Sustainability Material Issues and Implementation Structure
Sustainability Material Issues
The Sapporo Group had identified materiality as a CSR priority issue in 2017, we have thoroughly reviewed its Sustainability Material Issues in response to changes in the social situation and business environment surrounding our group in 2022.
We have identified 9 sustainability material issues by evaluating "the degree of impact of our business on society and the environment" and "the degree of impact of society and the environment on our finances" in terms of risks and opportunities. In particular, we have positioned "Realization of a decarbonized society," "Mutual prosperity with local communities" and "Active participation of diverse human resources" as the most important issues for management.

Risks and Opportunities by Material Issues
Classification | Most Important Issues | Material Issues | Specific Initiatives | Relevance to Each Business | Impact of Our Business on Society and the Environment | Social/Environmental Impact on Corporate Finances | Connection to Economic Value | ||||
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Alcoholic Beverages |
Food Beverages |
Real Estate |
Risk | Opportunity | Risk | Opportunity | |||||
Harmony with the Environment | ● | Realization of a decarbonized society |
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◎ | ◎ | ◯ | Large | Large | Large | Medium |
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Realization of a recycling-based society |
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◎ | ◎ | ◯ | Large | Medium | Large | Medium |
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Realization of a society in harmony with nature |
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◯ | ◯ | ◯ | Medium | Small | Medium | Medium |
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Co-prosperity with Society | ● | Mutual prosperity with local communities |
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◎ | ◎ | ◎ | Medium | Large | Medium | Large |
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Providing health value |
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◯ | ◎ | ◯ | Small | Large | Small | Large |
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Building a sustainable supply chain |
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◎ | ◎ | ◯ | Large | Small | Large | Small |
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Activation of Human Resources and Potentials | ● | Active participation of diverse human resources |
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◎ | ◎ | ◎ | Small | Medium | Large | Large |
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Promotion of Responsible Drinking |
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◎ | △ | △ | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
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Provision of Safe Products and Facilities |
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◎ | ◎ | ◯ | Large | Medium | Large | Medium | |||
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Sustainability Material Issues Targets and Indicators
* Target setting company notation SH: Sapporo Holdings, SB: Sapporo Breweries, PS: Pokka Sapporo, SRE: Sapporo Real Estate, SLN: Sapporo Lion, SGF: Sapporo Group Foods, SBL: Sleeman, SUSA: Sapporo USA, SVL: Sapporo Vietnam, YSM: Yasuma, FBS: Foremost Blue Seal, PK: Pokka, SSI: Shinsyu-ichi Miso
Classification | Most Important Issues | Material Issues | Specific Initiatives | Indicators | Targets Setting Companies | Target Year | Targets | SDGs goals | |
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Harmony with the Environment | ● | Realization of a decarbonized society | Reducing CO2 emissions at company sites and supply chains |
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Common to all operating companies | 2050 |
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7.2 13.1 17.17 |
2030 |
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SB, PS, SBL | 2030 |
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Realization of a recycling-based society |
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SB | 2030 |
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12.3 12.4 12.5 14.1 |
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PS | 2030 |
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SB | 2030 |
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Reduction of waste and food loss |
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SLN | 2024 |
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SB, PS |
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Conservation of Water Resources |
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SB, PS | 2030 |
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6.4 | |||
Realization of a society in harmony with nature |
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SB | 2030 |
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13.1 15.4 |
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Co-prosperity with Society | ● | Mutual prosperity with local communities |
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SRE |
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4.7 8.9 11.3 11.7 17.17 |
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SB |
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PS |
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PS, SGF | 2030 |
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Providing health value | Provision of health value through business |
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PS | 2030 |
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2.1 3.4 11.3 |
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PK |
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SRE |
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Building a sustainable supply chain |
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SB, SBL, SUSA, SVL, PS, YSM, SGF (FBS, PK, SSI), SLN |
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10.2 15.3 17.17 |
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SB, PS |
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SB, SBL, SUSA, SVL, PS, YSM, SGF (FBS, PK, SSI), SLN |
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SB, PS | 2025 |
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SRE |
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Activation of Human Resources and Potentials | ● | Active participation of diverse human resources | Promotion of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2026 |
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5.5 8.5 |
SBL, SVL, PK |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2026 |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2030 |
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Investing in human capital for growth and productivity |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2026 |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2026 |
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SH, SB, PS, SRE, SLN | 2026 |
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Promotion of Responsible Drinking | Awareness-raising of responsible drinking |
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SB | 2025 |
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3.5 | ||
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SB, SLN | 2023 |
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SLN | 2023 |
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SLN | 2023 |
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Provision of Safe Products and Facilities | Food safety |
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SB, SBL, SUSA, SVL, PS, SGF (FBS, PK, SSI), SLN |
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2.1 | |||
Building safe facilities |
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SRE |
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11.3 |
Process for Identifying Material Issues
Step 1: List the issues
- Comprehensive list of sustainability issues based on international frameworks such as GRI standards, SASB, and ESG rating assessment items
- Extract items from the list of issues that are particularly relevant to the Sapporo Group's business type and format
Step 2: Prioritize issues
- Based on the issues identified, score the "degree of impact of the business on society and the environment" and the "degree of impact of society and the environment on our finances" from the aspect of "risk and opportunity" for each business
- Prioritization at Sapporo Holdings and major business companies based on relevance to vision and management strategy
Step 3: Advice from external experts
- Dialogues with external experts from both the investor and multi-stakeholder perspectives were held to obtain objective advice on priority issues
External experts who participated in the dialogue
- Mr. Minoru Matsubara, Executive Officer and General Manager of Responsible Investment Division, Resona Asset Management Co., Ltd.
- Ms. Makiko Akabane, CSR Asia Japan Representative
In addition to the assessment that we have captured important issues in the Group's business, we have received the following perspectives.
- Linkage between business strategy and sustainability material issues
- Implications of each issue for business development using natural capital
- Financial implications in terms of both risks and opportunities
- The importance of clearly stating the Group's specific efforts to address each issue
- Value of raw materials, regional initiatives, etc.
- Disclosure of specific strategies for human capital
Step 4: Approval of priority issues
- Approval of the final identified material issues by the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors
Sustainability Implementation Structure
Sapporo Holdings formulates an overall policy for implementing the Sapporo Group’s sustainability activities and has established a Group Sustainability Promotion Committee. This committee is chaired by the President and representative director of the Company, who is responsible for coordination and adjustment within the Group.
The Corporate Planning Department of Sapporo Holdings develops and implements various measures to promote sustainability activities in each Group company, holds monthly meetings for Sustainability personnel, and shares information and progress.

Group Sustainability Committee
- Meetings are basically held twice a year
- Main topics of discussion
- Monitoring of the performance against the sustainability material issues
- Review of strategies and policies for each issue
- Discussions, resolutions, reports, etc. at the Management Committee and Board of Directors meetings according to the agenda
- Management Philosophy and Fundamental Sustainability Policies
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Sustainability Initiatives and Implementation Structure
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Basics of SAPPORO GROUP Sustainability