News Release

Suntory Group Kicks-Off Its Inaugural Program to Reflect on the Importance of Respecting Humanity—“Suntory Group’s Global Action for Humanity”

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TOKYO (October 27, 2020)—Suntory Group will be dedicating the months of November and December to the first “Suntory Group’s Global Action for Humanity” program, where all of its 40,000 global employees are encouraged to take part in various activities to reflect on the importance of respecting humanity. Such activities include participation in volunteer work that allows employees to recognize the importance of respecting and valuing other’s happiness in their daily work.

“We respect humanity” is one of the five principles of The Suntory Group Way, which defines how each employee should think and act during their daily work to ensure that Suntory Group is supported by its customers and continues to grow. Respecting humanity is an integral part of what makes Suntory Group what it is today. Since our founding, we have been providing products and services that enrich the minds, bodies, and lifestyles of our consumers. Not only through our business, but with the founding spirit of “giving back to society,” Suntory Group is determined to make social contributions to the communities in which it operates, promoting spiritually richer and more fulfilling lives through art, music and culture to emergency relief in the wake of a disaster.

“As a company that aims to enrich people’s lives through our products and services, passion for people and respect for all humankind are essential for the company to continue growing for good,” says Tomomi Fukumoto, COO of Corporate Sustainability at Suntory Holdings. “I would like to encourage all our employees across the globe to take their time to give back to the society and reaffirm the importance of human connections in our life and business.”

Suntory Group will donate US$1 for each action taken by its employees under this program for a total of up to US$40,000 to an organization fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below are some examples of volunteer activities that are planned by each group company worldwide.

-Japan: Participate in programs to provide food and Suntory products to children and families in need as well as volunteer activities that can be done from home, such as sending letters to medical workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

-Beam Suntory (Worldwide): Encouraging employee engagement with “4Good,” its online social good platform offering opportunities to volunteer and donate to organizations globally. As part of the featured virtual volunteering opportunities, employees can contribute to “Missing Maps” via our partnership with the American Red Cross. Missing Maps is an online mapping initiative to help put the world’s most vulnerable people on the map. First responders and humanitarian aid organizations, like the Red Cross, use these detailed maps to respond faster following disasters.

-Suntory Beverage & Food Europe: Collaborate with the food banks in their respective countries of operation to donate drinks and financial support to those in need and affected by food poverty, as well as other digital volunteering possibilities such as translation without borders that aims to close the language gaps that hinder critical humanitarian efforts worldwide.

-Suntory Beverage & Food Asia: Employees in Singapore will collaborate with Food Bank to donate products to those in need, while teams in Vietnam and Indonesia will participate in community work to provide local schools with necessary facilities and organize social events. Thailand team will also help equip migrant workers with care packages and knowledge on COVID-19 support.

-Frucor Suntory (Oceania): Product donations to community groups and charities, including the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, and participation in community work in New Zealand and Australia.

About Suntory Group
As a global leader in both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages industry, Suntory Group offers a uniquely diverse portfolio of products from premium spirits, beer and wine to brewed teas, bottled water, carbonated soft drinks, ready-to-drink coffee and energy drinks, along with health and wellness products. Suntory is home to award-winning Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu as well as iconic American spirits Jim Beam and Maker's Mark. We also fascinate the taste buds in Japan and the Asian market with our Premium Malt's beer. Our brand collection also includes non-alcoholic favorites Orangina, Lucozade, Ribena, BOSS coffee, Iyemon green tea, and Suntory Tennensui water.

Founded as a family-owned business in 1899 in Osaka, Japan, Suntory Group has grown into a global company operating throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania with an annual revenue (excluding excise taxes) of $21.0 billion in 2019. We are driven by Yatte Minahare - the spirit of bold ambition - and our 40,210 employees worldwide draw upon our unique blend of Japanese artisanship and global tastes to explore new product categories and markets.

As a company that delivers blessings of water and nature to our customers, we are committed to our mission to create harmony with people and nature. Always aspiring to grow for good, we are devoted to giving back to society through protecting water resources, nurturing our communities and fostering the arts.

Learn more about Suntory Group, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility at www.suntory.com, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.