become familiar with our dedication to good taste and safety, our concern for the environment, and the approaches we take through our products. While viewing our production processes, visitors will be provided with easy to understand explanations about the detail that goes into our work and enjoy tasting and other activities. In addition, special seminars to learn the commitment toward brewing beer and ways to enjoy whisky are held, attracting approximately 660,000 visitors each year.