EC

nvironmental
onservation
Asahi Breweries GroupQCSR REPORT

Corporate Social Responsibility Report

2008

A

ualityssuranceRD

esponsible
rinking

Approach to CSR Reporting

We aim to report on issues of interest to our stakeholders through two media
channels utilizing the respective features of each.

Reporting media and function

Web siteThis printed report

In order to increase public understanding of the
Asahi Breweries Group’s CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) activities and facilitate easy access to
information, we have been making use of two media
channels: our Web site and this printed report.

Editorial Policy of Our Web Site
We disclose the latest and most complete information (in Japanese)
This portal site reports on the CSR activities of the Asahi Breweries Group, including content not covered by thisprinted report along with detailed performance data. In addition to annual reports, the site provides informationand guidance on the latest activities as well as environmental and cultural seminars and art events.

http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr
Complete information that iseasy to findLatest information uploaded
regularly

Designed for improved
accessibility

To help readers quickly find information
they need, we prepared a subject index
to improve information retrieval. Simply
select the information you wish to view
from “Policy, regulation, standards,”“Structure, mechanism, systems” and“Performance data.” Links are also
provided to related sites, including
investor information and purchasing.

To ensure timely information
disclosure, we periodically release thelatest activity reports of the Asahi
Breweries Group in addition to ourreports issued annually. Updates areannounced on the “What’s New”
section on the home page of the siteand other pages.

This Web site is designed to be easy foranyone—including the elderly and thephysically challenged—to view and use.
For example, explanations on skip linknavigation, current location informationand so on have been incorporated for
those who use talking browsers.
Furthermore, with a few exceptions,
we tried to make graphs and graphics
as easy to view as possible.

2 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Contents
Executive Message
4
Corporate Philosophy, Guidelines for Corporate Activity,
Asahi Breweries Group CSR Policy, Supporting the United Nations Global
Compact, The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact
5
Outline of the Asahi Breweries Group’s Operations
6
Interview with the President
8

Editorial Policy of This Printed Report
We report on issues in order of
their material impact
In our 2007 report, the main focus was concentrated on
three priority initiatives that have a major material
impact on the Asahi Breweries Group—global
environmental conservation, commitment to quality
and promotion of moderate and responsible drinking.
In editing this 2008 report, we sought to deepen
reader understanding by clearly stating the backgroundcontext as well as the content of important themes andthe reasons for each of the three initiatives. We also
received feedback from expert third-party experts
regarding specific efforts and accomplishments in thecontent of our report, and we have included their
expectations and recommendations for the Asahi
Breweries Group in this printed report.
Reporting Scope
In general, the scope of this report covers the activities
of Asahi Breweries, Ltd., although some reported
activities involve the entire Group or Group companies.
Report Content
Social and environmental aspects of business activities
are reported, including policies, plans, objectives,
efforts and progress.
Reporting Period
This report primarily covers fiscal year 2007 (January 1
to December 31, 2007) as well as the history andactivities as of the publication date along with future
projections and plans.
Reference Guidelines
This report uses the GRI* Sustainability Reporting
Guidelines (2nd and 3rd editions) and the Japanese
Ministry of the Environment’s Environmental Reporting
Guidelines (2007 edition) as references. A tablecomparing the content of this report and these two
guidelines is on the Web site at:
URL http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr/guideline/

index.html* GRI: Global Reporting Initiative. Founded in 1997, the organization developed
and has been working to disseminate sustainability reporting guidelines that are
applicable worldwide.

Conserving the Earth’s Environment
Vital initiatives for the Group13

1. Curbing global warming / 2. Conserving water resources /3. Controlling waste generation and discharge /4. Environmental communication

DIALOGUE: Expert Opinions

15

Introducing energy-saving equipment and promoting fuel conversion
Encouraging the use and spread of natural energy
Reducing water consumption andenvironmental load of waste water
Water resource preservation activities for breweries
Toward 100% recycling of waste and by-products
across the entire Group
Developing a plant activator using yeast, a by-productPromoting the 3Rs in containers and packaging
Disseminating information acquired at thecorporate-owned Asahi Forest
Emphasizing environmental education

16
16

The results of our initiatives

17
17
18
18
19

Third party opinion: Expectations for Asahi Breweries

20
21
21

Uncompromising Quality Control

22

Vital initiatives for the Group23

1. Reinforcing Group management structure /2. Expanding technological expertise in quality assurance /3. Promising quality throughout the entire supply chain

DIALOGUE: System for Incorporating Customer
Feedback into Our Business

The results of our initiatives

Reinforced management based on the Group Quality Policy
Establishment of analysis/research institutions in support
of food safety
Pursuit of innovative microbial inspection methods
Reinforced traceability in all areas of development and raw
materials procurement
Operation of a unique quality assurance system in the
manufacturing process
Shortened lead times
Various seminars for enhancing sales service

25
26
27
27
28

Third party opinion: Expectations for Asahi Breweries

28
29
29
29

Promotion of Moderate andResponsible Drinking

30

Vital initiatives for the Group31
1. Prevention of underage drinking / 2. Elimination of drunk driving /3. Prevention of other drinking problems /4. Industry-wide collaboration
33
DIALOGUE: Expert Opinions

The results of our initiatives

Management of the Fund for the Prevention ofUnderage Drinking
Development of an educational tool for primary school students
Considerations during brewery tours and at restaurants
Alcohol checks of salespeople
Distribution of the Guidebook for Moderate andResponsible Drinking
An educational section supporting responsible drinking
on our Web site
Warning labels against drinking during pregnancy
Promoting moderate and responsible drinking froma global perspective

Third party opinion: Expectations for Asahi Breweries
Disclaimer
In addition to objective information on the past and present status of Asahi
Breweries, Ltd. and its Group companies, this report also contains plans,
perspectives and forecasts based on the corporate philosophy andmanagement strategies as of the date of publication, and therefore the actual
status and outcome of future business activities may differ from these forecasts
as a result of changes in the social, economic or business environment.

12

34
34
35
35
36
36
36
37
37

Initiatives in Other Areas
Compliance
Creating a pleasant workplace
Contributions to local communities

38
39
40

Responses to dialogues and third-party opinions
Visit our Web Site

42
43

CSR Report 2008 3

Executive Message

Kouichi Ikeda
Chairman of theBoard and CEO,Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Hitoshi Ogita
President and COO,
Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Becoming an Enterprise Group
That Is Sustainable and Accepted by Society
The daily activities of the Asahi Breweries Group are guided by our vision of “becoming a leading
company with abundant growth potential centered on the Asian region, by consistently offering
customers lifelong enjoyment and excitement in our business domains of food and health.”
We believe that CSR lies at the heart of our corporate activities and is essential to our continued
acceptance by society as well as to enhance corporate value.
In pursuing CSR activities, we formulated the Asahi Breweries Group CSR Policy in February 2007
(See p. 5). The Asahi Breweries Group understands that all stakeholders are, in essence, customers
who watch, support and guide our corporate activities. To respond to the expectations of ourcustomers, it is essential that we maintain vigilance across the entire supply chain and global
business development and that we closely collaborate with our business partners. This mindset isreflected in our CSR Policy.
The basis for responding to the requests of our stakeholders and adequately fulfilling our various
social responsibilities lies in the practical actions taken by each individual employee to satisfy thevarious people involved in his or her operations through dynamic interaction. By putting our CSR
Policy into action, we hope to fulfill our social responsibility and steadily enhance our corporate value.
To further promote these CSR activities, we must communicate our thinking and our actions inways that are readily understood by each stakeholder. This is the guiding principle behind the
preparation of the Asahi Breweries Group CSR Report 2008, which summarizes our efforts during thepast year.
We believe one major step for the Asahi Breweries Group’s CSR activities is to involve as many
stakeholders as possible in reading this report and providing opinions and feedback that we canincorporate into future activities.

4 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Corporate Philosophy
The Asahi Breweries Group aims to satisfy customers with the highest
levels of quality and integrity, while contributing to the promotion ofhealthy living and the enrichment of society worldwide.

Guidelines for Corporate Activity
Customer satisfaction
Safety and environmental responsibility
Fair, open corporate ethics
World-class corporate activities

A corporate culture rich in ideas and vitality
Original and responsive corporate action
Independent and integrated management
Continued, high-quality growth

Asahi Breweries Group CSR Policy
The Asahi Breweries Group seeks to bring about a sustainable society, and as we pursue ourprimary business domains of food and health, we will respond to customer expectations bycarrying out our social responsibility through business activities that take the environmentand society into consideration. We will pursue this effort from the perspective of the entire
supply chain and global business development by seeking collaborative actions with ourbusiness partners.
Sustainable Future Society

Business
Partners

Consumers

Supply Chain

Shareholders
andInvestors

Asahi Breweries
Group

Food and
HealthLocal
Communities

Employees

GlobalGlobalEnvironment

Supporting the United Nations Global Compact
Asahi Breweries announced its participation inJune 2002. The Global Compact (GC) was proposedon January 31, 1999, by Kofi Anan, the former
Secretary-General of the United Nations, at aninternational economic forum. The GC calls forparticipating companies to embrace andenact within their sphere of influence a total of
10 principles in the following four areas: humanrights, labor standards, the environment andanti-corruption. The goal of the GC is to actively
effect worldwide change by incorporating andacting on theseprinciples in every aspectof corporate operations.
As of April 1, 2008,
5,226 companies,
international labororganizations andcitizens’ organizations
worldwide were taking
part in this effort.

The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact:
Human
Rights

1. Businesses should support and respect the protectionof internationally proclaimed human rights; and2. make sure that they are not complicit in humanrights abuses.
Labor
3. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association
Standards
and the effective recognition of the right tocollective bargaining;
4. the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory
labor;
5. the effective abolition of child labor; and6. the elimination of discrimination in respect of
employment and occupation.
Environment 7. Businesses should support a precautionary approachto environmental challenges;
8. undertake initiatives to promote greater
environmental responsibility; and9. encourage the development and diffusion ofenvironmentally friendly technologies.
Anti10. Businesses should work against corruption in all its
Corruption
forms, including extortion and bribery.

CSR Report 2008 5

Outline of the Asahi Breweries Group’s Operations

We seek to satisfy customers with the highest levels of quality and integrity,
while contributing to the promotion of healthy living and the enrichment ofsociety worldwide.
Group Long-Term Vision

Become a leading company with abundant growth potential centeredon the Asia region by consistently offering customers lifelong
enjoyment and excitement in our business domains of food and health

Total Alcoholic Beverage Provider
Asahi Breweries enjoys a well-established position in themarket for beer-type beverages, centered on our beer brandAsahi Super Dry, along with leading brands in the happoshu
and new genre markets.
Leveraging our edge in the beer-type beverages market, we
engage in a total alcoholic beverage business that also
encompasses various established brands in the categories ofshochu, low-alcohol beverages, whisky and wine. To fulfill ourgoal of “Satisfying Customers with Great Tastes”—the standard
value that serves as the basis for all innovation and action at
Asahi Breweries—we will continue to present customers withwide-ranging alcoholic beverage products that satisfy
diversified needs.

Corporate Group That Contributes toFood and Health
Building on the strengths of the alcoholic beverages business,
we pursue Group management in the business domains offood and health, which also include the soft drinks andpharmaceutical businesses. With respect to beer and softdrinks, we are aggressively developing our business in Japan aswell as in the Asian region centered on China.
In addition to Asahi Breweries, Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. andAsahi Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd., in recent years we haveadded new companies to the Group, such as chilled beveragemaker LB Ltd. (two companies), health food company SunwellCo., Ltd. and Japan’s largest baby food maker, Wakodo Co., Ltd.,
to expand our business structure. Under the Third
Medium-term Management Plan formulated in 2007, we havebeen endeavoring to steadily bolster our research anddevelopment structure and expand our product lineup by
pursuing the three priority initiatives of “brand cultivation andreinforcement,” “profit structure reform,” and “investments fordramatic growth.”
Composition of Net Sales by Business Division
Other Businesses 5.8 %Food and PharmaceuticalBusiness

Alcoholic Beverages
Business

4.6 %

69.1%

Soft Drinks Business

20.5%

Consolidated

Net Sales

Corporate Outline
Name of the Reporting Organization
Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
Date Founded
September 1, 1949
Representatives
Kouichi Ikeda,
Chairman of the Board and CEO
Hitoshi Ogita,
President and COO

6 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Non-consolidated(Fiscal year ended December 31)

Paid-in Capital
182,531 million yen(as of December 31, 2007)
Total Assets
1,014,878 million yen(as of December 31, 2007)
Subsidiaries/Affiliates
51 consolidated subsidiaries
1 non-consolidated subsidiary under equity method
28 affiliated companies under equity method(as of December 31, 2007)(¥ billion)

1,500

1,464.1
1,400.3 1,444.2 1,430.0 1,446.4

1,200 1,107.0

1,116.4

1,054.2

1,031.1 1,030.7

900
600
300
0

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Alcoholic Beverages Business

Soft Drinks BusinessWe produce and sell beer-type beverages, including beers
such as Asahi Super Dry and Asahi Premium Draft Beer JUKUSEN,
happoshu, such as Asahi Honnama Draft and Asahi Style Free,and new genre beverages such as Clear Asahi, as well as
shochu, low-alcohol beverages, whisky and wine.
In response to changing consumer trends and the impact ofrevised producer prices for beer-type beverages due to surging
raw material prices, we are seeking to build our brand bybolstering our product development capabilities. We are also
striving to strengthen our sales system, which undergirds ourbrand-building efforts, and enhance profitability.
In overseas markets, we have been expanding sales of Asahi
Super Dry with a focus on the Asian region; in China, we
produce and sell branded products of local beer makers inwhich we have invested.
To improve our ability to respond to dramatic changes in thecompetitive environment, we intend to restructure ourmanagement and business strategies and enhance profitability.

Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. produces
and sells soft drinks, including coffee,
tea-based drinks, carbonatedbeverages and fruit juice. In addition,
two LB Ltd. companies engage in thechilled beverage business. Overseas,
we produce and sell soft drinks
centered on the Chinese and South
Korean markets.

Food and Pharmaceutical BusinessAsahi Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd. develops andsells health food, processed food, supplements,
seasonings, yeast extract-based products forindustrial and commercial use, and freeze-driedproducts. In addition, Sunwell Co., Ltd. and
Wakodo Co., Ltd. develop and sell health foodand baby food, respectively.

Other Businesses
We are engaged in logistics and sales support businesses for
the Group, and the restaurant business.

Net Income

Total Assets(Fiscal year ended December 31)(¥ billion)(¥ billion)

60

1,500

50
40
30
20

23.2

28.2

30.6

44.8
44.8
40.5
39.9 38.9
35.5

1,200

1,244.4
1,077.8

1,250.8 1,218.2

1,038.3

981.2

1,288.5 1,324.4

1,014.9

1,070.5

16,00014,654

15,74914,87815,280 15,599

12,000

900
8,000

16.4

4,000 3,779

300

2003

(As of December 31 of each year)

600

10
0

Number of Employees(As of December 31 of each year)

2004

2005

2006

2007

0

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

0

2003

3,700

2004

3,607

2005

3,672

2006

3,725

2007

CSR Report 2008 7

Interview with the President

Asahi Breweries Group fulfills its social responsibility through“CS (Customer Satisfaction)” + R (Relations).”

Q

Hitoshi Ogita

President and COO

What is your basic approach to CSR?

I believe that CSR, or fulfilling our corporate responsibility tosociety, is the most important issue facing companies today.
Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued existence ofAsahi Breweries Group. An essential prerequisite for achieving
this goal is to be a company that is trusted and needed bysociety. Regardless of our profitability, the public would notsupport us if we did not provide a dynamic working
environment for our employees or if we failed to develop asystem and mindset for ensuring legal compliance. I think wemust strongly recognize this point in conducting our business.
In our CSR activities, we recognize that every stakeholder is acustomer who spurs the performance of the Asahi BreweriesGroup. In this sense, the term “customer” not only refers to theconsumers of our products, but also includes shareholders andinvestors, business partners, employees and local communities
as well. Every Group employee is expected to work to satisfy
these customers and to incorporate customer opinions andfeedback into future actions. Our objective is to fulfill our
responsibilities and develop a relationship of trust with our
stakeholders (=our customers) by repeating this cycle. In order
to firmly instill this concept, we intend to accomplish our CSR
with “CS + R,” that is, Customer Satisfaction through Relations.

Q

What is the significance of your CSR efforts
for management and business strategies?

The Asahi Breweries’ Group management guideline for 2008 is“Creation towards Evolution,” while the guideline for Asahi
Breweries, Ltd. is “Creation of New Values for Tomorrow.” Basedon these guidelines we have identified “brand cultivation andreinforcement,” “profit structure reform” and “investments fordramatic growth” as our three priority initiatives. I believe thatpracticing CSR is a precondition for these activities.
A company, needless to say, is a member of society and is
deeply involved with people in various positions inundertaking the conduct of its business. Therefore, thefulfillment of our responsibility to live in harmony with society

8 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Asahi Breweries Group “CS + R”

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction
Consumers

Proposal andInformation
Disclosure to
Customers

Customers

Business
Partners

Supporting
the Asahi Breweries Group’s
Corporate Activities

Shareholders
andInvestors

Employees

Becoming an Enterprise That Fulfills Its
Social Responsibilities Based on“CS (Customer Satisfaction) + R (Relations)”

Local
Communities

GlobalEnvironment

Enhanced Corporate Value
Customer Feedback
and Opinions

is a major condition for pursuing our management andbusiness strategies. In this sense, our CSR efforts lie at the very
foundation of all our corporate activities.

Q

How should we as individuals practicallyapproach CSR?

The power of a company is nothing more than the combinedenergy of the individuals who work there. It is important that
all individuals in their respective divisions—including myself, as
the one who is responsible for management aspresident—recognize the roles and responsibilities of theirpositions in the execution of operations.
As the pace of social change accelerates, companies andproducts will come under greater scrutiny from customers. We
must respond to this situation by evolving, without regard toconventional constraints, to consistently present new valuethat responds to the needs of the times.
All of us at the Asahi Breweries Group continue to pursue
customer satisfaction to live in harmony with society through

CSR Report 2008 9

Interview with the President

ongoing dialogue with various stakeholders—our“customers”—with whom we come into contact. I hope tocreate a positive cycle in which these actions enhance trust in
our company as well as our corporate value, which in turnintensifies employee motivation.
To this end, I will strive to create a working environment inwhich each individual member of the Asahi Breweries Groupcan vigorously demonstrate their abilities.

Q

In particular, what do you emphasize in yourCSR activities?

The Asahi Breweries Group’s CSR activities are focused on six
priority initiatives—Environmental Conservation, Pursuit of
Quality, Encouraging Moderate and Responsible Drinking,Compliance with Laws and Ethical Standards, Appropriate
Information Disclosure, and Living in Harmony with Local
Communities. In this report we have especially provided
detailed information on environmental conservation, quality,
and moderate drinking, three themes in which customers haveexpressed special interest.
Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and food—our mainstay
products—are produced from nature’s bounty, including
water, grains and fruit. Therefore, conserving the global
environment that nurtures valuable raw materials is, for us, an
important theme that is interwoven with the very existence ofour business.
Similarly, product quality is literally our lifeline as a foodmaker. In recent years we have observed a number of incidents
in which the safety of food has been compromised, both inJapan and abroad. While we must, of course, secure theintrinsic safety of our products, as I mentioned before, I also
believe that each of us must practice CSR and build up a trackrecord of safety in every aspect of providing our products andservices, so that the Asahi Breweries Group as a whole will beidentified with safety.
Promoting moderate drinking is another important theme.
We must recognize the facts and communicate information on
the various negative impacts of alcohol, such as the danger ofdrinking and driving. On the other hand, I believe alcohol is an

10 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

The Six Priority Initiatives of the Asahi Breweries Group
Compliance with Laws andEthical Standards

Environmental Conservation

Perform corporate activities incompliance with laws and ethicalstandards to gain the trust of society.

Reduce the Group’s burden on theenvironment and carry out
conservation activities for forests andwater resources to protect the global
environment.

Appropriate Information
Disclosure

Living in Harmony with
Local Communities

Encouraging Moderate& Responsible Drinking

Rapidly disclose information in a fairand impartial manner to raise thetransparency of corporate
management.

Support volunteer and culturalactivities to contribute to the creationof cultural living in communities. In
addition, encourage exchanges withlocal communities to deepen mutual
understanding.

Carry out initiatives to prevent underagedrinking, drinking and driving, andalcohol consumption by pregnant andbreast-feeding women to actively fulfill
the responsibility of enlightening
consumers on proper drinking.

Pursuit of Quality
Develop and provide high quality
products and services to gain thetrust and ensure the satisfaction of
the customer.

invention of human wisdom that promotes communication
with others, enriches our daily lives and provides us with theenergy to go on. We are proud to be in the business of creating
alcoholic beverages as products with a long history andculture and which are deeply rooted in our daily lives. It is justas important that we express the rich culture and positive
aspects of alcohol so that everyone can appropriately enjoy
the products we provide with pride.

Q

What future challenges do you anticipate?

As I have already stated, fulfilling CSR is the greatest challenge
for companies today. The Asahi Breweries Group must cultivate
an even stronger relationship with society to further enhance
our corporate value by pursuing CSR, not as something we are
expected or forced to do, but as an activity that we pursue inthe natural course of doing business.
Based on this line of thought, I hope every member of the
Asahi Breweries Group will always act with full awareness of
their respective roles, so that we can continue to exist for years
to come as a corporate group that leads in the creation ofvalue in the domains of food and health.

CSR Report 2008 11

As a corporate business in the 21st century

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Passing on the beauty of nature to coming generations is a primary concern
shared by all the peoples of the Earth. Effectively addressing this issue is justas essential for a food maker that vitally depends upon the blessings ofnature, such as water and agricultural goods, to ensure the continuity of its business.
Recognizing this fact, the Asahi Breweries Group strives to reduce the environmental
burden associated with our operations, including the manufacturing process, as wellas to communicate information on the overall impact of society on the environment
with people within and outside the company.

Basic Environmental Principles (Established January 2000)
Basic Philosophy
Beer is made from the bounties of nature, such as water, barley and hops. We at the Asahi BreweriesGroup believe we are responsible for ensuring our children inherit a healthier planet. To achieve ourgoals for protecting this beautiful planet and the people who live on it, we believe our actions must
demonstrate our gratitude for the natural bounty the Earth provides us all.

Guidelines for Activity
Strive to promote waste reduction and recycling to reduce the use ofnatural resources and to conserve energy.
Endeavor to reduce the output and usage of substance that burden theenvironment, such as CO2 and CFCs.
Promote systems and practices that conserve water, the most precious
resource for the Asahi Breweries Group.
Be aware of environmental concerns in product development, in thedevelopment of technologies and in procurement.
Contribute to society by actively supporting environmental protection
activities and encouraging our employees to participate as well.
In addition to carefully observing all environmental laws and regulations,each affiliated company will develop its own environmental standards.
Outside Japan, be aware of local environmental concerns and actively
work to promote environmental protection in eachcountry in which the Group operates.
Strive to communicate openly with society by providing
appropriate information on our environmental systems
and practices.

12 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Curbing global warming
Japan’s target under the Kyoto Protocol

6

Reducing CO2 emissions associated with global warming is a goalthat should be shared by all humankind and a concern that
requires worldwide cooperation. The Asahi Breweries Group
releases CO2 in the course of consuming energy at our production
sites, and we recognize that cutting back these emissions is a
critical social responsibility.
Based on this conviction, we have determined that our key
alcoholic beverages segment will lead in this effort by reducing
CO2 emissions by 15% against 1990 levels by fiscal 2010, a target
that exceeds Japan’s commitment in the Kyoto Protocol of 6%against 1990 levels. All our business operations, particularly thosecentered on manufacturing, are working in concert to meet thistarget, through efforts focused on conserving energy to ultimately
reduce CO2 emissions.
We are also pursuing activities that help to control the level of
CO2 emissions, such as research and development into biomass
ethanol and expediting the use of wind power generation.

%

Fiscal 1990

Uncompromising
Quality Control

reduction of
CO2 emissions

First commitment
period(fiscal 2008–2012)

P.16

Ratio of freshwater to total water resources on the Earth

Freshwater

2.5%

Fresh water is the main raw material in ourcornerstone products—protecting this resourceis critical for the very existence of our business.

Glaciers and others
1.76 %*
Undergroundwater
0.76 %*

Seawater and others
97.5%

Readily available
water from rivers,
lakes, swamps, etc.

0.01

%*

* Values represent the ratio of global resources
Data source: “The 3rd World Water Forum,” 2003, released by the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

2

Conserving
water resources

For the Asahi Breweries Group, which produces alcoholic
beverages and soft drinks, water is an essential raw material that
directly impacts the continued existence of our business. As thedeclining availability of water resources becomes a global issue,
the entire Group has placed the water conservation at the forefrontof its environmental initiatives. We are working to reduce
consumption and to purify wastewater to ensure the continued
abundance of resources, both in terms of quality and quantity, farinto the future.
Our breweries throughout Japan are also cooperating with local
NPOs to preserve forestlands, which are important sources of watersupply. In addition, we donate to groups that promote activities toprotect water and greenery through Water Planet, the Asahi
Breweries environmental fund, which was established in
March 2004.
P.17
CSR Report 2008 13

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

In light of the first commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol, our current top priority is
reducing CO2 emissions.

