THE WHAT? Kao has released a progress report for its Kirei Lifestyle Plan, AKA the J-beauty giant’s Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy.

THE DETAILS Kao is almost half way to its 2030 target to ‘empower 1 billion people to enjoy more beautiful lives’, it reports, and 63 percent of its brands helped consumers make thoughtful choices for society in 2022, some way towards its 2030 100 percent target. However, just 12 percent of Kao products leave a full lifecycle environmental footprint that science says our natural world can safely absorb, some way off the 100 percent target set for 2030.

The J-beauty giant’s efforts have been recognised by the CDP, which awarded the manufacturer of Biore an A-rating across all three categories.  

THE WHY? Managing Executive Officer in charge of Kao’s ESG Division, Dave Muenz, “The global landscape continues to evolve rapidly, becoming more complex and presenting new challenges. Therefore, it is increasingly important that we drive forward our ESG strategy the Kirei Lifestyle Plan to realize a truly sustainable society while enhancing our business and minimizing risks. In 2022, we accelerated efforts towards our mid-term business strategy—K25—with the visions of ‘saving future lives’ and ‘sustainability as the only path.’ In the Kao Sustainability Report 2023, we share our progress on the three commitments of the Kirei Lifestyle Plan looking towards the year 2030. Some of our progress includes the launch of Bioré GUARD Mos Block Serum to save future lives in Thailand through our unique technology and key partnerships. We analyzed the relationship between our business and biodiversity using the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)’s LEAP approach to identify material issues in order to ultimately diminish adverse impacts on nature and regenerate biodiversity loss. Our efforts in the palm oil supply chain saw the launch of the grievance mechanism for smallholders in Indonesia, aiming to provide a voice for rightsholders in higher risk environments. We will continue to evolve our efforts towards creating a Kirei Life for all, together with our partners and communities.”