News Release

Charitable Trust “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation” to Start Accepting Applications for FY 2025 Grant Programs

Photo courtesy: NPO Tokushima Stork Fund

TOKYO, Japan (August 7, 2024) – Charitable Trust “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation,” established by Suntory Holdings, will start accepting applications for the FY2025 grant programs from September 1^st. A total of approximately 40 million Japanese yen will be granted across three categories “Bird Conservation Group’s Activities Grant,” “Regional Bird-watching Activities Grant,” and “Waterfront Large Bird Conservation”.

Recognizing that wild birds are barometers of the environment, Suntory started its bird conservation activities in 1973, celebrating 50 years of continuous efforts last year. The company established the “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation” in 1989, later registered as a Charitable Trust in 1990, to promote environmental conservation through providing grants to various bird conservation activities. To date, the Fund has granted a total of over 700 million Japanese yen to a total of 517 organizations.

In 2021, the Fund launched a Global Application Scheme under the “Bird Conservation Group’s Activities Grant” category to accept applications from bird conservation organizations* based outside of Japan and have provided grants to such organizations. The fund aims to continue supporting various bird conservation activities around the world and engage in bird protection activities.

*Applications from overseas organizations must be submitted through a Japanese organization.

Photo courtesy: Philippine Eagle Foundation

〈About Suntory’s bird conservation activities〉
In 1973, Suntory started the “Save the Birds! Campaign” on newspaper advertisement with a slogan “Today Birds, Tomorrow Humans,” advocating the tragedies that happen to birds today, will also happen to humans tomorrow. On the same year, the company also established a wild bird sanctuary in Suntory Hakushu Distillery in Japan where it conducts various activities such as wild bird research and observation as well as nest box hanging. In order to further its effort in bird conservation activities, the company established the “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation” in 1989.
Suntory conducts forest management in 26 locations near its production sites across Japan called Suntory Natural Water Sanctuaries, where experts constantly conduct wild bird research. Data retrieved from this research is utilized as one of the guidelines to manage the forests and conserve the environment in these sanctuaries. In the Suntory Natural Water Sanctuaries, the company also nurtures young Raptores such as eagles and hawks which top in the ecosystem pyramid under the “Eagle/Hawk Nurturing Support Program” by creating a rich and well-balanced natural environment suited for nesting, feeding and child-rearing. 

Learn more about Suntory’s bird conservation activities here.

〈Details of the “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation”〉
For further information on applying to the FY2025 grants, please refer to the Fund’s webpage.
A total of approximately 20 million Japanese yen is expected to be granted to the “Bird Conservation Groups Activities Grant” category, a total of approximately 2 million Japanese yen to the “Regional Bird-watching Activities Grant” category, and a total of approximately 20 million Japanese yen to the “Waterfront Large Bird Conservation” category.

Application is open from September 1^st to September 30^th, 2024 Japan time and results are expected to be announced in late January 2025.

About Suntory Group
As a global leader in the beverage industry, Suntory Group aims to inspire the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Sustained by the gifts of nature and water, the Group offers a uniquely diverse portfolio of products, from award-winning Japanese whiskies Yamazaki and Hibiki, iconic American whiskies Jim Beam and Maker's Mark, canned ready-to-drink -196, The Premium Malt’s beer, Japanese wine Tomi, and the world-famous Château Lagrange. Its brand collection also includes non-alcoholic favorites Orangina, Lucozade, Oasis, BOSS coffee, Suntory Tennensui water, TEA+ Oolong Tea, and V energy drink, 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 $20.9 billion in 2023. Its 41,511 employees worldwide draw upon the unique blend of Japanese artisanship and global tastes to explore new product categories and markets.

For more information, visit www.suntory.com and Drink Smart.