Initiatives in
Other Areas

1

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Vital initiatives for the GroupVital initiatives for the Group3

Prioritization of processes
toward a recycling society

Controlling waste
generation and discharge

Procurement of
natural resources

We are promoting the 3Rs—reduce, reuse and recycle—andworking toward 100% recycling across the entire Group.

Production(Manufacturing, logistics, etc.)

1

Reduceminimize solid waste

Consumption

2

Reuse

use whatevercan be used again

Waste

3

Recycle4

Waste heat recovery

5

Appropriate disposal

convert to raw material what cannot be reused

Treatment(Recycling, incinerating, etc.)

utilize thermal energy for heat that cannot be reused

Final disposal

4!!

Every industry faces the challenge of reducing waste as theavailable landfill space continues to decline and as industrial waste
leads to escalated levels of environmental pollution. In the foodindustry, the 2007 revisions to the Food Recycling Law require that
actions be taken more quickly to address this issue.
The Asahi Breweries Group also generates various wastes andby-products during the manufacturing process at our breweries
and other production sites. We are actively promoting the 3Rs inworking toward a recycling-oriented society.
Asahi Breweries recycled 100% of its waste from all its breweries
before fiscal 2002. We have been working to achieve a 100%
recycling rate at Group factories by fiscal 2010, and will broaden
the scope of these efforts to include sales bases and offices toengage the entire Group in accomplishing this goal.

P.18

This chart is based on documents released by the Japanese Ministryof the Environment.

?

Environmental communication
We provide opportunities for thinking about environmental conservation
through various educational events.

Environmental preservation is not just a challenge
for the industrial segment; states, municipalities andconsumers must also be aware of and address thisconcern in unison. Asahi Breweries believes thatbeyond reducing environmental burdens throughour business activities, we must also educate society
at large about preserving the environment as one of
our fundamental social responsibilities. By holding
events, such as Environmental Culture Seminars, theWakamusha (Young Samurai) Educational Seminarfor Protecting Japan’s Environment, “Morinoko Juku”(Children of the Forest School), and “Kazenoko Juku”(Children of the Wind School), we promote
environmental education to deepen understanding
and provide opportunities for local residents to think
about these issues as well as for the children who
will bear responsibility for the future of the Earth.

P.20
14 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Energy sources of CO2 emissions by segment
Industry482

5.6

million t-CO2% reduction

Household30.4% increase

166

455

million t-CO2

million t-CO2

127

million t-CO2

1990

2006

1990

2006

Data source: “FY2006 Provisionary Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Overview)” released by theJapanese Ministry of the Environment

DIALOGUE
Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Expert Opinions

Implement CSR across theentire product lifecycle
and take responsibility foryour supply chain

Think about what you can do
not only as a corporation but
also as a member of society

Minako Oishi

Sustainability Planner,
Response Ability, Inc.

Vice Chairperson, Environment
Committee, Nippon Association ofConsumer Specialists (NACS)

From the standpoint of the consumer, if an accident or
problematic incident were to break out within the Asahi
Breweries’ supply chain, the incident would be viewed as
Asahi Breweries’ responsibility. This is exactly why I urge
you to clarify your policies and structure for raw material
procurement. I expect Asahi to fulfill its CSR obligations
throughout the lifecycle of its products, including theentire supply chain.

Naoki Adachi

In order to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by
2050, Japan must reduce emissions by 80–90%. An
enterprise would not survive under these circumstances
unless it considered how to continue its business.
Another important matter is to address the issue not as asingle business but in its entirety, including your supply
chain. I would like to see Asahi Breweries reinforce
cooperative relationships with its suppliers and work
toward solving environmental issues.

Value the views of yourconsumers, employees,
business partners, andstakeholders

It is important to know the
impact global warming has
on your business as a food
manufacturer

Soichi Ueda

Nobuyuki Sugimoto

Producer, Think the Earth Project

Associate General Manager,
Environmental & Safety Department and
PR & CSR Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

When you address environmental issues, it is very
important to see through the eyes of others who arekeenly aware of the environment and the corporation’s
CSR activities. Employees and business partners are also
highly motivated when they feel their work has a positive
impact on society and the environment. I think
relationships with stakeholders are important foraddressing the complex problems related to resources,
such as water and the environment.

The food industry may exert less impact on theenvironment than other industries, but on the other
hand, it is significantly affected by global warming. I
believe we are expected to not only think about reducing
our own company’s environmental burden but to also
consider the challenges society at large faces in solving
environmental problems and how we as companies in
the food industry can help address these problems.

CSR Report 2008 15

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Date: November 15, 2007
Location: Headquarters of Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
Moderator: Hiroyuki Tada, Joint Representative,
Japan for Sustainability (JFS)

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

Uncompromising
Quality Control

The Asahi Breweries Group promotes environmental
preservation activities while conducting dialogues with
our stakeholders. As a part of our efforts in 2007, we
invited four outside experts who addressenvironmental problems from their own distinctive
positions to a stakeholders dialogue. At the forum, we
asked their opinions on what is required of the Asahi
Breweries Group in social issues such as curbing
global warming.

The results of our initiatives

1

Prevention of global warming

Introducing energy-saving equipment andpromoting fuel conversion
The Asahi Breweries Group is introducing energy-saving
equipment and promoting fuel conversion in our factories toreduce the use of electricity and boiler combustion, which
generate CO2 emissions. We are also introducing
cogeneration systems and promoting the collection andrecycling of CO2 at our breweries. Actions in fiscal 2007
included converting from heavy oil to urban gas for fuel, andintroducing a cogeneration system in the Fukushima
Brewery as well as introducing a solar power generation
CO2 emissions (Asahi Breweries Ltd.* Production volume)

Energy consumption (Asahi Breweries Ltd.* Production volume)(1,000 tons)

600(kg/kl)

161

400

260

121

120

317

314

115
287

160

112
270

105

0

Basic unit

252

200

2003

2004

2005

2006

120

(1,000 GJ)

12,00040
02007* Consolidated data for manufacturing beer-type beverages in all breweries in the Asahi Group.

(GJ/kl)

3.20

8,000

5,193

80
Total CO2
emissions

1990

system in the Hakata Brewery.
In 2007, Asahi Breweries and the Group as a whole both
reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions (totals andper-unit) compared with the levels of the previous fiscal year.
Across all 12 Group manufacturing companies, CO2
emissions increased 8% compared with the level of 1990, thestandard level of the Kyoto Protocol, in proportion with theincrease in our production volume. Nevertheless, on a
per-unit basis, we reduced emissions by 24%.

2.46

2.40

2.33

2.26

6,441

6,260

5,793

5,468

Basic unit

Total energy
consumption

1990

2003

2004

2005

2006

0

2007

CO2 emissions (All 12 Group manufacturing companies by sales)

Energy consumption (All 12 Group manufacturing companies by sales)(1,000 GJ)

800
600
400

347
348

293
420

283
394

283
400

263

Basic unit 270

376
Total CO2
emissions

200
0

360

1990

2004

2005

2006

2007

12,000(GJ/one million yen)

6.78

10,000

180

8,000

90

6,000

0

0

5.83
8,357

6,803

5.68

5.69

7,911

8,041

8

5.41

Basic unit

7,739

Rooftop solar power generation system at
Hakata Brewery

16 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

6
4

Total energy 2
consumption

1990

2004

2005

2006

2007

Encouraging the use and spread of natural energy
Asahi Breweries advances activities that contribute to the
spread of natural energy. One initiative was the installation ofa solar power generation system in the Hakata Brewery inMarch 2007. Our business was selected as a field test site for
New Technology in Photovoltaic Generation, a joint research
program carried out by
the New Energy andIndustrial Technology
Development
Organization. With thisinstallation, we achieved
an annual reduction of1* Consolidated data for manufacturing beer-type beverages in all breweries in the Asahi Group.

(1,000 tons)(kg/one million yen)

2

5,216

4,000
0

3

2.17

about 85 tons of CO2 emissions.
We are also funding the Aso-Nishihara Wind Farm, apremier wind-power generation business on the island of
Kyushu, operated in Kumamoto Prefecture by ElectricPower Development Co., Ltd. Since it started operations in
2005, the wind farm has generated 25 million kWh ofelectricity annually, equivalent to the yearly electricity
consumption of 7,000 households. We have been
conducting Asahi J-Power “Kazenoko Juku” (Children of theWind School), a work-study program for local elementary
school children at this site since 2006.

0

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Conserving water resources

Reducing water consumption andenvironmental load of waste water
Water consumption (Asahi Breweries, Ltd.* Production volume)(1,000 m3)

32,000(m3/kl)9.1

24,00014,781

16,000

9

6.5

6.3

6.4

6.0

17,01816,544

15,912

14,500 13,917

5.8
Basic unit

6

3
Water
consumption

8,000
0

1990

2003

2004

2005

0

2007

2006

Uncompromising
Quality Control

The Asahi Breweries Group is engaged in conserving water,
one of the most important raw materials used for ouralcoholic beverages and soft drinks, from the perspectivesof efficiently using water resources and effectively
managing waste water quality.
To save service water, we are reducing the amount ofwater we use for washing and sterilizing our tanks and pipe
works and efficiently using water collected from thebreweries. In fiscal 2007, the water consumption (totals andper-unit) of Asahi Breweries and the entire Group decreased
from the previous year. Per-unit service water consumption
declined about 3% in the Asahi Breweries Group, and about
4% in all 12 Group manufacturing companies.
To control waste water quality, Asahi Breweries purifies
wastewater generated through the manufacturing processof beer-type beverages using anaerobic processing systems
within our breweries before discharging it into sewers andrivers. A number of our breweries also perform active carbon
treatment in addition to conventional purification processes
to control the quality level to be near that of tap water.

* Consolidated data for manufacturing beer-type beverages in all breweries in the Asahi Group.

Water consumption (All 12 Group manufacturing companies by sakes)(1,000 m3)

15.8

15.8

(m3/one million yen)

15.3

24,00022,59722,00021,99021,649Basic unit

20,97420,000
0

16

14.7

15
14

Water
consumption 13

2004

2005

2006

2007

0

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

2

Forests provide the Asahi Breweries Group, with the waterthat is indispensable for our beer-type and other beverage
products. To protect forests, Asahi Breweries continues tocarry out preservation activities for forests that are necessaryfor each brewery’s water resources.
In 2004, the Shikoku Brewery started this effort andby 2006 we had expanded it to all nine breweries. As of May
2008, actions have been carried out on 25 occasions.
Employees and their families from all Asahi breweries andGroup companies, consistently volunteer for community-

based activities, including planting saplings, trimming
shrubs and overgrown branches, in addition to thinning,with the cooperation of local NPOs, forestry unions,administration offices, or the
National Land Afforestation
Promotion Organization.

Water resource preservation activity at
Okushima Yama National Forest,
Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture

Future Issues

Steadfast action has produced
significant rewards
We have been carrying out water resource
preservation activities at the Suita Brewery once a
year since 2006. At first, participants had difficulty
understanding the relationship between forest
preservation activities and water. Their
understanding deepened, however, witheach activity. I am moved by the change in employee
awareness, and the children accompanying them are
now interested in the mountains. I believe that
continuing these activities to the point we can see with
our own eyes the regeneration of the forest will further
enhance participant motivation. We employees will workin concert so that we can realize the much-awaited
rebirth of the forest.

Naoko Kimura General Affairs Department, Suita Brewery, Asahi Breweries Co., Ltd.
CSR Report 2008 17

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Water resource preservation activities for breweries

The results of our initiatives

3

Controlling waste generation and discharge

Toward 100% recycling of waste and by-products acrossthe entire Group

Although our breweries generate approximately 300,000
tons of waste and by-products every year, we have been
recycling 100% since 1998. We are working toward thetarget of 100% recycling across all 33 Group manufacturing
sites, and in 2007 achieved this milestone in 28 factories.
We intend to reach this goal by fiscal 2010 for theremaining five new Group companies (LB Co., Ltd., Tokyo
and Nagoya; Wakodo Co., Ltd., Tochigi and Shizuoka; andWako Food Industry Co., Ltd.).
The Asahi Breweries Group is also working to generateless waste. The amount of waste generated across theentire Group in fiscal 2007 increased about 3% over theprevious year due to business expansion; however, we willcontinue to promote initiatives to limit waste whiledevising unique plans for each factory.

Future Issues

Toward the formation of a recycling society
To maintain 100% recycling, we are continuing to practicethe 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) in handling various
waste and by-products generated during the
manufacturing process. For example, malt feed, a major
by-product produced during the
brewing process, has typically been
useful as livestock feed.
The most important future issue isachieving our target of 100% waste
recycling across all 33 Group
manufacturing sites by 2010. We areworking toward achieving this target
at the earliest possible time.

