Suntory appoints UK firm Biodiversify to future-proof raw material supply chains
Suntory Holdings, the Japanese beverage giant and owner of global brands including Lucozade, Ribena, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, and Yamazaki Japanese Whisky, has announced a new partnership with UK-based conservation consultancy Biodiversify to develop a comprehensive agricultural strategy aimed at bolstering supply chain resilience.
The collaboration is a direct response to increasing corporate exposure to climate instability and ecosystem degradation, which pose significant risks to crop yields and the stability of raw material procurement worldwide.
Under the mandate, Biodiversify will work with the multi-billion-dollar group to create an agricultural roadmap. This will involve mapping the environmental dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across Suntory’s global supply chain to identify priority raw materials and key sourcing regions. The outcome will be a blueprint for implementing joint, nature-positive projects with farmers and suppliers to secure long-term raw material supply.
Masaaki Fujiwara, chief sustainability officer of Suntory Holdings, framed the move as essential for business continuity and commercial growth. “As a multifaceted global beverage company sustained by the gifts of nature such as water and agricultural raw ingredients, we recognise that issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity are deeply interconnected,” Fujiwara said. “Understanding how these environmental challenges relate to our business activities and taking action through a comprehensive, science-based strategy is essential for protecting commercial growth.”
Dr Samuel Sinclair, co-founder and director of Biodiversify, highlighted the partnership as a sign of growing international demand for British conservation science expertise, particularly from Asian markets.
“Suntory recognises what leading global corporates increasingly understand: securing raw material supply in an era of climate instability requires a fundamental shift in how we approach nature,” Dr Sinclair commented. “This partnership will help Suntory protect the agricultural systems on which its business relies, while positioning it at the forefront of nature-positive transformation.”
The partnership is the latest concrete step in Suntory’s sustainability efforts, following its integrated disclosure based on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations published in July 2025. Japanese corporations have widely been lauded for their proactive stance on nature stewardship, often leading global uptake of these new disclosure frameworks.
The new strategy will further enhance the accuracy of Suntory’s 2050 transition plan for raw materials and agriculture, ensuring its operations move toward a business that successfully operates in harmony with nature.
