News Release

Five of Suntory Group’s Natural Water Sanctuaries receives approval to be certified as OECM

Tokyo, JAPAN (October 6, 2023) —Suntory Group today announced that five out of the 22 Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary initiative sites has been approved to be certified as Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM)^* to achieve the “30by30” goals, which targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 in Japan. The certification of five sites was the most for a single company’s initiative.
The five Suntory Natural Water Sanctuary sites certified as OECM are:
1．Hyogo Nishiwaki-Monryusan (Nishiwaki City, Hyogo)
2．Tokyo Akigawa (Akiruno City, Tokyo)
3．Shizuoka Oyama (Oyama Town, Shizuoka)
4．Nikko Kirifuri (Nikko City, Tochigi)
5．Ohmi (Hino Town, Shiga) 

As a coalition of governments, companies, and non-profit organizations, the “30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity” has been established in Japan to achieve the “30by30” targets to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the country’s land and ocean by 2030. The objective of this alliance is to promote and actively publicize initiatives that aim to expand national parks and register socio-ecological production landscapes (Satochi-satoyama) and company-owned forests to the World Database as OECM. As part of this alliance, Suntory Group has contributed in various initiatives to maintaining a biodiversity-rich world, with the Natural Water Sanctuary initiative being one of them.

Since 2003, the Suntory Group’s Natural Water Sanctuary initiative have managed and conserved a total of about 12,000 hectares of forests in 22 locations across Japan to recharge and nurture underground water pumped at it’s own plants in Japan. To create forests that cultivate rich groundwater, the company also manages these forests through continuous monitoring of birds, animals, plants, and insects, which eventually leads to the conservation of biodiversity. Marking 20 years of these efforts, in collaboration with over 40 experts ranging from the field of hydrology to wild birds, the program has resulted in the cultivation of water resources of more than twice the amount of water withdrawn by our plants in Japan.

◆Comments from Masaaki Fujiwara, Chief Sustainability Officer of Suntory Holdings
“Suntory started the Natural Water Sanctuary initiative in 2003, and has been engaged in water source recharge activities to nurture water indispensable for our business by maintaining forests based on scientific knowledge under our long-term activity plan. Since forests with a high water source recharge function are also rich in biodiversity, we have been working for 20 years to conserve and enhance biodiversity in addition to water source recharge. It is very significant that our efforts have been recognized as an OECM this time. Aiming to contribute to the achievement of global targets, we will continue to promote sustainability management for the conservation of biodiversity and the realization of a sustainable society.”

As a corporation sustained by the gifts of nature and water, Suntory Group will always protect the ecosystems that deliver water. The group aims to contribute to achieving the global “30by30” goal by having all its 22 Natural Water Sanctuaries certified as OECM through participating in this alliance. The company will continue to promote sustainability management in order to preserve biodiversity and to realize a sustainable society, and through all of its corporate pursuits, Suntory seeks to inspire the brilliance of life.

Learn more about Suntory Group’s environmental activities here, and about the Natural Water Sanctuary initiative here.

* OECM is an acronym for “Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures.” OECM is an area conserved by initiatives of private organizations or an area where conservation is achieved mainly as a by-product of other management.

About Suntory Group
As a global leader in the beverage industry, Suntory Group offers a uniquely diverse portfolio of products, from premium spirits, beer, wine, ready-to-drink alcohol beverages, to brewed teas, bottled water, still and 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. Suntory also fascinates the taste buds with The Premium Malt's beer, and owns the exceptional Japanese wine, Tomi, and the world-famous Château Lagrange. Its brand collection includes Sauza Tequila, non-alcoholic favorites Orangina, Lucozade, Ribena, BOSS coffee, Iyemon green tea, Suntory Tennensui water, TEA+ Oolong Tea, V and BRAND’S, as well as popular health and wellness product Sesamin EX.

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 $20.2 billion in 2022. Its 40,885 employees worldwide draw upon the unique blend of Japanese artisanship and global tastes to explore new product categories and markets.

As a corporation sustained by the gifts of nature and water, Suntory Group will always protect the ecosystems that deliver water. Because its ecosystem is the wellspring, not only of its business and the rich experiences the group creates for people's lives, but also of human life itself. Suntory Group will continue to be a company where everyone is empowered with the freedom and flexibility to innovate. Through all of its corporate pursuits, Suntory seeks to inspire the brilliance of life.

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