Takeshi Kurashige

Social & Environmental Management Department,
Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Effective utilization of beer yeast

Beer yeast

Hosaku Monogatariplant activator

Asahi Super Beer YeastEBIOS

18 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Developing a plant activatorusing yeast, a by-productWe had already been reusing beer yeast, a beer
fermentation by-product, in products such as the EBIOS
tablets and as a yeast extract for seasoning. In 2006, wedeveloped the plant activator, Hosaku Monogatari, whichuses yeast cell walls generated from beer yeast and has theeffect of strengthening plant immune systems. We offer
this product to producers of lettuce, tomatoes andstrawberries, as a safe and reliable natural ingredient that
reduces environmental burden by decreasing the amountsof fertilizer residue.

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Promoting the 3Rs in containers and packaging

Aluminum cans
Beer bottles

Collection

Recyclingby collection andre-manufacture

Bars and restaurants
Remelted aluminum
ingot manufacturer

RetailersReuseby retail collection

Aluminum rolling mills

Aluminum canmanufacturer
Wholesalers

Conventional can lids

Can lids after conversion (Super End
206-diameter)

Reuse
Nearly 100% of returnable beer bottles are collected after
use and reused an average of 30 times. We will continue
our endeavors to educate customers on the excellent
properties of returnable bottles, and that reuse lessens theoverall environmental burden.
We also collect keg beer containers from restaurantclients and return them to our breweries for reuse.
RecycleContainers and packaging used by Asahi Breweries consist
primarily of aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, and PET
bottles. Japan maintains a high recycling rate for thesematerials against global standards.
In order to contribute to the creation of a recycling
society, the Asahi Breweries belongs to and actively
participates in organizations for recycling containers andpackaging.

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Flow of products(bottles and aluminum cans)
Flow of beer bottle reuse
Flow of aluminum can recycling

Customer

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

ReduceTo effectively utilize limited resources while ensuringcontent protection and safety, we endeavor to reduce theweight of containers and packaging.
We have recently increased the utilization ratio ofrecyclable materials and improved the strength of cans thatare thinner than conventional ones. In fiscal 2006, wereduced aluminum volume per liter for beer-type
beverages by 10.6% compared with 1990. Furthermore, in
fiscal 2008, we succeeded in reducing the weight of can lids
by 9% by redesigning their shape.

Reusing and recycling beer bottles and aluminum cans

Breweries

Use of eco-friendly materials
We use “other-colored” cullet*, which generally have fewer
opportunities for recycling, as Super Ecology Bottles for the
Sankaboshizai-Mutenka-Yuki Wine made in Japan by Sainte
Neige Wine Co., Ltd.
Wakodo Co., Ltd. actively uses materials made in Japanfor paper cartons, in compliance with the spirit of the
National Movement for Fostering Beautiful Forests and the
Kizukai (“use wood”) movement promoted by the Forestry
Agency. Wakodo obtained certification for the “Thinned
Wood Mark” by using materials made in Japan that consistof at least 10% thinned domestic wood for at least 30% of
its packaging. Some of the materials made in Japan utilize
thinned wood from our corporate-owned Asahi Forest(see p. 20).
* Cullet: Crushed glass bottles that are mainly recycled into glass bottle materials.

CSR Report 2008 19

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Containers and packaging are essential for protecting thecontent of products. However, each stage, from extracting
materials and production to recycling containers andpackaging negatively impacts the environment. The Asahi
Breweries Group promotes the 3Rs in order to minimize
these problems.

The results of our initiatives!!4?

Environmental communications

Disseminating information acquired at the corporate-owned
Asahi Forest
Management of a sustainable forest with a morethan 60-year history
Forests are vital assets that serve various functions, such asconserving water resources as well as preserving soil andabsorbing CO2. Amid concerns in recent years about the
decline and devastation of forests around the world, theForestry Agency in Japan has been actively encouraging
the use of domestic wood.
The Asahi Breweries takes advantage of our corporateowned Asahi Forest, which we have been cultivating for the
past 66 years, in emphasizing the use of thinned wood andproviding insight into environmental awareness.
The Asahi Forest occupies 2,165 hectares in the expansive
area surrounding Shobara and Miyoshi in Hiroshima
Prefecture. All mountains in the 15 divisions of thecorporate-owned forest are FSC-certified* and have been
designated as Water Resource Conservation Forests. We willcontinue to maintain this sustainable forest and push forwardwith the operation of environment-friendly woodlands.
* FSC certification: A certification granted to forests managed appropriately under international
standards that span environmental, social and economic concerns as set forth by the Forest
Stewardship Council. Wood and wood products yielded by certified forests are marked with aunique certification logo for broad distribution to consumers.

Collaboration with local NPOs to encourage the useof thinned woodThinned wood is primarily used for building materials. It isalso used in promotional materials for bars and restaurants
as well as disposable chopsticks supplied to restaurants
outside of the Asahi Breweries Group. Recently, we havealso been working with local NPOs to promote the use ofthinned wood as wood pellets, which are attracting

attention as a biomass fuel for effectively controlling CO2
emissions. Moreover, by actively disseminating information
widely, we are helping to improve the understanding offorest preservation and environmental awareness.
Environmental education event for children,“Morinoko Juku”
Since 2006, we have conducted the Asahi Morinoko Juku
(Children of the Forest School) in the Asahi Forest. Throughexperience-based education, local children to learn theforest’s roles, such as absorbing CO2 nourishing water andpreserving biodiversity.

The Asahi Forest, which absorbs 12,200
tons of CO2 annuallyThinning wood improves theabsorption of light and nutrientsand promotes healthy growth

Asahi Morinoko Juku

A wooden tag and a pair of disposable
chopsticks made from thinned wood

Future Issues

We will communicate the magnificence of the forest to all we can
We cooperate with local communities in nurturing the
Asahi Forest with the goal of realizing harmony
between environmental preservation and economic
efficiency. With afforestation of the Asahi Forest
completed in 2000, leaving native forest in more than
20% of the land area, we obtained FSC certification in
September 2001, the third incidence of certification
within Japan and the first among Japanese foodcorporation-owned forests.

Currently, we are caring for the forest byannually thinning 100 hectares of wood. With
meticulous care and appropriate use, the forest
will vigorously grow and continually share its
bounty with us. We would like tocommunicate the importance andmagnificence of the forest’s cycle to all we
can through Asahi Forest activities.

Shigetaka Nakamura Head of the Asahi Forest Environmental Preservation Office, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

20 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Emphasizing environmental education

Workshop camp group

Third party opinion

Major fields ofexperience-based education
Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Nature found in local
areas (forests / rivers)• Environmental
specialists/consultants• NPOsSchoolForestry Associations/• Recycling
businesses
People familiar• withchanges inculture/history/
the environment

observed environmental activities carried out by our
Fukushima Brewery and experienced a study session in theLake Inawashiro area under the guidance of a local forestry
association. Upon returning to their local communities, thestudents engaged in close-to-home environmental
activities, such as using fuel made from waste cooking oil
and purifying river water with charcoal.
We will continue to contribute to the realization of asustainable society together with local residents throughthese kinds of learning opportunities.

Dr. Naoki Adachi
Doctor of Science
CEO, Response Ability, Inc.

The Asahi Breweries has been a leader, not only in thebeer industry but for Japanese enterprises as a whole, in
reducing environmental burdens within its business
operations. However, the world has changed rapidly overthe past few years. For example, total CO2 emissions must

be reduced as well as per-unit reductions. Whenreviewing Asahi Breweries’ activities from thisperspective, there is certainly room for improvement. Thismay be the right time to reconsider the assumptions
behind your actions and apply new evaluation standards.
The same can be said of biodiversity. Beer is madefrom the bounty of nature, so the preservation of
biodiversity is essential for the continuation of Asahi
Breweries’ business.
Although Japan has not yet begun to fully address thisconcern, I look forward to Asahi Breweries’ active
contribution to sustainable management in addition to
the protection of water resources and living organisms.

CSR Report 2008 21

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

High school
students

Expectations for Asahi Breweries

I look forward to yourreducing total CO2
emissions and preserving
biodiversity

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Provision of knowledge and technology through diverse
perspectives: Wakamusha (Young Samurai) Educational
Seminar for Protecting Japan’s Environment

Initiatives in
Other Areas

The Asahi Breweries holds educational activities in various
regions to work with local community residents in reducing
environmental burdens. One activity is the Wakamusha(Young Samurai) Educational Seminar for Protecting Japan’s
Environment, which we have held since 2006, targetinghigh school students.
The seminars provide high school students with
opportunities for directly experiencing environmental
issues through hands-on education in forests and along
rivers and in company tours, and to think about solving
problems and putting their ideas into practice. Through thisprogram, we endeavor to nurture ambitious young samurai
who have acquired the ability to face up to and solve local
environmental issues.
Participants, who are selected from high school groups
that apply, take part in workshop camps. They formulate
environmental activity plans for their respective local
communities based on what they have learned. After thecamp, participants put their plans into practice within theirlocal communities andreport on the results at a
final presentation held at
the end of the year.
In fiscal 2007, theseminar was held in the
Tohoku district.
Participating groupsAs a corporate group that contributes to food and health

Uncompromising
Quality Control

With food and health as core business domains, the Asahi Breweries Group
offers safe, high-quality products that customers can use with confidence as afundamental social responsibility and a cornerstone for business longevity.
To fulfill this responsibility, the entire Group carries out uncompromising quality control
throughout every process, from product development, material procurement,
manufacturing, logistics and sales, continuing through into labeling and advertising inaccordance with our own quality policy as well as strict compliance with laws andregulations.
Asahi Breweries Group Quality Policy (Established August 2007)
Basic Philosophy“Satisfying Customers with Great Tastes”
We provide customer satisfaction by delivering an abundant, original selection of safe,
high-quality products and services throughout all corporate activities, from productdevelopment, material procurement, manufacturing, logistics, distribution and sales.

Guidelines for Activity
We deliver products and services that customers can use withconfidence by placing top priority on safety.
We listen to direct customer opinions and reflect them in our products
and services; we proactively offer appropriate information.
All members of the Asahi Breweries Group place themselves in thecustomers’ position and act with sincerity.
We ensure quality by incorporating international standards andperspectives, such as ISO and HACCP, and in our overseas operations, wegain a thorough understanding of each country’s quality requirements.
We comply with laws and regulations related to quality, and each Group
company also complies with the self-regulations of their respective
industry.

22 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Vital initiatives for the Group

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

1

Reinforcing Groupmanagement structure

Sharing common values and living up to the trust placed in us
by our customers, we pursue activities based on the Quality
Policy under the leadership of our Quality Committee.

Technology to support food safety
Detectingresidual
pesticides

Detectingallergens

Analytical technology
related to food and raw materials

2

Uncompromising
Quality Control• Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Soft Drinks• Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd.
• LB Co., Ltd. (two companies)

Food andPharmaceuticals• Asahi Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd.
• Sunwell Co., Ltd.
• Wakodo Co., Ltd.

Distinguishing
geneticallymodified crops

Detectingmicrobial
contamination

We are strengthening our analytical technology to support
quality assurance centered on the Research Laboratories
for Food Safety Chemistry.

An effective quality assurance system depends on continually
expanding the technology and expertise that supports it. Asahi
Breweries is working to strengthen its skills in analyticaltechnology from a variety of perspectives related to food and raw
materials, such as residual pesticides, mycotoxins, and geneticallymodified crops.
At the core of these initiatives is our Research Laboratories for
Food Safety Chemistry, established in October 2007. The
laboratories conduct research and carry out development utilizing
state-of-the-art analytical equipment, applying the results in quality
assurance throughout the entire Group.
P.27

CSR Report 2008 23

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

Alcoholic Beverages

Expanding technologicalexpertise in quality
assurance

Food safety

Detectingmycotoxins

Asahi Breweries’ expanding product domains

Initiatives in
Other Areas

A company’s approach to quality is more important than everbefore as customers become increasingly concerned over foodsafety. Asahi Breweries believes it must establish and reinforce its
Group-wide quality assurance system to continue living up to thetrust placed in us by our customers while taking into consideration
the rising number of Group companies and product lines in thewake of our expanding business.
To this end, the Asahi Breweries Group founded its Quality
Committee in 2005. Since establishment, the Committee has
periodically convened to promote quality control measures andhas aligned all Group companies behind these efforts. Eachcompany is building a quality assurance system for its specificbusiness and organization while working to make the systemeffective based on the Quality Policy planned and developed by
the Committee.
P.26

Vital initiatives for the Group3

Promising quality throughout
the entire supply chain

We are striving to guarantee quality that lives up to customer trust throughout the entire
supply chain, from product development, material procurement, manufacturing logistics,
distribution and sales, to labeling and advertising.

Uncompromising quality assurance throughout the entire
supply chain—from new product development to material
procurement, manufacturing, logistics, sales, and including
even labeling and advertising—is just as important for
offering products that customers can confidently enjoy as
quality control during the manufacturing process. Based on
this conviction, Asahi Breweries has established a system
and mechanism for securing product quality and safety
throughout every process in the supply chain.
For example, in new product development, our New
Product Development Process Verification Meeting
evaluates the risk to quality from various positions. Only
initiatives approved by the meeting can proceed to
production.

