Solution Maintain and restore forests around production plants (thinning, pruning, planting) and implement certified water stewardship to increase groundwater recharge and replenish more water than operations withdraw. Key challenge High dependence on reliable water supplies creates financial and operational risk from water stress, requiring sustained watershed recharge and stewardship beyond the plant boundary. Context Suntory launched the Natural Water Sanctuary Initiative in 2003 to cultivate water resources and preserve biodiversity in forests surrounding its plants, explicitly treating water dependency as a significant financial risk. The initiative uses forest maintenance to improve water source recharge and is paired with broader integrated water resource management (reducing operational water use and managing wastewater). Suntory also positions its approach within the broader global water sustainability movement via the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), a standard created by NGOs including WWF and The Nature Conservancy together with companies. Solution in practice Suntory has expanded the Natural Water Sanctuary Initiative to more than 12,000 hectares across 26 locations in 16 prefectures in Japan, and reports that these sanctuaries recharge more than double the amount of groundwater used by its Japanese plants. The work includes thinning, pruning, and planting to enhance recharge capabilities, and it is implemented with local governments, NGOs, educational institutions, and communities, including monitoring of groundwater levels. Suntory has also pioneered AWS Certification in Japan and extended sanctuary-style efforts internationally to sites including the Maker’s Mark distillery grounds in the US as well as locations in France, Scotland, and Mexico. Impact / outcome 12,000+ ha across 26 sites recharge more than double the groundwater used by Suntory's Japanese plants. Next steps Expand and replicate the forest-and-stewardship model with partners in additional water-stressed basins, using AWS (and related monitoring) to standardize practices and demonstrate outcomes. Support Suntory’s stated targets to replenish more water than it uses in at least 50% of its owned plants globally by 2030 (including all in highly water-stressed areas), with a long-term pathway to 100% by 2050 by strengthening local collaborations, ongoing groundwater monitoring, and operational water-use reduction and wastewater management. Organizations involved Authoring: Suntory Actors: WWF; Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS); The Nature Conservancy Implementation partners Civil Society Organizations; Local Governments; Regulators & Policymakers