Articles from Kao Corporation

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) has published the Kao Integrated Report 2025 on its website, offering shareholders, investors, and all stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the company’s initiatives and strategic direction. Kao Integrated Report 2025

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), a leading manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics and specialty chemicals, has released the Kao Sustainability Report 2025 on its company website, providing a progress report on its ESG strategy, the Kirei Lifestyle Plan. Kao Sustainability Report 2025

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) has identified its international makeup brand KATE as a strategic growth driver within its cosmetics portfolio. This initiative aligns with the company’s ambition to establish a “Global Sharp Top” business framework. In line with this vision, Kao is making significant investments to amplify KATE’s global presence.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), a leading manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics and specialty chemicals, has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® 2025 by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. The World’s Most Ethical Companies® list honors companies excelling in transparency, integrity, ethics, and compliance. Kao is one of only six companies worldwide and the only Asian company to have received the award for 19 consecutive years since it was established in 2007. In 2025, 136 companies in 19 countries were selected from 44 business categories with Kao standing as the sole recipient in the Health and Beauty Care category to be honored every year.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) disclosed its opinion on February 14, 2025, regarding the shareholder proposals submitted by Oasis Japan Strategic Fund Ltd. (“Oasis”) for the 119th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Notice Regarding the Board of Directors' Opinion on a Shareholder Proposals

Bioré UV, the top-selling suncare brand in Japan*1 and a globally acclaimed name from Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), is excited to announce its partnership with Stray Kids, one of the most celebrated K-pop groups, for its latest global campaign. This collaboration aims to encourage people to enjoy activities under the sun, empowered by high-performing, lightweight UV protection formulated for everyday use.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), a manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics and specialty chemicals, has been named an ‘A-List’ company by CDP, a global nonprofit organization, in its annual global survey of companies’ sustainability initiatives, in the areas of Climate Change, Forests, and Water Security. The triple ‘A’ companies were selected out of more than 24,800 companies included in the survey. This is the fifth consecutive year that Kao has received a triple ‘A’ rating; it is the sixth time that Kao has received an ‘A’ in the Climate Change category, the fifth time in Forests, and the eighth time in Water Security.

Kao's Board of Directors and management team strive to increase shareholder value from a long-term perspective based on our business strategy. For the purpose of enhancing our corporate value, we are committed to engaging directly and constructively with all our stakeholders and welcome new perspectives to address challenges.

Oasis Management Company Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Oasis Management”), an investment management firm and a shareholder of our company, released a statement regarding Director candidates to be proposed at our 119th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders.

On September 30, 2024, Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) (President and CEO: Yoshihiro Hasebe) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Charoen Pokphand (C.P.) Group, Thailand's leading conglomerate, in order to collaborate on promoting a sustainable future in Thailand. Kao will work with C.P. Group, which operates 7-Eleven convenience stores and supermarkets, to provide environmentally friendly products in the daily goods sector and foster sustainable cooperation in the chemical business. As Kao celebrates its 60th anniversary in Thailand, the company will promote efforts to enrich the lives of Thai people through a global perspective and partnerships.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), a Japan-based Group whose brand portfolio includes Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, has released a progress report on its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy—the Kirei Lifestyle Plan in the Kao Sustainability Report 2024. In 2023, with biodiversity an urgent global-scale issue, Kao amended its policy on biodiversity and carried out information disclosure according to the TNFD*1 framework. The company also continued activities relating to respect for human rights, which is the foundation of all corporate activity, including formulating its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Policy. With regard to palm oil, one of the main raw materials used by Kao, the company is aiming to establish traceability throughout the supply chain, down to oil palm plantations, in order to ensure sustainable procurement of resources. The progress report also includes quantitative data on results of Kao’s ESG activities, contributions to its financial results and envisioned future growth, describing the contributions of its ESG strategy to its Mid-term Plan 2027 (K27). The following outlines the results of new 2023 activities for Kao’s key leadership action themes.