In procurement of raw materials, we have secured safety
by establishing our Regulations for Procurement Quality
Assurance and Standards for Raw Material Risk
Management, as well as a traceability system.
In manufacturing, we strive to reduce quality risks
through various analyses at the Quality Control Center andby exercising quality control through the Taikoban
Guarantee System.
And we continually seek to enhance quality forcustomers at the moment of drinking through Total
Freshness Management Activities in post-production
storage and shipping, right up to handling at retailers, bars
and restaurants.
P.28

The Asahi Breweries quality assurance system

Customers

Utilization of information
provided by customers
New product development

Utilization of information provided by customers
Quality Management Committee—Quality improvement
Public Expression Committee—Appropriateness of expressions on labeling and advertising

Product Development

Procurement of
Raw Materials• New Product Development• Raw material receipt

Process Verification Meeting• Quality Management
Committee• Public Expression
Committee

Information flow
Manufacturing/Distribution process

24 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

inspection• Quality audits of suppliers• QA Meetings• Standards for Raw Material
Risk Management• AAA System (raw material
information management
system)Manufacturing• Quality Assurance System• Taikoban Guarantee System• TECOS21• ISO 9001
• Accident-Zero activities• Food sanitation
management

Logistics

Distribution and Sales• Shipment decision

Customer communication• “Freshness check”
Keg draft beer quality
assurance• ISO 9001
• Keg Fresh Beer Quality
Seminars
Advertisements andsupport materials• Public Expression Committee

standards• Ship-by and best-before
regulations• Gift production standards• Storage and shipping
management

DIALOGUE

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

System for Incorporating Customer
Feedback into Our Business
Through the Customer Relations OfficeUncompromising
Quality Control

The Asahi Breweries Group refers to customer comments
as “quality calls,” which it considers to be valuable assets
for improving management quality. Through proactive
dialogue with our customers, we develop and improve
products and services based on a good understanding of
the issues, so that we can continuously heighten
customer satisfaction and incorporate the information
into management and operational policies.
The Customer Relations Office* plays a central role inour dialogues with customers. We respond to customers
who contact the Customer Relations Office in a spirit ofgratitude and strive to consider each comment promptly,
accurately and respectfully by placing ourselves in theposition of the customer.

Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Customers

Manufacturing plant/
laboratory
Phone, email,letter, fax, etc.
Answers/
responses

Sales location

Customer
Relations
Office(branch/sub-branch)

Headquarters related
departments

CS Report

Offering responses in the form of
improved products and services thathave incorporated comments received
from customers.

“Customer Information Topics”

Comments received are analyzed from various
perspectives and updated on the corporate intranet.

“Quality Calls” database

Customer comments and our responses are enteredinto this database for sharing among all employees.

Asahi Breweries deploys a system for the real-time entryof all customer inquiries, such as comments andopinions, requests and problems, into a fully secured
in-house database, allowing all employees, from sales
staff to management, to share and utilize this data.
In May 2005, we launched the “Customer Information
Topics” page on our corporate intranet, which analyzes
comments sent to us from various perspectives andManagement
Initiatives in
Other Areas• Opinions• Requests• Suggestions• Reference• Problems

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking* Each of six companies maintains a Customer Relations Office: Asahi Breweries, Ltd.,
Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd., Asahi Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd., LB Co., Ltd. (twocompanies), and Wakodo Co., Ltd.

provides employees with timely information. “CS reports”
are also posted to this intranet page. These reports, which
are submitted to management, include details on
responses to specific issues and are produced by thedepartments involved.
Personal information and company names are deleted
from these reports to protect customer privacy.

CSR Report 2008 25

Representative results of our initiatives

1

Reinforcing the management structure of the Group

Reinforced management based on theGroup Quality Policy
Enhanced operation and information sharing related
to quality assurance
The Asahi Breweries Group has been convening Group
Quality Management Committee meetings every twomonths since December 2005.
The committee, consisting of quality assurance
department personnel from Group companies, establishes
quality assurance structures and strategies, and shares
related information. The committee is developing aGroup-wide quality maintenance infrastructure, including
the establishment of the Group Quality Policy (see p. 22) inAugust 2007 and the Group Quality Crisis Management
Guideline, which stipulates responses to potentially serious
accidents that could impact product quality. The
committee also deliberates response policies for food safety
upon exchanging related information, such as responses toJapan’s Positive List System and management of raw
material expiration dates.
In 2007, the committee, which originally consisted of
Asahi Breweries, Ltd., Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. and Asahi
Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd., was expanded to include LB Co.,
Ltd. (two companies), Wakodo Co., Ltd. and Sunwell Co., Ltd.,further reinforcing
overall Group structure.
The committee
discussed methods forpreventing therecurrence of defective
Group Quality Management Committee

products, through such means as managing raw material
expiration dates and maintaining voluntary inspection flow
charts related to health food safety as well as case studies ofvoluntary collection, in the meetings held in 2007.
Reinforcing Group-wide verification of appropriate labeling
Recognizing labeling and advertising as importantelements of quality, Asahi Breweries established the Public
Expression Committee in 1995. Committee members
selected from 17 company departments have beenreviewing company-wide labeling and expressions on
products, advertisements and sales promotional items fromvarious perspectives on a weekly basis to offer truthful,accurate labeling and advertising to customers.
Group companies (Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd., Asahi Food
& Healthcare Co., Ltd., Wakodo Co., Ltd. and LB Co., Ltd. (twocompanies)) have also established review boards based on
Asahi Breweries’ initiatives and are taking action accordingly.
Quality audits of Group companies
Asahi Breweries provides personnel and expertise to support
the quality assurance activities of Group companies. It also
confirms the operational status of each company’s quality
control system through periodic quality audits.
Quality auditing has been conducted for Group
companies’ headquarters, factories and restaurants, chiefly
by the Asahi Breweries’ Quality Assurance Department. In
2007, we audited 36 sites including those overseas (China
headquarters, Yantai Beer Asahi Co., Ltd., and Shandong
Asahi Green Source High Tech Farm Co., Ltd.).

Future Issues

Developing an infrastructure for a quality assurance system as a Group member
Almost two years have passed since Wakodo Co.,
Ltd. joined the Asahi Breweries Group. Like
Wakodo, many Group companies are in the foodbusiness, and I have found many colleagues to
consult with through information exchange
meetings and regular business correspondence. I
am just beginning to feel like a member of theGroup on a personal level as well.
Since Wakodo joined the Group in

2007, we have established our own Public Expression
Committee as well as the Wakodo Quality Policy/Activity Policy,
which is based on the Asahi Breweries Group quality policy. We
plan to establish a quality review board in fiscal 2008.
We have also launched a company-wide quality
improvement initiative. By identifying the problems in eachdepartment and reviewing fundamental mechanisms related toquality, we plan to develop a foundation for a quality assurance
system centered on the production department.

Junichi Sekiguchi Head of the Quality Assurance Department, Wakodo Co., Ltd.

26 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Expanding technical expertise related to quality assurance

Establishment of analysis/research institutions
in support of food safety
have participated in a collaborative test involving methodsof analysis with the National Institute of Health Sciences,which worked on developing the analysis methods formycotoxins.
The Asahi Breweries Group will further pursue productsafety by continuously addressing similar leading-edge
topics and themes.

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

The Asahi Breweries Group established a Quality Control
Center to support Group companies in further living up to
customer trust amid increasing public concern over foodsafety. The center analyzes each company’s products andsubsequently reports its results and advises each company
on potential quality risks and preventive measures as a
specialized, independent entity.
In October 2007, we established the ResearchLaboratories for Food Safety Chemistry. The laboratories use
high-precision analytical equipment and state-of-the-art
assessment technology to promote research anddevelopment. The analysis methods established here areutilized in quality inspections at the Quality Control Center.
The laboratories also work closely with related
government ministries, international research and safety
institutions, academic societies, and the industry as a whole
to closely exchange information and promote joint
investigations and research. In recent years the laboratories

Uncompromising
Quality Control

2

Research and Development Center

The positive effects of lactic acid bacteria on human healthare widely known. In the beer industry, however, researchhas been conducted on measures to prevent thisspoilage-causing microorganism, which reduces the flavor
and aroma of beer. Beer spoilage is caused by a very few
species of bacteria that are resistant to hop, a naturally
derived antimicrobial constituent. The same bacterial
species may or may not cause spoilage, however, andscreening and extermination have been problematic
because detection has been difficult through normal
inspection media.
The Asahi Breweries
Research Laboratories for
Brewing Technology havebeen researching the
hop-resistant mechanismof the lactic acid bacteria
spoilage of beer for morethan 12 years. It has produced world-leading results such as,“Discovery of hop-resistant genes in beer spoilage lactic
acid bacteria and a horizontal transmission hypothesis,”“Proposing a method for accurately screening beer spoilage
lactic acid bacteria,” and “Development of inspection media
for complex culture lactic acid bacteria.” In 2007, this seriesof research studies received the 2007 Japan Brewing
Academy Encouragement Award from the Brewing Societyof Japan*.
The laboratories hope to further evolve inspection
technology and sanitation control, build a foundation for
quality assurance based on the results of these studies andthen contribute to the entire beer industry by widely
releasing the details of our research around the world.
* Brewing Society of Japan: Established in 1987 to promote the enhancement of academic
research related to brewing. The Encouragement Award is presented once a year to anindividual society member who has achieved a significant advance in brewing research anddevelopment.

The award ceremony

CSR Report 2008 27

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Pursuit of innovative microbial inspection methods

Representative results of our initiatives

3

Assuring quality throughout the entire supply chain

Reinforced traceability in all areas of development and
raw materials procurement
Asahi Breweries conducts stringent quality control from theinitial stage of product development and works to procure
safe raw materials.
In the development process, we perform tests andreviews to confirm that raw materials, packaging materials,
content descriptions and labeling conform to applicablelaws and regulations as well as to our corporate standards.
In the procurement of raw materials, we select suppliers
after confirming the list of
the agricultural chemicals
used, agriculturalchemical application
records and analytical
data. We only procure raw
materials from suppliers
who cooperate with us in
Quality audit of suppliers

ensuring quality and safety, including compliance with the
Positive List System*1. To ensure quality maintenance andimprovement, our procurement department conducts
quality audits of suppliers and holds regular QA Meetings*2
with large-volume suppliers.
We have strengthened traceability of raw materials andproduct and have been utilizing the results to support
prompt responses to problems and facilitate meticulous
quality control. Asahi Breweries and Nikka Whisky Distilling
established the AAA System to guarantee the uniform
management of raw materials and product information.
Full scale operations began in April 2007. We can ensure
traceability by only using raw materials registered in thesystem when developing products.
*1 Positive List System: A system that, in principle, prohibits food that contains more thana specified amount of agricultural chemicals for which standards are not yet established.
*2 QA Meetings: Meetings related to Quality Assurance (QA).

Operation of a unique quality assurance systemin the manufacturing process
In 1991, Asahi Breweries introduced its Taikoban System,
which guarantees that products were manufactured
through prescribed processes and that designatedstandards have been achieved.
Through the system, we confirm the quality andoperational status of equipment for each lot and issue
product quality warranties. The staff responsible for quality
assurance then reviews all warranties and applies a
Taikoban seal confirming quality prior to shipment. Should
any abnormality be discovered at any point in the process,the system is designed to prevent the product fromproceeding to the next step until the cause has been
identified and quality can be ensured.
Moreover, to nearly eliminate quality risk factors, weclarified situations that can lead to even the remotepossibility of microbial contamination, the intermixture offoreign liquid or gas, the entry of foreign substances ordifferent varieties . We apply an approach based on
examining the actual site, ingredients and overall situation
without overlooking predictors. In addition to practicing
the items stipulated in the guidelines, each manufacturing

28 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Flowchart of the Taikoban Guarantee System
Department staff
responsible for individual
production processes

TECOS21

Quality warranty

Staff enters results of quality inspection and analysis and operational
status of equipment for each production lot.
Each department verifies the correct process is being followed tosecure consistent quality based on the concept of CCP (Critical Control
Points) shipment decisions and issues a quality warranty. TECOS21(TEchnical COmputer System) is a unique system that compares
inspection and analysis data for each process against standards andreference values and examines.
Products are shipped after the staff responsible for quality assurance
has checked all warranties and applied a Taikoban seal.

site also conducts a self-diagnosis each year for
improvement purposes.
In accordance with our belief that consistently producing
good products requires establishing, refining and sharing
techniques that form the backbone of manufacturing, wehave established systems to share the expertise of skilled
technicians with the next generation, such as the Technical
Master System (11*), Technical Expert System (total 106*),
and the Apprenticeship System (12 instances in fiscal 2007).
* Numbers in parentheses indicate certified personnel as of the end of 2007

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

vibration during transport, Asahi Breweries is devisingmeasures related to delivery vehicles and protective
materials and promoting
the introduction ofheat-insulated cars.
* RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification):
A technology for exchanging information
via identification-imbedded tags.

