Kao Corporation

Our business is made possible by the planet’s ecological systems and the natural bounty created through biodiversity. From sourcing raw materials to product use and beyond, biodiversity supports every stage of our value chain. At Kao, we strive to create a world where people live in harmony with nature. That means driving action to minimize our impact and dependence on biodiversity, conserve and restore ecosystems and support nature’s regeneration through innovation and collaboration. Building upon our biodiversity risks and opportunities analysis conducted in line with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations, we continue to drive forward concrete actions from sustainable sourcing and circular design to local conservation efforts at our sites. Today, we’re celebrating the International Day of Biological Diversity as a reminder that biodiversity is a must-have – for our planet, our society, and our future. #Biodiversity #Sustainability #ESG #MakingLifeBeautiful

Stronger businesses start with diverse teams. At Kao EMEA, we embrace cultures, identities and beliefs to drive growth for people and for society. We are convinced that diverse teams are better teams - delivering better results and letting people grow and develop. At Kao EMEA, we employ over 2,200 people from different backgrounds - check out what some of them are saying about working at Kao below! But we know the need for cultural diversity affects more than just one aspect of society and that further efforts need to be made within the workplace and beyond to drive long-lasting change. Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability, and development – which is why on today’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, we are joining the many voices that help promote the importance of cultural diversity. #Diversity #CulturalDiversity #ESG

Our EMEA Salon Team is making waves this season with its Spring Summer 2025 campaign “Into the Blue”, featuring a cross-sector collaboration of Kao brands that supports an environmental cause. The “Into the Blue” campaign introduces curated travel sets designed to meet specific hair needs that not only unite the salon expertise of Goldwell, KMS Hair, and KERASILK, but also features exciting cross-sector collaborations with Bondi Sands sun protection and athletia lip oil essence. More than just a collection of high-performance haircare products, this is also an initiative with purpose, supporting ocean conservation through a partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE). BLUE is dedicated to restoring marine biodiversity and creating protected reserves, aligning perfectly with Kao’s sustainability vision ensuring that the beauty industry continues to evolve with responsibility and care.

Goldwell teamed up with ABOUT YOU as the exclusive hair partner for their spectacular "ABOUT YOU FASHIONMANIA" show at Berlin’s Uber Eats Music Hall! Led by Daniel Bruns as Head of Hair, our global Goldwell Color Collective joined forces with top stylists from across the DACH region to transform the looks of 32 models, 15 dancers, and several special acts including performers and singers. Together, they brought bold, fashion-forward styles to life showcasing the full power of Goldwell’s color and styling expertise. The runway lit up with energy, entertainment, and a remarkable audience of around 1,500 guests, including a strong presence of influencers, making it a memorable moment for Goldwell to be on the runway. “Inspired by the creativity of this event and the incredible connection with our community, this collaboration marked a powerful step forward in our journey to engage a young and fashion-savvy audience. ABOUT YOU was the perfect partner to help us step beyond the salon world and into the fashion spotlight,” said Christian Melcher, Global VP & CMO, Kao Salon Division. Check out the photos for some impressions.

At Kao, we believe that it takes all of us to drive long-lasting change in sustainability – this is why we’re proud to partner up with our peers in the EcoBeautyScore Association to help consumers make more sustainable choices.  As part of a global collaboration of 70 companies and trade associations, we have worked together to develop a harmonized, science-based approach to measure and score the environmental impact of cosmetics products. The EcoBeautyScore tool is a major step toward greater transparency and sustainability in the beauty industry, empowering brands to make informed decisions while giving consumers clear, data-driven insights into the environmental footprint of their products. Nicola Baeuerle, Director Sustainability, AEMEA, at Kao, shares: “At Kao, making a difference in sustainable lifestyles has been a core value ever since our founding and we remain committed to incorporating this into everything we do. Enabling consumers to make informed, sustainable choices is a key part of this - that’s why we’re proud to see this global collaboration come to life.”

Cleaning the right way: Our latest improvement to make our operations more sustainable is all about energy efficient cleaning processes for our vessels – saving 23,000 kWh of energy per year! Imagine 5,000 liters of shampoo being mixed, shaken, and stirred. Once bottled and ready to go, what’s left behind is a very foamy, very moisturized mixer that needs a thorough clean-up. And traditionally, that meant a lot of water, energy, and effort. With our new cleaning process, we’ve cut water usage per cleaning cycle nearly in half, from 750 to 400 liters. We've also lowered the cleaning temperature, meaning less energy is needed to heat the water. The result? We’re saving up to 23,000 kWh of energy per year.

Kao USA is a proud corporate sponsor of the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women. Today, we joined the 2025 Go Red for Women event at Great American Ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds, where Mr. Redlegs and Rosie Red checked out their favorite Kao products! #americanheartassociation #curel #jergensbaby #reds

No more stand-by: When it comes to energy, pulling the plug is a good idea. Because when the lights go off, energy saving kicks in. In our production site in Darmstadt, we have implemented targeted switch-off processes to ensure that we maximise our savings. Systems like compressors, steam generators, and cooling systems can consume large amounts of energy, even when they’re just on standby. That’s why we’ve customized our operations to match production times. These systems now run only when needed. Just one example? By optimizing our use of compressors, we’ve reduced compressed air consumption (and therefore energy use) for the filling of 1000 units by 17% between 2017 and 2023. In our production sites, you’ll also notice small things: Our teams make it a habit to switch off lights and production lines when going on break. These everyday actions add up and really make a difference. And when you have big goals, you better step up. At our production site, we plan to be Net Zero by 2030.

At Kao, we are committed to being respectful of resources and always try to find ways to reduce our energy footprint. With their photovoltaic system on the rooftop of our office in Linz, our team in Austria is leading by example! With 180 solar modules in place, the system generates twice the energy the office needs each year, not only covering its entire electricity demand but also feeding surplus energy back into the public grid. A smart solution that reduces emissions and supports the wider community! „We are proud of our photovoltaic system, which has a massive positive impact on our energy supply today, and over the next 25 years." says Marco Felice, Country Manager Kao Salon Austria. “Our investment is a strong commitment to Kao’s overall ESG efforts and supports environmentally friendly energy production and use." This is just one way we’re bringing our global ESG strategy, the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, to life – supporting decarbonization, energy saving, and a more sustainable future for all.  #EarthMonth #OurPowerOurPlanet #RenewableEnergy

Taking small and big steps to reduce our environmental footprint: in support of this year’s Earth Day theme “Our Power our People”, our Sustainability Director Nicola Baeuerle shares her perspective on reducing our energy consumption and the great contributions of our teams to support this. “While energy reduction is only one part of the equation, it plays an important role in our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint”, Nicola adds. “As a consumer goods manufacturer, taking responsibility for our impact on the environment is vital to us and I am proud of seeing our teams living this in their day-to-day work.”