Kao Corporation, commonly referred to as Kao, is a leading Japanese multinational company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1887, Kao has established itself as a prominent player in the consumer goods and chemical industries, with a strong presence in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The company is renowned for its innovative products in personal care, beauty, and home care, as well as its advanced chemical solutions. Kao's core offerings include skincare, haircare, and household cleaning products, distinguished by their commitment to sustainability and quality. With a focus on research and development, Kao has achieved significant milestones, including numerous awards for product excellence and environmental initiatives. As a market leader, Kao continues to enhance its global footprint while prioritising consumer satisfaction and ecological responsibility.
How does Kao's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Mean score of companies in the Chemicals industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Kao's score of 92 is higher than 95% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
In 2024, Kao Corporation reported total carbon emissions of approximately 206,000,000 kg CO2e in Japan, with all emissions classified under Scope 1. Globally, their emissions included about 503,000,000 kg CO2e from Scope 1, 112,000,000 kg CO2e from Scope 2, and a significant 10,121,000,000 kg CO2e from Scope 3, which encompasses indirect emissions from the entire value chain. Kao has set ambitious climate commitments, aiming to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55% by 2030, using 2017 as the base year. This target is part of their broader strategy to cut overall CO2 emissions throughout the product lifecycle by 22% by the same year. Additionally, they are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 and becoming carbon negative by 2050. These targets are aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and reflect Kao's commitment to sustainable practices within the consumer durables and personal products sector. The company is actively working towards these goals, demonstrating a proactive approach to mitigating climate change impacts.
Access structured emissions data, company-specific emission factors, and source documents
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 657,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | - | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 2 | 379,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | - | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 3 | - | 0,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 |
Companies disclose and commit to reducing emissions to show they are serious about reducing emissions impact over time. They can also help a company track its progress over time.
Kao is participating in some of the initiatives that we track. This may change over time as the company engages with new initiatives or updates its commitments. DitchCarbon will update this information as it becomes available.