Sorting RFID tagged items

Various seminars for enhancing sales service
Asahi Breweries conducts Keg Fresh Beer Quality Seminars
that instruct wholesalers, retailers and restaurants in thebest practices for storing keg draft beer (approximately
44,800 outlets*1) andstore-front freshness
seminars and spot salecampaigns at massretailers to offer
customers the tips forenjoying good-tastingbeer at home (approximately 170 sessions*2). Dedicatedstaff members regularly visit individual outlets of massretailers and collect date-of-manufacture information for
production and logistics planning.
We also conduct staff training to concretely implement
our basic policy for responding to customer concerns overproduct defects, which is to conduct a proper investigationand follow up with a report and prompt response.

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

Once a product has been manufactured, deterioration must
be prevented to maintain freshness. Asahi Breweries
shortens the lead time from factory to points of sale bycoordinating with wholesalers and retailers to enable us toplan for the required shipment volume ahead of time andcan ship immediately after production.
Since 2006, we have been introducing RFID* for greater
efficiency in sorting at factories to stabilize lead times. To
avoid quality deterioration from exposure to sunlight orUncompromising
Quality Control

Shortened lead times*1 Numbers in parentheses indicate participants as of fiscal 2007
*2 Numbers in parentheses indicate campaigns held in fiscal 2007

Third party opinion

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Asahi Keg Fresh Beer Quality Seminars

Expectations for Asahi Breweries

I look forward to seeing theestablishment of a crisis
management structure tofurther increase consumer
confidence
Professor Nobuo Gohara
Toin University of Yokohama Law School

I think that Asahi Breweries’ diligent quality improvement
efforts in beer manufacturing, where uniform freshness
and taste is vital, have led to its current quality assurance
structure encompassing the entire supply chain. The
company is also steadily standardizing its quality

assurance structure to keep pace with rapidly expanding
Group businesses.
In a dramatically evolving food business environment,
where consumer demand is becoming increasingly
sophisticated and complex, the only fear is theheightened risk of unforeseeable problems as theGroup’s business diversifies. These risks will vary greatly
depending on the product characteristics and target
customers. I would like to see Asahi Breweries establish acrisis management structure that forecasts prevalent
problematic climates in all its products and further
secures consumer confidence in the safety and securityof the brand.

CSR Report 2008 29

As a Total Alcoholic Beverage Provider

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking
Since ancient times, alcoholic beverages have been produced around the world
as a cultural asset that brings delight and pleasure into daily life. At the same time,
however, inappropriate drinking habits are associated with a variety of social problems.
The Asahi Breweries Group believes it is our serious responsibility as an alcoholic
beverage maker to lead the way in solving these problems, and we are directing
significant energy across the Group into educational activities that promote moderate
and responsible drinking in line with The Asahi Breweries Group’s Basic Philosophy for
Promotion of Moderate & Responsible Drinking.
The Asahi Breweries Group’s Basic Philosophy for Promotion ofModerate & Responsible Drinking (Established December 2004)
Basic Philosophy
The Asahi Breweries Group will work towards developing a healthy alcohol-related culture while atthe same time, fulfilling its social responsibility by acknowledging the characteristics of alcoholic
beverages and promoting moderate and responsible drinking in a systematic and continuous
manner, thereby contributing to the realization of a healthy and affluent society.

Action Guidelines
We will disseminate information about moderate and responsible drinking.
We will comply with related laws and regulations and voluntary standards
set up by the industry and the Group in our sales activities.
We will take steps to prevent problems associated with improper drinking
habits such as drunk driving, underage drinking, drinking during pregnancy
or while breastfeeding, and binge drinking, in addition to cooperating withand assisting social movements against improper drinking.
We will drive medical research on the relationship between alcohol andhealth, and provide assistance to external organizations.
As members of a corporate group dealing in alcoholic beverages, ouremployees will keep current with accurate information on moderate andresponsible drinking, be mindful of their responsibilities, and act
accordingly. To this end, we will actively provide training and education.

30 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Prevention of underage drinking
Recognizing the serious impact of alcohol on young minds and bodies,
we continue to raise awareness in cooperation with industry groups

2

20.7%

34.5
Rate of fatal accidents is

times

higher for drunk driving than for traffic accidents
not associated with alcohol

5.8%
2.7%
0.6%
Driving while
intoxicated*2

Driving under
the influenceof alcohol*3(0.25 and above)

Driving under
the influenceof alcohol*3(less than 0.25)

Alcohol is involved

Below thestandard value

Impaired growthDysfunctions inorgans, such as
liver andpancreas

Reproductive
dysfunctions

Driving without
drinking alcohol

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Impact on
brain neurons

Elimination of
drunk driving

Rate of fatal accidents
by degree of alcohol impairment*1 (2007)

3.2%

Impact of drinking on the health of minors

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

The lower metabolic breakdown of alcohol in young people at atime when they are still maturing physically and psychologicallyplaces them at increased risk of impaired growth, organ
dysfunction, and other conditions associated with underagedrinking. Some research even points to a greater likelihood ofdeveloping an alcohol dependency at an early age.
Recognizing that underage drinking has a particularly serious
social impact, Asahi Breweries is implementing a broad effort tofight this problem, including educational activities through the“STOP! Underage Drinking” campaign undertaken jointly with theBrewers Association of Japan, the management of its own Fund for
the Prevention of Underage Drinking and the distribution oflearning tools targeting primary school students.
P.34

Warnings issued through the media, restaurants and bars
to prevent drunk driving as a social scourge
Drunk driving has continued to result in serious accidents in recent
years, and therefore is a social problem that must be addressed.
Beyond the risk to human life, such accidents can ruin the lives of
those who survive, including the individuals at fault, their families
and the families of the victims.
With the goal of eliminating such tragedies, the Asahi Breweries
is working to eradicate drunk driving with the awareness of its
responsibility as an alcoholic beverage manufacturer. The company
calls for the prevention of drunk driving through various media,
such as television commercials and posters and stickers inrestaurants and bars, including those operated by the Group. The
Asahi Breweries Group also makes sure employees are in fullcompliance with internal rules on drinking, including spot checks
for residual traces of alcohol on the breath of salespeople
every morning before driving.
P.35*1 Fatal accident rate: Number of fatal accidents ÷ number of traffic accidents x 100.
*2 Driving while intoxicated: Driving while not being capable of operating a vehicle due to the influenceof alcohol.
*3 Driving under the influence of alcohol: Driving with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.15mg per literand above or blood alcohol concentration of 0.3mg per ml and above. Values in the graph represents
breath alcohol concentration.
Created based on “Change in fatal accident rate of drivers of small motor vehicles and above (primary
party),” a report published by the National Police Agency.

CSR Report 2008 31

Initiatives in
Other Areas

1

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Vital initiatives for the GroupVital initiatives for the Group

3

Prevention of otherdrinking problems

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome causes disabilities in infantsRaising awareness to prevent high-risk drinking
behaviors, including drinking during pregnancy,
binge drinking and heavy drinking

When alcohol is ingested by a pregnant woman, it enters into
the infant’s body through the placenta with potentiallyadverse effects, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
Alcohol intake during pregnancy is also known to result inpremature birth, miscarriage or abnormal labor. Caution
should be exercised also during breastfeeding, since alcohol
can enter the child’s body through breast milk.

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)?
These congenital anomalies have been found in infants ofwomen who ingested alcohol while pregnant:Low body
weightbefore andafter birthCentralnervous systemdysfunctions(delayed development,
intellectual impairment)

Abnormal
cephalic/
facial features

Drinking based on misguided knowledge or attitudes canhave serious consequences; for example, drinking by
pregnant women can affect the unborn infant, binge
drinking can cause acute alcohol poisoning, and heavy
drinking can result in alcohol dependency.
Asahi Breweries publicly addresses these behaviors bydisseminating accurate information to prevent theoccurrence of drinking-related problems and accidents.
While releasing verifiable information through its Web siteand printed guidebooks, the company also works toprevent alcohol dependency in cooperation with NGOs,
NPOs and medical institutions.

P.36...and others

4

Industry-wide collaboration
Addressing alcohol problems from a global standpoint through theparticipation in international industry associations

The dangers of irresponsible drinking habits have been
discussed in recent years at the general assembly of theWorld Health Organization (WHO). Initiatives for moderate
and responsible drinking have reached global proportions
in response to alcohol-related problems.
In this context, the Asahi Breweries believes it isimportant to raise awareness of moderate and responsible
drinking across the world as well as in Japan. Therefore, thecompany is involved in international research institutes andindustry associations to explore methods for preventing theimpact of irresponsible drinking.
Through these groups, the company will appropriately
respond to WHO’s policies concerning alcohol.
P.37

Key points for the advertisement/
promotion of alcoholic beverages (excerpts)

Avoid expressions that encourage, suggest,or otherwise induce underage drinking.
Avoid advertising on TV programs, radio
programs, newspapers, magazines, Web sites
or leaflets that target minors.
Avoid using minors as models in advertising.
Avoid expressions that might be seen toequate alcoholic beverages with soft drinks.
Avoid using expressions that can lead toexcessive drinking or drunk driving.

Source: “Self-Regulatory Code of Advertisement Practices and Container Labeling for Alcoholic
Beverages,” Japan Liquor Industry Council

32 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

SOUR
LiquorDIALOGUE
Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Expert Opinions

In 2007 Asahi Breweries held stakeholders dialogues
focused on alcohol-related problems. Five external
experts offered their opinions on alcohol-related
problems as well as requests and recommendations
for addressing them.

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Date: November 28, 2007
Venue: Asahi Breweries
Moderator: Peter David Pedersen, Chief Executive of E-Square

We must recognize thesocial environment
surrounding the mass
production and consumptionof alcoholic beverages.
Shinji Shimuzu
Professor of the Department of Cultureand Humanities, Faculty of Human Lifeand Environment, Nara Women’s
University

To keep alcoholic beverages as a part of our society, we
may need to build a new drinking culture toward creatinga social environment that encourages moderate andresponsible drinking.

I want more information
distributed on moderate
and responsible drinking.

Sachio Matsushita
Director, Department of Psychiatry,
National Hospital Organization Kurihama
Alcoholism Center

Although tougher penalties have been imposed toprevent drunk driving, the drivers may be suffering fromalcohol dependency. Alcoholism is an illness, and drunk
driving can be a symptom. We must approach thisproblem from the perspective of treatment in addition totoughening penalties.

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

Because alcoholism is an
illness, we must view it fromthe perspective of treatment,
not just the severity ofpunishment.

Masami Kojima

A key responsibility for alcoholic
beverage manufacturers is to provide the public withinformation on the risks associated with alcohol. Asahi
Breweries’ educational activities on moderate andresponsible drinking are commendable, but I want to see
more efforts so that information reaches more people.

Looking for stronger
contributions to improve theenvironment for moderate
and responsible drinking.
Takeshi Haseba

Look at both the usefulness
and adverse affects ofalcohol to eliminate harm.

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Senior Staff Writer, Living & Domestic
News Dept., The Mainichi Newspapers

Tomomi Imanari
Chairperson, Japan Specified Non-profit
Corporation to Prevent Alcohol andDrug Problems

We don’t categorically reject drinking. We believe weneed to reject without compromise those aspects thatcause harm. We want Asahi Breweries to look at both theusefulness and risks associated with alcohol andproactively incorporate the results in their CSR. I hope thecompany will also further advance employee education
to demonstrate its commitment to frontline workers.

Lecturer, Department of Legal
Medicine, Nippon Medical School

To address alcohol-related problems, it is important toimprove the environment for moderate and responsible
drinking rather than questioning the responsibility of
those who drink. This is a social responsibility of alcoholic
beverage manufacturers as well as state andadministrative authorities.

CSR Report 2008 33

The results of our initiatives

1

Prevention of underage drinking

Management of the Fund for the Prevention ofUnderage Drinking
Asahi Breweries is spotlighting the risk of drinking by minors
and enlightening the wider public to prevent underagedrinking.
As a part of these efforts, the company established its
Fund for the Prevention of Underage Drinking in March
2005. The fund offers grants mainly to groups andindividuals who conduct medical, social or educational
research for preventing underage drinking and those who
hold forums or seminars related to this issue. The annual
budget for these grants is 10 million yen. The fund accepts
applications from the general public every year anddetermines recipients based on an impartial review by apanel of external experts.

In 2007, applications were solicited from January to
March, and grants were subsequently offered to 10 projects.
On April 19, an award ceremony was held in conjunction
with a briefing session on the results of research andactivities that had received grants in the preceding cycle.

