February 12, 2019

Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050

Passing the Gifts of Nature to Future Generations with the "Neutral &

Positive" Concept

Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd.

Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050

  • Asahi Carbon Zero - Aiming for zero CO2 emissions

  • Aiming for 100% use of sustainable resources (agricultural raw materials, containers and packaging, water)

  • Creation of environmental value that leverages microbial utilization technologies and other Asahi strengths

Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo; president: Akiyoshi Koji) has instituted Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050 with the aim of contributing to a sustainable society. The Asahi Group will aim to achieve zero environmental impact in its business activities (Neutral) and endeavor to create new environmental value that leverages the Group's proprietary technologies and knowledge (Positive).

Asahi Carbon Zero

We have established medium- to long-term targets relating to climate change and is the first in the Japanese food industry to aim to achieve zero CO2 emissions (carbon neutrality) by 2050 by pursuing further energy savings, actively utilizing green power and other renewable energy sources, and implementing initiatives across the entire value chain. To begin with, we are working to achieve a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions (compared to the 2015 level) in the domestic businesses by 2030.

Aiming for 100% use of sustainable resources (agricultural raw materials, containers and packaging, water)

Agricultural raw materials, containers and packaging, and water are essential raw materials for our business and also important resources for the global environment. To continue to use agricultural raw materials into the future without exhausting them, we aspire to 100% sustainable procurement of agricultural raw materials. We will pursue further weight reduction in containers and undertake development and introduction of eco-friendly containers by means such as introduction and expanded use of recycled PET bottles and utilization of biomaterials. We will further reduce water use at our plants and aim to realize 100% restoration of the water used at our domestic breweries (water neutrality) by 2025. We will also strengthen groundwater recharge processes (a forest's capacity to capture and store water), mainly at Asahi Forest, a company forest where we have continuously practiced sustainable forest management and obtained Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

Creation of environmental value that leverages microbial utilization technologies and other Asahi strengths

We will create positive value for the environment through our businesses and seek solutions to social issues by leveraging strengths originating in proprietory technologies including the utilization of yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and other microorganisms.

In January 2019, Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd. instituted the Asahi Group Philosophy, a new corporate philosophy, and set out "Contribute to a sustainable society through our business" as an action guideline. As a corporate group that engages in business activities that utilize the blessings of nature, the Asahi Group will continue to aspire to pass the gifts of nature to future generations.

Reference Information: Principal Activities of the Asahi Group

  • Asahi Carbon Zero

    The Asahi Group aims to achieve zero CO2 emissions from domestic Group companies in 2050 and, along the way, is aiming for 30% reductions in Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions in 2030 (compared to the 2015 level). This target has been recognized as a Science Based Target that contributes to achievement of the 2ºC target of the Paris Agreement*1 and has been approved by the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative.*2

  • Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. "Containers and Packaging 2030" initiative

    Recycled PET and eco-friendly materials

    Asahi Soft Drinks aims to use recycled PET, plant-derived eco-friendly materials, and similar substances for 60%

    (by weight) of its plastic containers and packaging (PET bottles, labels, caps, plastic bottles) by 2030.Reduction

    The company aims to reduce the weight of plastic containers and packaging by increasing its use of label-less

    bottles and other means.

    New eco-friendly container development

    The company will engage in R&D of containers made of new eco-friendly materials and substances other than

    plastic.

  • 100% restoration of water used at domestic breweries (water neutrality)

    Water neutrality is an initiative to restore to nature an amount of water equal to the amount used, through a combination of reduced use of water resources and compensation through protection of water resources. We will increase water use efficiency and reduce water use at our domestic breweries and increase groundwater recharge (a forest's capacity to capture and store water) through forest conservation, mainly at Asahi Forest, our company forest in Hiroshima Prefecture. We will aim to achieve water neutrality by 2025 by equalizing the amount of water used after reduction efforts and the amount of water the forest captures and stores.

  • Asahi Biocycle Co. Ltd.'s agricultural materials business

    Asahi Biocycle Co. Ltd. is a company established in 2017 whose main business line is the manufacture and sale of agricultural materials that utilize the cell walls of brewer's yeast, a byproduct of beer brewing. The company aims to help resolve social issues by contributing to agricultural chemicals and chemical fertilizers reduction, soil improvement, crop yield increase, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction through its business activities.

  • Asahi Calpis Wellness Co., Ltd.'s animal feed business

    Asahi Calpis Wellness Co., Ltd. engages in an animal feed business that utilizes unique functional materials obtained from the bounty of nature and beneficial microbial utilization technologies, such as lactic acid bacteria developed over many years of research. Since the livestock probiotics Calsporin and Finelact facilitate the efficient use of animal feed and enables livestock to be raised healthily without dependence on antibiotics, they contribute to resolving social issues such as food-related issues and global warming.

*1: The Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is an accord reached at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Paris in 2015 to discuss international arrangements for greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

*2: Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) was jointly established by CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to promote the setting of science-based targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and to assess and approve company targets.

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Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. published this content on 12 February 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 12 February 2019 05:09:02 UTC