Kao Corporation, a Tokyo manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics and specialty chemicals, announced a 15% reduction in lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to a base year of 2017.
The company plans to accelerate its efforts to reach carbon zero by 2040 and become carbon negative by 2050. Strategies to meet these targets include introducing low-carbon facilities, expanding the use of renewable energy, and reducing CO2 emissions throughout the entire product lifecycle.
Kao is achieving significant progress toward its 2030 target of a 55% reduction in Scope 1and 2 emissions by increasing
renewable energy procurement at production sites and expanding the proportion of renewable electricity across all consumption, including from its own power generation facilities.
Through these initiatives, the company already achieved a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to
2017.
As Kao pursues its goals of carbon zero by 2040 and carbon negative by 2050, the company will continue implementing low-carbon equipment, expanding renewable energy utilization, and accelerating efforts across entire product lifecycles to contribute to a decarbonized society.
Details were released in the Kao Sustainability Report 2025.
“We are committed to solving social and environmental issues through innovation, anticipating the needs of our consumers and customers,” said Junko Ohtani, Executive Officer in charge of Kao’s ESG Division, in a statement. “Ensuring our products offer not only superior functional and emotional value but also social value is the key to being chosen by our consumers, helping them achieve more comfortable and sustainable lifestyles simply by using Kao products.”