Award ceremony

Briefing session

Development of an educational tool forprimary school students
As a part of its educational activities to prevent underagedrinking, Asahi Breweries has developed an educational tool
for primary school students entitled, “What would you do?
What could happen?—Learn about alcoholic beverages.” It
is distributed without charge to anyone who requests it.
This four-page informal tool can be used to supplementclassroom material or school educational activities.
The tool provides information on problems and coping
strategies related to underage drinking while deepening
communication with friends and family members through afill-in-the-blank test on why minors should not drink
alcohol, which encourages them to think together about
how to refuse offers of alcohol. While the tool is designed
for fifth or sixth graders, younger students and junior-highstudents may also enjoy it.
In March 2008, the tool won the Outstanding
Performance Award in the Printed Material Division of the
6th Consumer Education Material Recognition held by
Supporters for Consumers.
Future Issues

Ongoing improvements through feedback
from classrooms
Feedback is constantly received from schools that haveused the tool, including the following comments:“We used the tool for role-plays in theclassroom”; “We distributed the tool before
summer and winter holidays”; “Children took itvery seriously.”
Going forward, we will make the tool, alongwith our Web site, easier to understand andbetter suited to the needs of school education.

Mitoe Onoda“What would you do? What could happen?
—Learn about alcoholic beverages.”

34 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Customer Relations Office of the Social &Environmental Management Department,
Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Asahi Breweries works closely as an organization to prevent
drunk driving.
During brewery tours we have placed flags, signs andposters discouraging drinking and driving in and aroundtasting rooms. When visitors arrive in cars, we identify thedrivers at the entrance and ask them to wear a “Prevent
Drunk Driving” badge. We also request that drivers notparticipate in tastings.
Asahi Beer Garden, Ltd., which operates restaurants, alsoasks customers who are driving to wear an original “driverbadge.” In addition, our menus include a statement thatdeclares we do not serve alcoholic beverages to drivers,
which is verbally repeated when orders are taken, and we

display posters and stickers inside our establishments
urging the prevention of drunk driving and place cards
near the cash register at the exit andinside the parking lot to encourage theuse of a replacement driver service.
We participate in public service
activities that call for the prevention of
drunk driving and take every opportunity
to share this message through the media
such as TV commercials, newspaper andmagazine ads.
Poster urging theprevention of drunk driving

Alcohol checks of salespeople

Alcohol detector

Similar efforts are also implemented by other Group
companies. This is particularly true at companies thatfrequently use vehicles, including Asahi Logistics Co., Ltd.
and East/West Japan Asahi Draft Beer Service, Ltd., which
maintain draft beer equipment in restaurants and bars,
and therefore apply even stricter standards to prevent
drunk driving.

Initiatives in
Other Areas

The Asahi Breweries Group has implemented strict
initiatives to prevent drunk driving by employees.
For example, in 2007, Asahi Breweries introduced alcohol
checks at individual worksites of salespeople who drive
frequently. Every morning, supervisors check drivers using
alcohol detectors and only allow driving if the alcohol
indication is zero. Alcohol detectors areprovided to employees who must drive
without coming in to the office before orafter perfoming their duties, along with
instructions for conducting self-checks. We
have also established strict regulations that,in principle, ban drinking after 10 o’clockat night, and anyone found to haveviolated the rules will not be allowed todrive company vehicles the next morning.

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Considerations during brewery tours and at restaurants

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Elimination of drunk driving

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

2

Future Issues

Toward establishing a system thatcompletely prevents drunk driving
As employees in a company that handles alcoholic
beverages, we should never cause an accident that involves
alcohol. In the Tokyo metropolitan area and Kanto/
Shin-Etsu area for which I am responsible,
an alcohol detector is provided toevery employee who drives acompany vehicle. Each of themchecks his/her breath and records theresult before driving. We intend tofurther strengthen and thoroughly
enforce this system.

Youhei Matsuda
General Affairs Department,
Tokyo Branch, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

CSR Report 2008 35

The results of our initiatives

3

Prevention of other drinking problems

Distribution of the Guidebook for Moderate andResponsible Drinking
Asahi Breweries publishes the Guidebook for Moderate andResponsible Drinking, which is useful for those who comeinto close contact with alcoholic beverages, fromadolescents who have yet to start drinking to senior citizens
who have enjoyed alcoholic beverages for years. The
pamphlet warns against dangerous drinking habits throughtext and cartoons and explains the key points for thehealthy enjoyment of alcohol in a style that is easy
to understand.
The guidebook is distributed to anyone upon request
through our Web site, or by phone or fax, as well as touniversities nationwide, where it is used to provide
guidance to freshmen.
URL To request the guidebook, please visit:

http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr/user/user_21.html

Guidebook for Moderate andResponsible Drinking

An educational section
supporting responsible
drinking on our Web site

Warning labels against
drinking during
pregnancy

Asahi Breweries has opened a section of its Web site
dedicated to providing information on dangerous drinking
habits, such as binge drinking and heavy drinking, and topromote moderate and responsible drinking. In addition tobasic information on alcoholic beverages, the section offers
key considerations for drinking in a clear, easy tounderstand manner.

Alcohol intake by pregnant women may, in some cases,
result in the birth of infants with congenital anomalies.
During breastfeeding, alcohol can enter the baby’s bodythrough breast milk.
Since June 2004, the industry has voluntarily included
warning labels against drinking during pregnancy andbreastfeeding.

URL Web site to promote moderate and responsible drinking:

http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr/tekisei/guidebook/Warning labels against drinking during pregnancy“Good relationship with alcohol” Web site

36 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Promoting moderate and responsible drinking from a
global perspective

Third party opinion*1 ICAP: Established in 1995, ICAP is a non-profit organization concerned with international
alcoholic problems. Current members include 11 major alcoholic beverage manufacturers
around the world, including Asahi Breweries.
*2 GAPG: Global Alcohol Producers Group is an international industry group established inAugust 2005 by alcoholic beverage manufacturers worldwide. An industry association fromJapan, of which Asahi Breweries is also a member, is part of this organization.

Lecture by the author

Japanese version of
Drinking in Context

Expectations for Asahi Breweries

Lead the industry in the
self-regulation of labelingand advertising
Tomomi Imanari
Chairperson, Japan Specified Non-profit
Corporation to Prevent Alcohol andDrug Problems

Alcoholic beverages have intoxicating and dependence
properties as well as toxic effects on organs. Depending
on how you drink, they can lead to lifestyle diseases oreven death. Drunk driving can cause devastating
accidents, and alcoholic dependency can ruin not only
the mind and body of the dependent person but also

Uncompromising
Quality Control

activities. Here, the company studies voluntary standards
and related topics from a global point of view to encourage
appropriate advertising, promotion, and sales of alcoholic
beverages in Japan.

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Asahi Breweries believes we must inform the public of thepositive aspects of alcoholic beverages while also striving toprevent the harmful effects of irresponsible drinking bystudying various activities across the world from a global
perspective. In line with this approach, Asahi Breweries has
become the only Asian member of the International Center
for Alcohol Policies (ICAP*1), where we have beencollaborating with a study of the ideal alcohol policy, which
is a major ICAP activity. As part of this study, the company
published a Japanese-language version of ICAP’s
publication, Drinking in Context. The book is being soldnationwide through the bookstore chain Kinokuniya topromote educational activities.
In addition, Asahi Breweries strictly reviews its advertisingand promotional activities based on industry standards aswell as our own voluntary standards. On this front, thecompany, in partnership with the industry, has become amember of GAPG*2, through which global alcoholic
beverage companies collectively advance voluntary

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Industry-wide collaboration

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

4seriously impact his or her family. Just like light is always
accompanied by shadow, the fun and comfort ofdrinking can conceal a major peril. Alcoholic beverage
manufacturers must face this fact. The company has
positioned efforts to address this issue as a top priority
and has stepped up its corporate engagement, including
its Public Expression Committee, the Fund for thePrevention of Underage Drinking and ICAP. I personallyview the self-regulation of labeling and advertising as themost critical factor, and the place where the company’s
genuine commitment will be tested. Action is required
now, especially to protect women, who tend to be more
vulnerable. I would like to see the company lead theindustry in self-regulation.

CSR Report 2008 37

We pursue initiatives for other social responsibilities
based on dialogues with stakeholders

Compliance

Compliance Promotion System
The Asahi Breweries Group established the Basic Regulations
on Corporate Ethics of the Asahi Breweries Group to realize
its corporate philosophy and to promote legally soundmanagement. Based on these rules, we specify an internal
system and operations for corporate ethics.
Compliance Promotion System (as of March 2007)
The Asahi Breweries Group Corporate Ethics Committee
Secretariat
General Manager in
Charge of Legal Affairs

General Manager,
General Affairs and Legal
Management Department

General Affairs andLegal Management
Department
Head Office Managers

Business Units Managers (including Group companies
Business Unit: Manager,
General Affairs andSecretary Department

31 Legal Promoters for
Government Regulations(GLP)

27 Senior Legal Promoters(SLP)

Business Unit: Managers

130 Legal Promoters(LP)

The Asahi Breweries Group Corporate Ethics Committee, adecision-making entity, is chaired by the director in charge ofcompliance and risk. The committee consists of fivemembers: board members and executive officers of Asahi
Breweries and an outside lawyer. The Committee employs
the corporate ethics rules and the in-house reporting system,
and conducts compliance education and monitoring toensure sound operations across the entire Group.
The Group introduced the Legal Promoter System in1999 to ensure everyone in the field concretely
understands the importance of compliance and practices itin daily operations. This system deploys employees who
have received compliance training organized by theGeneral Affairs and Legal Management Department andhave gained sufficient knowledge as Legal Promoters forevery Group business unit and company.
In addition, highly knowledgeable Senior Legal
Promoters have been assigned to major business units
since 2002 to further reinforce our compliance promotion
system. In March 2006, Legal Promoters for Government
Regulations were assigned to the Head Office to review
worksite operations from a technical perspective based on
regulatory mandates governing major operations, further
strengthening our compliance promotion system.

Operation of the Clean Line System
The Asahi Breweries Group has the Clean Line System forquickly identifying potential risks associated with businessactivities and preventing the occurrence of major problems.
The system was established to address problems that, forwhatever reason, employees felt they could not report or ask
about through standard channels. It protects those who
approach experts with regard to workplace actions that are,or may be, in violation of prevailing laws and regulations, theGroup’s Business Ethics Rule, or other rules. Consultations
can be arranged either through an internal contact personusing the Corporate Ethics Committee Office or an external
contact person using contractual lawyers. Reporting can beface-to-face or via e-mail, sealed letter or fax (external
contacts only).
Issues reported through the system are vigorously
investigated, reviewed and properly addressed by thecommittee and steps are taken to ensure that no employee
ever places themselves at risk by reporting problems.

38 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Flow of the
In-house
Reporting System

Chairman of the Board, President

Directive

ReportThe Asahi Breweries Group Corporate Ethics Committee• Directors • Executive Officers • Contractual Lawyer
Directive

ReportInternal Contact
Corporate Ethics Committee Office

Request for Investigation* Name of reporting party can beconcealed at their discretion.

• General Manager, Legal Affairs• General Manager, General Affairs• Contractual Lawyer

and Legal Management Department

Response

Consultation (name disclosed)
Response

External Contact

Selection

Employee Seeking
Consultation

Consultation(name disclosed/
anonymous)
ResponseConserving the
Earth’s Environment

Creating a pleasant workplace

Promotion of work-life balance
Employee Support Systems for Maternity Leave,
Childcare and Other Family Care Leave
OutlineMaternity
leave system

Employees are allowed to take leaves of absence ofup to 14 weeks for pre- and postnatal care.

Childcare leavesystem

Employees are allowed to take leave when they havechildren under the age of 2 years. Men can also use
this system.

Exemption fromfull working hours
for childcare

Employees who provide care for elementary
school-aged children in third grade or below, or otherchildren under school age are allowed to start orleave work one hour earlier or later than usual.

Exemption fromfull working hours
for family members

Employees who provide care for family members are
eligible to start or leave work two hours earlier or later
than usual.

Family care leavesystem

Employees who provide care for relatives are allowed
to take leaves of absence of up to one year within a
two year period, as well as the right to start or leave
work two hours earlier or later than usual.

Reemployment
system

Employees who had left the company after
completing three years of service to provide childcare
or care for another family member are reemployed if
certain requirements are met.

