SBF GB&I celebrates World Water Week 2024 and marks 20 years of Suntory’s global Mizuiku programme

Water is essential for us to produce our drinks and part of everything we do as a business. It is, therefore, critical that we conserve water as much as we can and that the water we use is sourced in a sustainable way.

This year, World Water Week's theme, "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future," encourages us to recognise the interconnectedness of communities and the collaborative effort required to secure a sustainable future. At SBF GB&I we're excited to support this theme, aligning it with our ongoing commitment to water stewardship and environmental responsibility.

As we celebrate World Water Week, we're also marking 20 years of Suntory’s Mizuiku programme globally, a unique water and nature education initiative launched by Suntory in 2004. Mizuiku is one of our most significant efforts in promoting water education and conservation. The programme is designed to teach children about the importance of water and the vital role forests play in nurturing this resource. Over the past two decades, Mizuiku has reached over 580,000 children and teachers worldwide, fostering a deep appreciation for water conservation. From Japan to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, France, China, Spain, and the UK, Mizuiku has expanded its reach, adapting to the needs of each region while maintaining its core mission of promoting water literacy.

Earlier this year, our sustainability teams visited Vietnam to attend the Global Mizuiku Summit, where we gained key insights into the programme's impact. We witnessed first-hand how local communities and schools come together to learn and implement sustainable water practices. This experience highlighted the importance of integrating water education into national curriculums and the power of hands-on learning in fostering a culture of conservation. The visit also demonstrated how Mizuiku can be tailored to different cultural and educational contexts, reinforcing its relevance across the globe. Our key takeaway was the tremendous potential for global cooperation in achieving sustainable water management, and the vital role education plays in that effort.

In the UK, SBF GB&I is proud to partner with Severn Rivers Trust, the only charitable trust to cover the whole of the UK's longest river, to bring the Mizuiku programme to life. Launched in 2023 and building on the success of its pilot programme of 'Water Wisdom Days,' the programme is tailored to families in the UK and focusses on the outdoor part of Mizuiku – ‘The Outdoor School of Forest and Water; - designed to provide participants with interactive, hands-on experiences that help them appreciate the importance of natural water sources. It focuses on family engagement through interactive, hands-on sessions along the River Severn, which runs close to where our factory is based in Coleford, Gloucestershire. These sessions not only teach about the importance of preserving and protecting water, rivers, and wildlife but also provide an immersive experience that connects participants to the natural world around them.

As we celebrate 20 years of Mizuiku during World Water Week 2024, we remain deeply committed to our mission of fostering a global community dedicated to sustainable water management. Our company values of 'Growing for Good' and 'Giving Back to Society' guide our actions towards an overall goal of maximizing the positive impact we can make. Mizuiku is a direct expression of these values, as it empowers the next generation with the knowledge and tools to protect our most vital resource, water. Through our water stewardship efforts, we aim to create a peaceful and sustainable future for generations to come.