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Asahi Lifestyle Beverages

OVERALL

Owned
JPN
Rating
Praises, some criticism

Drinks manufacturer

Asahi Lifestyle Beverages (formerly Schweppes Australia) is the non-alcohol division of the Asahi Beverages Group. Asahi bought Schweppes Australia in 2009.

Company Ownership

Asahi Lifestyle Beverages   AUS     website   email   facebook   
  Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd   
   owns 100% of Asahi Lifestyle Beverages  
AUS     website   email      

Holding company

Asahi Beverages formed in 2014 when the company announced plans to integrate the operations of Schweppes Australia, Asahi Premium Beverages and Independent Liquor NZ. Asahi acquired Schweppes in 2009, and Independent Liquor, Charlie's Group, and the juice and water business of Australia's P&N Beverages in 2011.

      Asahi Group Holdings Ltd   
       owns 100% of Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd  
JPN     website   email      

Drinks, especially alcoholic

Formerly known as Asahi Breweries, Asahi Group is Japan's #2 brewer, after Kirin. Founded 1889. Acquired Schweppes Australia in 2009. Bought NZ's Independent Liquor and Charlie's Group, and the juice and water business of Australia's P&N Beverages in 2011.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Asahi Lifestyle Beverages
No assessment data currently available for Asahi Lifestyle Beverages
Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd
Environment Australian Packaging Covenant signatory
Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation.
Source: Australian Packaging Covenant (2020)
Environment Water mining in Australia
Victorian farmer Tim Carey successfully applied to change the source of 19 million litres of his existing licence from surface water to groundwater, and from agricultural to commercial purposes. This allowed him to truck the water to a bottling plant run by Mountain H2O, owned by Asahi. In 2018 residents of Stanley, Victoria, lost a four-year court battle to stop the farmer bottling local groundwater for Asahi. The residents were left with a A$90,000 bill for legal costs.
Source: The Conversation (2018)
Business Ethics Opposing a CDS
In 2013 Coca-Cola Amatil, Schweppes Australia (part of Asahi Beverages) and Lion Pty Ltd filed proceedings in the Federal Court challenging the legal validity of the Northern Territory's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). Other large bottlers like Fosters and Diageo have not joined the court case. A CDS has been proven worldwide to be the best way to increase collection and recycling. The Boomerang Alliance estimates a CDS would increase recovery by 80%.
Source: news article (2013)
Environment Organic products
Phoenix Organics soft drinks and juices are certified organic by BioGro, and Mountain Goat beer has an organic option. However these only represent a tiny fraction of this company's total beverage sales.
Source: ACO (2018)
Business Ethics Responsibility claims
This company has responsibility claims on its website under the headings environment, beverages & health, and people & society.
Source: company website (2020)
Social Alcohol - direct involvement
Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.
Source: company website (2020)
Business Ethics No tax paid in 2016/7
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Dec 2018, this company was one of 2,159 local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2016-17. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO (2018)
Asahi Group Holdings Ltd
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of A
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A.
Source: CDP (2020)
Social CDP Water Security Score of A-
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2020)
Business Ethics 72/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 72/100 in the Beverages category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2021)
Environment Supply chain practices in China
This company received a score of 10.3/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
Social Human Rights Benchmark
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 20-30 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
Environment FSC certification
This company holds Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Certification, and sells products certified as FSC 100%.
Source: FSC (2017)
Environment FSC certification
In Nov 2011 Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) recertified Asahi's Shobara and Miyoshi forests in Japan to the Forest Stewardship Council's standard for responsible forest management. Asahi bought the forested properties during World War II. They have been FSC certified since 2001.
Source: SCS (2011)
Social IARD member
This company is a member of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. IARD is affiliated with the United Nations.
Source: IARD (2021)
Business Ethics Sustainable Business Activities
Activities include reducing CO2 emissions, FSC certified forest management, and donations to environmental protection schemes.
Source: Japan for Sustainability (2010)
Business Ethics UN Global Compact participant
The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
Source: UN Global Compact (2020)
Environment High-biomass sugarcane
Asahi Breweries is developing 'high-biomass sugarcane' or 'Monster Cane', designed to produce ethanol without sacrificing sugar output. Could be seen as a positive as ethanol is carbon-neutral with CO2 released in the combustion of the fuel offset by the CO2 captured by plants through photosynthesis. Critics also say ethanol is no solution to global warming if massive inputs of fossil fuels are required to grow the crops and power the facilities used to produce ethanol and land is taken from suppling crops for food and feed.
Source: Impact Lab article (2006)
Social Alcohol - direct involvement
Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.
Source: company website (2020)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Subsidiaries Better Drinks Co Ltd 

Beverages manufacturer

Established in New Zealand as Charlie's in 1999 and floated on the NZ Stock Exchange in July 2005. Bought Phoenix Organics in Dec 2005. Operates mainly in Australia and New Zealand. Bought by Asahi in 2011 and renamed Better Drinks Co in 2013.


P&N Beverages Australia Pty Ltd 

Beverage Manufacturing

After the ACCC opposed an earlier acquisition proposal, Asahi revised its proposal in mid-2011 to acquire P&N and simultaneously divest P&N's soft drink, cordial and energy drink business to Tru Blu Beverages - a newly created company owned by P&N's Managing Director, Peter Brooks. Asahi retained P&N's bottled water and fruit juice business which has been integrated into Schweppes Australia.

Contact Details

Address Australia
Freecall 1800 244 054
Website www.asahilifestylebeverages.com.au

Products / Brands


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