This past fall, Asia's first-ever Rugby World Cup was held in Japan. Five players who represented Japan on the national team are part of Suntory's very own Suntory SUNGOLIATH rugby club.

The Suntory SUNGOLIATH rugby club was established in 1980 and has won numerous Top League and All-Japan Rugby Football Championship titles since then. Pride, respect, and never giving up are key principles that represent the spirit of the team as they perform in an aggressive, attacking rugby style. These values exist on and off the field for many of the team's players, some of which are Suntory Group employees. The team is now training for their upcoming 2020 season as part of the Japan Rugby Top League, a national league for company rugby clubs. The start of this new season also marks 40 years of growth and success since the team's founding.

In the spirit of Suntory's founder, we are committed to engaging in a variety of initiatives that enrich the lives of those around us, as well as communities in which we work and live. Many of these activities relate to music, art, nature, and of course, sports. Suntory's founding spirit of "Giving back to society" resonates with our company teams and athletes.

The spirit of "Giving back to society" is also deeply rooted in the Suntory SUNGOLIATH team, as well as in their actions off the field. An organization called the Culture Group exists in the team, which functions to reflect the players' beliefs and values. Many members from the group participate in volunteer opportunities such as rugby clinics, local cleaning activities, and disaster recovery assistance.

Suntory also participates in a special sponsorship of the Suntory Cup Japan Kid's Tag Rugby Championship held every year where more than 10,000 elementary school students participated in the 2018 Championship. These efforts and activities are all aligned with our mission "To create harmony with people and nature" and to help build a sustainable society.

As we cheer on our employees in their work and on the field, we will continue to engage in sustainability practices to better the development of our communities, as well as share the value of sports with more and more people.

Learn more about the Suntory SUNGOLIATH rugby club here: