Suntory has published its first climate transition plan, setting out how the Japanese drinks group intends to reduce emissions across its business and supply chain while protecting operations from rising climate risks.
The plan combines long-term decarbonisation targets with an account of where the group's footprint is concentrated. Suntory says it cut greenhouse gas emissions by 19% between 2019 and 2025 and now aims for a 30% reduction in absolute Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions by 2030 against the 2019 baseline, followed by a 90% cut by 2050. The company's sustainability material places these goals within a broader commitment to net-zero emissions across the value chain by 2050.
Because the 2030 goal is set in absolute terms and covers all three scopes, it reaches beyond the fuel and electricity used in Suntory's own operations to the emissions embedded in purchased materials, packaging and contracted manufacturing.
Packaging named as the main contributor
Packaging and raw materials have been singled out as the main contributors to the group's footprint. That holds even though Suntory reports emissions linked to packaging fell 38% between 2019 and 2025, while those from raw materials declined by 12%. The weight of the packaging category is also visible in the spending plans: of an estimated €185.4m (£156m) in climate-related operating costs between 2027 and 2030, packaging accounts for the bulk.
The plan puts particular emphasis on packaging reform, including reduced material use, higher recycled content and redesigned containers. Suntory says it wants all primary polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging to be either made from 100% recycled material or produced without fossil fuels, a requirement that would push the group's bottle portfolio towards recycled feedstock and non-fossil production routes.
Supplier dependence exposed by co-manufacturing
Not every part of the value chain is moving in the same direction. Emissions associated with co-manufactured finished products rose by 26% between 2019 and 2025, underlining the extent to which the company must rely on suppliers and contract partners to reach its targets.
Suntory says it has engaged suppliers representing more than half of its Scope 3 emissions. Further progress is expected to depend on changes to production methods, energy consumption and material choices across the chain, rather than on action inside the company's own plants alone.
The plan frames decarbonisation alongside climate risk, presenting the programme as a way to protect operations as climate hazards rise, not solely as an emissions accounting exercise. For packaging suppliers and contract manufacturers, the practical consequences are likely to appear in material specifications, recycled-content requirements and reporting demands tied to the 2030 milestone.