SARAYA Wins the ESG Grand Prize at the Sustainable Japan Award 2026
SARAYA has won the Grand Prize in the ESG category of the Sustainable Japan Award 2026, hosted by The Japan Times. The judges recognized SARAYA's environmental conservation work in Borneo, Malaysia, which the company has carried out since 2004. President Yusuke Saraya accepted the award at a ceremony on September 29, 2026, at the International House of Japan in Tokyo. A panel session with this year's winners followed.
President Yusuke Saraya receiving the award at the Sustainable Japan Award 2026 ceremony, Tokyo. Photo: © Hiromichi Matono
The Japan Times created the Sustainable Japan Award in 2019. It honors companies, organizations, local governments, and individuals for forward-looking, sustainable initiatives and for long-term contributions to solving social issues. Winners are chosen in two categories. The ESG category covers sustainable business activities by companies, and the Satoyama category covers regional revitalization and local community development. The full list of 2026 winners is on The Japan Times' website.
Two Decades in Borneo
SARAYA's link to Borneo starts with one of its best-known products. Yashinomi Detergent, a plant-based dish detergent, uses palm-derived ingredients, and the island of Borneo is one of the regions where they are produced. As demand for palm oil as a food ingredient grew, SARAYA learned that oil palm plantations were destroying the island's rainforest. The company began working in Borneo in 2004, aiming for a future where industry and nature can coexist.
On the ground, SARAYA has supported wildlife rescue and protection and helped secure habitat for animals such as Borneo elephants and orangutans. Since 2007, SARAYA has donated 1% of sales of Yashinomi Detergent and other eligible products to the Borneo Conservation Trust through the Green Corridor Project. The project buys land along the riverbanks to give wildlife a safe route between forests. So far, SARAYA has purchased 12 SARAYA Forests covering 36.1 hectares, all handed over to the local government. The project continues today.
SARAYA also worked to change the supply chain itself. In 2005, it became the first company based in Japan to join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The RSPO is an international initiative for palm oil produced with care for people and the environment. In 2010, SARAYA became the first company in Japan to obtain RSPO certification, and it has worked to spread certified palm oil since.
As a company contributing to hygiene, environment, and health around the world, SARAYA will continue building a sustainable business together with all its stakeholders.
Learn more: SARAYA Sustainability · Sustainability Report 2025 (PDF) · SARAYA Receives Consumer-Oriented Management Excellence Award