The Ethisphere Institute, a leading US think-tank, has named Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. Kao is the sole Japanese and Asian company to have made the list every year since Ethisphere began its ranking in 2007.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) and Earth Corporation (TOKYO:4985) share the goal of contributing to solving the problem of mosquito-borne infectious diseases and have begun collaborating to address this issue. Applying Kao’s technology that prevents mosquitoes from flying by wetting their wings and bodies*, Kao and Earth have developed the ARS Mos Shooter, a spray that can eradicate mosquitoes “anytime, anywhere” in everyday life. It will be launched in Thailand from July 2024, where Earth has been active domestically for about 40 years. * Kao News Release dated June 20, 2023: Focusing on the Surface of the Mosquito’s Body to Control Mosquito Behavior Using a Surfactant: New Technology Development to Eradicate Mosquitoes Without Using Insecticides

Leading international nonprofit organization, CDP, has included Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) in its prestigious ‘A List’ across three categories for the fourth year in a row. Kao, a leading manufacturer of personal care, household, and cosmetics products, received the highest triple-A score for its sustainability initiatives involving climate change, forests, and water security. Selection onto the list was determined by a global survey of businesses and an evaluation of their activities. More than 21,000 firms were evaluated for the ‘A List’, with only 10 selected for inclusion across the three categories. Kao has now been included in the Climate Change ‘A List’ for the fifth time, the Forests ‘A List’ for the fourth time, and the Water Security ‘A List’ for the seventh time.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452), a Japan-based Group whose brand portfolio includes Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, released progress reports on its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy—the Kirei Lifestyle Plan. Details of its progress is released in the Kao Sustainability Report 2023. In addition to the results of its activities in 2022, Kao also released information on the results of its activities for the three Kao commitments in the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, an analysis of the relationship between Kao’s business and biodiversity and progress on targets based on the findings of an employee engagement survey. The following is a report of the results of 2022 activities for Kao’s key leadership action themes.

The Ethisphere Institute, a leading US think-tank, has named the Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. Kao is a leading consumer goods company and the only Asian company to have made the list every year since Ethisphere began its ranking in 2007.

Leading international nonprofit organization, CDP, has included Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) in its prestigious ‘A List’ across three categories for the third year in a row. Kao, a leading manufacturer of personal care, household, and cosmetics products, received the highest triple-A score for its sustainability initiatives involving climate change, forests, and water security. Selection onto the list was determined by a global survey of businesses and an evaluation of their activities. More than 10,000 firms were evaluated for the ‘A List’, with only 12 selected for inclusion across the three categories. Kao has now been included in the Climate Change ‘A List’ for the fourth time, the Forests ‘A List’ for the third time, and the Water Security ‘A List’ for the sixth time.

Kao Corporation, a Japan-based Group whose brand portfolio includes Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, released progress reports on its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy—the Kirei Lifestyle Plan. Details of its progress is released in the “Kao Sustainability Report 2022.” The report discloses the achievements of the key leadership action themes of 2021 as well as the internal carbon price increase to 18,500 yen/ton-CO2 to promote decarbonization. It also outlines revisions made to Kao’s biodiversity policy, and details the establishment of the new ESG steering committees, which will strengthen Kao’s ESG governance structure. It is available in English on Kao’s website from today.

The Ethisphere Institute, a leading US think-tank, has named the Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. Kao is a leading consumer goods company and the only Asian company to have made the list every year since Ethisphere began its ranking in 2007.

Leading international nonprofit organization, CDP, has included Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) in its prestigious ‘A List’ across three categories for the second year in a row. Kao, a leading manufacturer of personal care, household, and cosmetics products, received the highest triple-A score for its sustainability initiatives involving climate change, forests, and water security. Selection onto the list was determined by a global survey of businesses and an evaluation of their activities. 12,000 firms were evaluated for the ‘A List’, with only 14 selected for inclusion across the three categories. Kao has now been included in the Climate Change ‘A List’ for the third time, the Forests ‘A List’ for the second time, and the Water Security ‘A List’ for the fifth time.

Kao Corporation, a Japan-based Group whose brand portfolio includes Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, released progress reports on its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategy, the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, which was first announced in April 2019. Details of its progress is released in the “Kao Sustainability Data Book Kirei Lifestyle Plan Progress Report 2021.” It is available in English on Kao’s website from today.

Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) has set new targets for realizing a decarbonized society and is aiming to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to zero by 2040, and become a carbon negative company by 2050. Consequently, Kao is now seeking to upgrade the 2.0°C target certification it was awarded by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)*1 in 2019 to 1.5°C. It has also signed up to the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” initiative, which was launched by the UN Global Compact, the SBTi, and We Mean Business. This is a corporate pledge for businesses to set science-based targets aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C instead of 2.0°C. In addition, Kao is aiming to join RE100, an international program which brings together hundreds of large businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.