Kao
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.
DitchCarbon Score
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.
Industry Average
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.
Industry Benchmark
Kao's score of 68 is higher than 99% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
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Kao's reported carbon emissions
As of 2023, Kao Corporation reported total greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 10,752,000,000 kg CO2e globally, with specific emissions of 539,000,000 kg CO2e from Scope 1 and 149,000,000 kg CO2e from Scope 2. The company has set ambitious targets to reduce its carbon footprint, committing to a 55% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 from a 2017 baseline. Additionally, Kao aims to cut absolute Scope 3 emissions by 22% within the same timeframe, focusing on areas such as purchased goods and services, upstream transportation, and the end-of-life treatment of sold products. Kao's climate strategy includes pioneering the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a substitute for diesel fuel in generators, a key initiative towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. The company is also a signatory of the Amazon Climate Pledge, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and climate action. Historically, Kao's emissions have shown a downward trend, with total emissions in Japan decreasing from approximately 7,647,000,000 kg CO2e in 2016 to 7,312,000,000 kg CO2e in 2020. This reflects a proactive approach to environmental responsibility within the consumer durables and personal products sector.
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| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 653,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 2 | 404,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 3 | 11,423,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 |
Industry emissions intensity
Location emissions intensity
Reduction initiatives & disclosure networks
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.
