On 12th February 2017, Kao was awarded the sustainability nod by the Ethisphere Institute, a US think tank that focuses on research into corporate ethics and social responsibility.
12 years
The Tokyo-headquartered company has made it on the 2018 World's Most Ethical Companies list for the twelfth successive year, marking the only Japanese brand to have achieved this accolade since it was first established in 2007.
Since the recognition’s inception, Kao has always featured, demonstrating its commitment to “investing to create a positive impact on the environment and society with sound governance (ESG)”.
Setting a precedent
"Kao is the only company in Japan that we have honoured on the World's Most Ethical Companies list every year since the award's inception," said Timothy Erblich, CEO, Ethisphere.
"It underscores their commitment to integrity that is in tune with changes in expectations of society. We hope Kao will continue to engage in business with integrity and lead their industry across the globe in advancing ethical standards and practices," Erblich added.
The World's Most Ethical Companies occurs annually and strives to celebrate companies that have accomplished considerable movements in ethics, transparency, fairness and compliance.
Thoughtful leadership
The Ethisphere Institute reviews and evaluates global companies on the basis of five core considerations and attitudes to: ethics and compliance programmes, corporate citizenship and responsibility, culture of ethics, governance and leadership, innovation and reputation.
"As we continue to offer a wide array of innovative products to the market, our commitment to integrity has never wavered since we began the business 130 years ago,” enthused Michitaka Sawada, President and CEO.
“This integrity continues to be embraced in Kao's daily business activities in a culture of openness."
Sawada commented that “compliance is the cornerstone of our company's existence”, which is witnessed through its Kao Business Conduct Guidelines’ daily business practices, and training programmes.