Suntory has published its first climate transition plan, setting out how the Japanese drinks group intends to reduce emissions across its own operations and its supply chain, and how it plans to protect the business from rising climate risks.
The company reports that it cut greenhouse gas emissions by 19% between 2019 and 2025. It is now targeting a 30% reduction in absolute Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions by 2030 against that 2019 baseline, followed by a 90% cut by 2050. Suntory places these goals within a wider commitment to net-zero emissions across the value chain by 2050.
Because the 2030 and 2050 goals are framed in absolute rather than intensity terms, higher production volumes would not be able to offset shortfalls elsewhere in the chain; the reductions have to come from the footprint itself.
Packaging carries the plan
Packaging and raw materials are singled out as the main contributors to the value-chain footprint, even though both have been falling. According to the company, emissions linked to packaging dropped 38% between 2019 and 2025, while those from raw materials declined 12%.
By contrast, emissions associated with co-manufactured finished products rose 26% over the same period. That increase underlines how much of the target rests with suppliers and contract partners rather than with Suntory's own sites.
Packaging reform is a central element of the plan, covering reduced material use, higher recycled content and redesigned containers. Suntory says it wants all primary polyethylene terephthalate packaging to be either made from 100% recycled material or produced without fossil fuels.
Suppliers and spending
The group has engaged suppliers that together represent more than half of its Scope 3 emissions. Further progress, it says, will depend on changes to production methods, energy consumption and material choices across the chain.
Suntory estimates it will spend €185.4m (£156m) on climate-related operating costs between 2027 and 2030, with packaging accounting for the bulk of that sum.
The figures disclosed so far describe targets, progress to date and planned spending rather than delivered outcomes. Hitting the 2030 and 2050 goals depends on supplier action and on how quickly packaging redesign and supplies of recycled or fossil-free PET can be scaled.