Since 2006, Asahi Breweries has been preparing to phase in
OSHMS across the Group focusing on the eradication or
reduction of potential risks through risk assessment. In
2007, the Hokkaido Brewery and the Kanagawa Brewery of
the Asahi Breweries were OSHMS certified, followed by the
Suita Brewery in January 2008.
Furthermore, management personnel training seminars
are conducted under the guidance of visiting lecturers toraise safety awareness across the entire Asahi BreweriesGroup. Information exchange sessions are regularly held toshare knowledge and expertise.
In 2007, we worked to advance the safety level throughthe development of policies, targets, and issues to beshared across the Group including new Group members,
Wakodo Co., Ltd. and LB Co., Ltd. (two companies).
In terms of health management, the company supports
the mental well-being of employees as well as their

Scene of risk assessment efforts

Initiatives in
Other Areas

Occupational safety and health, andemployee health management

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Support System

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

The Asahi Breweries Group is working to create a workplacethat encourages employees to work vigorously and leadfully satisfying lives. As part of these efforts, we introduced
support systems that exceed legal mandates under ourbasic policy for providing employees with as much support
as possible so they can continue working while attending tofamily needs including childbirth, childcare and care giving
for family members.
In addition, Asahi Breweries implemented a new flextime
system in November 2007 to support the autonomous
working styles of employees. Individual sites can introduce
the system, and some departments, including research
centers, have already done so.
Under this system, both start and finish times are left toindividual choice without the constraint of any core work
hours (period during which all employees must work).
Employees can flexibly plan their work schedule for
improved efficiency and better health management. We
intend for this system to take root while promoting a shift
in the concept of working toward increased productivity.

Training by industrial health staff

physical health with the goal of early detection andprevention of stress. We have established systems andstructures, including the assignment of industrial
physicians, health practitioners and nurses at individualsites across the country, contracts with psychiatrists, Mental
Health Training to newly assigned managers and Mental
Health Counseling by a certified clinical psychologist.

CSR Report 2008 39

We pursue initiatives for other social responsibilities
based on dialogues with stakeholders

Contributions to local communities

Ongoing donations to return value to the local community
As part of its social action programs, Asahi Breweriescontinues ongoing efforts to return value to local
communities by donating a part of product sales toenvironmental preservation activities as well as the arts andculture.
Donation to the organizing body of the Hokkaido
Toyako Summit
In July 2008, the Hokkaido Toyako Summit will be held as aninternational conference on issues related to climate ischange including global warming. Asahi Breweries selling a
specially branded Hokkaido Toyako Summit Asahi Super Dry
350ml only in the Hokkaido area from the end of January to
March. A total of 7,065,816 yen, equivalent to one yen percan, will be donated to the Hokkaido Toyako Summit
Preparation Council.
In addition, Asahi Super Dry medium-sizedbottles will be produced and sold frommid-April, and one yen per bottle will bealso donated to the Hokkaido Toyako
Summit Preparation Council and used forsummit-related projects and environmental
preservation activities in Hokkaido.
Hokkaido Toyako Summit Asahi Super Dry 350ml

Supporting environmental preservation activities infour prefectures of Shikoku
In appreciation for marking the 10th anniversary of its
Shikoku Brewery operations in 2008, Asahi Breweries isrunning a campaign to help preserve water and forestry
resources in four prefectures of Shikoku. The company
donates one yen for each campaign product produced in
the Shikoku Brewery and shipped from March 11 throughJune 30, 2008 in this area. The donation is intended to help
water and forestry preservation activities conducted by thefour prefectures. In addition, employees of the Asahi
Breweries Group will participate. We plan to continue thiscampaign for three years from 2008 to 2010.

Six-pack of Asahi Super Dry 350ml: Thanks to the Water and Forests of Shikoku

Partnering with communities in times of disasterIndividual Asahi Breweries production facilities haveconcluded arrangements with their respective
communities to help restore areas struck by disasters suchas earthquakes or typhoons. They have established systems
based on these arrangements, including the supply ofwater stocked in the plants at the time of disaster and theinstallation of water purification systems (CV).
Furthermore, the Asahi Breweries Group actively
supports disaster-stricken areas beyond the immediately
surrounding communities. In October 2004, we provided
Group products such as drinking water and food to the area
hit by the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake. We also sentblankets, food, cotton gloves, and so forth stored in

40 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

individual breweries to our Fukushima Brewery, which issituated near the disaster area, and distributed them atrequest of the local governments.
In addition to these initiatives, we have institutionalized
volunteer leaves so that our employees can join activities tosupport disaster-stricken
areas as they choose. We
are also actively making
donations to
disaster-stricken areas
through the One Beer
Club, our officefund-raising vehicle.

Donating funds of the One Beer Club

Greenhouse cultivation of strawberries

Key characteristics of farm management
Resource-recycling
agriculture
Pursuing resource-recycling
agriculture that maintains soil
fertility free of chemical fertilizers byapplying compost from cow
manure derived from dairy farms tovegetable and fruit gardens.

IT utilization
Introducing plastic greenhouses
with various sensors for cultivation
management and enhancing
traceability utilizing cutting-edge IT,
such as managing crop production
history and managing individual
cows through IC tags.

Energy saving
Implementing energy-saving
measures including the active
introduction of natural energy.

Conserving the
Earth’s Environment

Laiyang City,
Shandong Province

Starting a dairy business using milk from the farm
In addition to agriculture, Asahi Green Source operates adairy business. Since May 2007 the company has been
supplying raw milk to dairies in Shandong Province. To
provide safe, secure milk to Chinese consumers using thishigh-quality raw milk, Asahi Breweries jointly set up
Shandong Asahi Green Source Milk Products Co., Ltd. with
Itochu Corporation in April 2008. The company will process
raw milk from a single farm in a newly built plant using
Japanese production technologies and produce and sell
processed whole milk in Shanghai, Beijing and Qingdao.
Demand for goodquality milk is rising in
China; Asahi Green
Source brand’s premium
milk will meet thisdemand.
Grazing cows

Key characteristics of dairy management
Safety/security

Logistics that
preserve freshness
Constructing a physical distribution
system focused on freshness
through complete temperature
control.

We only use healthy Holstein cows
imported from New Zealand orAustralia and have introduced
Japanese dairy technologies andindividual cow management
through IC tags to ensure herd
health and hygiene. Quality of
produced milk is inspected against
strict standards and sold using thechilled physical distribution facilities
of Itochu Corporation.

Collaboration with theagricultural division
Inedible parts of crops, such as stems
grown with cow manure, are used tofeed cattle, thereby realizing
resource-recycling agriculture.

Environment-conscious
management
Wastewater treatment facilities
have been introduced to leverage
brewery technologies.

CSR Report 2008 41

Promotion of Moderate
and Responsible Drinking

Practicing safe, secure farm management
Asahi Green Source practices farm management that meetsthe growing need for safe and delicious foods in the urban
areas of China by ensuring traceability and introducing
advanced technologies, such as resource-recycling
agriculture. The company supplies the Chinese market withoutdoor-grown sweet corn, greenhouse-grown cherry
tomatoes and strawberries, and so forth under thoroughquality control.
We intend to present a new farm management modelthat contributes to improving the diet in China by building
a consistent food system, from cultivation to distribution
and sales. Furthermore, we intend to be part of the solution
to the challenges facedby Chinese agriculture bytraining next-generation
agricultural engineers anddeploying businesses inother Chinese provinces.

Office exterior

Initiatives in
Other Areas

In May 2006, Asahi Breweries jointly established Shandong
Asahi Green Source High-tech Farm Co. Ltd. (Asahi Green
Source) in Laiyang City of Shandong Province, China, with
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. and Itochu Corporation. The
company operates a large-scale farm with the cooperationof Shandong Province.

Uncompromising
Quality Control

Supplying safe foods to the Chinese market

Responses to dialogues and third-party opinions

Akiyoshi Koji
Managing Director of Asahi Breweries andChairman of the CSR Committee of the
Asahi Breweries GroupIn February 2007, Asahi Breweries developed the Asahi

with the diversification of the Group’s business. We

Breweries Group CSR Policy, which identifies food andmust establish a management system for quickly

health as our business domains and embodies the

responding to consumer needs at home and abroad

company’s eagerness to create a sustainable society.

that will surely increase in complexity and diversity, inThis year’s CSR report received third-party opinions in
the three areas of the environment, quality, andmoderate and responsible drinking.
Reducing environmental burdens is an important

addition to maintaining our existing quality assurance
system across a diversifying supply chain.
We recognize education for moderate andresponsible drinking as a central agenda for theissue in the field of the environment. I want all members

alcoholic beverages business, which represents the mainof the Asahi Breweries Group to promote activities topillar of the Asahi Breweries Group. Alcohol has two

reduce environmental burdens, not only in theiraspects, light and shadow. An alcoholic beveragebusiness activities but in every aspect of daily life as well.

manufacturer is responsible for accurately

The company’s Asahi Forest is useful for CO2 absorption

communicating both aspects, inside and outside thewhile the ecosystem nurtured by the forest is ancompany. We will fully implement activities, including

component of biodiversity. I believe it is important tostrict compliance with our Voluntary Advertisement

maintain the Asahi Forest in a sustainable manner while

Standards, and continue our efforts as an alcoholic

strengthening the dissemination of information about

beverage manufacturer that is trusted by society. We

forestry management as a biodiversity initiative of thealso need research to correctly communicate the

Asahi Breweries Group. For the Asahi Breweries Group,

wonderful aspects of alcohol inside and outside thewhose core business depends on water, the sustainable

company. Here in Japan, we not only cooperate with theuse of water resources is absolutely critical. We will

industry but also share information with other parties,

realize this through activities such as water resourcesuch as the government and NPOs. Outside the country,

preservation for breweries.

we are gathering the latest information from across the

Because environmental protection requires aconcerted effort across the entire supply chain, we will
steadily promote collaboration with our business
partners.

globe by participating in ICAP (the International Center
for Alcohol Policies) and other organizations.
Finally, none of the activities of the Asahi BreweriesGroup, including those already mentioned, are possible

In the food industry, ensuring food safety and security

without solid relationships with people in society. Let

has become a major concern in recent years. The Asahi

me emphasize again that it is essential for all members

Breweries Group shares this concern. To ensure safetyof the Asahi Breweries Group to respond appropriately

and security, all Group members must understand andto an ever-changing social environment. We will address

put into practice our CSR policy. As indicated, one of theissues generated by these changes with a positive

biggest challenges we face is to avoid risks associatedattitude that will contribute to our success.

42 Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Visit Our Web Site

http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr/(in Japanese)
Please review a variety of information that is not included in this booklet.

Our Approach to CSR• Our approach to CSR• President’s message
CSR Management• Internal control system• Corporate governance• Compliance• Risk management
Pursuit of Quality• New product development• Procurement of raw materials• Manufacturing• Logistics• Distribution and sales• Labeling and advertisement• Quality policy and assurance system• Quality management system certification status
Moderate and Responsible Drinking and Health• Actions taken by Asahi Breweries• Industry-wide efforts• Tools for encouraging moderate drinking• Special section promoting moderate drinking
Environmental Conservation Activities• Overview of environmental burdens
Material balance• Prevention of global warming

Reduction of CO2 emissions, introduction of energy-saving
facilities, CO2 recycling, increasing distribution efficiency• Water resources conservation
Water usage reduction, waste water reduction• Waste reduction
Reduction of waste generation, volume reduction of raw
materials, resource recycling, recycling at headquarters
building, 3R in containers and packaging• Environmentally sound technologies• Environmental education
Environmental education programs, water resource
conservation activities• Green purchasing• Environmental management
Environmental Basic Principles, promotion system,
obtaining certifications, environmental education,compliance with environmental laws and regulations,
measurement guidelines for environmental soundness insales and promotional goods, environmental accounting• Medium-term environmental management plan
• Environmental targets and results by each Group company• Asahi Forest

Social and Cultural Contributions• Our approach to social and cultural activities• Supporting the development of artistic and culturalactivities• Contributing to society
For Consumers• Activities of the Customer Relations Office• Comments received• Response to customer suggestions• Examples of product improvements
For Business Partners• Relationship with suppliers

Basic Purchasing Policy, Procurement Clean Line,
Questionnaire Survey on Corporate Social Responsibilities• Relationship with business partners

For Shareholders and Investors• Return to shareholders• Information disclosure and communication• Evaluations by external review organizations
For Employees• Group basic personnel policies• Equality and fairness in employment

Employment situation, promotion of women,
employment of foreign nationals, employment of thephysically challenged, reemployment situations,
recruitment situations, relationship with the labor union• Personnel evaluation and performance rating• Training and education programs• Creating a pleasant workplace
Efforts for occupational safety & health, efforts for
employees health management, maternity leave,
childcare and other family care support, supports for work
style versatility, raising awareness of human rights, other
health and welfare systems

Index by Function• Policies, rules, standards• Frameworks, structures, systems• Performance data
Guideline Comparison List

• GRI guideline comparison list
• The Ministry of the Environment guidelinecomparison list

CSR Report 2008 43

CSR Committee
1-23-1 Azumabashi, Sumida-ku,
Tokyo 130-8602, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5608-5195
Fax: +81-3-5608-5201
URL: http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/english
Published: August 2008

Consumption of alcohol by persons under 20 years of age and drunk driving are prohibitedby Japanese law. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is harmful tounborn babies and infants. Please drink responsibly. Please recycle bottles and cans.