Kao and Kosé Launch Sustainability Program

Multinational beauty companies Kao and Kosé teamed up to create a comprehensive sustainability program. They will collaborate in a range of fields, including people, society and the environment, to identify solutions in the cosmetics industry that can contribute to a sustainable society.

“In recent years, a variety of social challenges have assumed increasing importance, including climate change, resource shortages, and plastic waste in the world’s oceans, and a shift to a sustainable global society is needed,” the companies argue. Furthermore, Kao and Kosé believe these challenges are having a major impact on markets themselves by bringing about changes in consumer needs.

“Both companies have already established their own environmental, social and governance (ESG) plans—In April 2019, Kao established the “Kirei Lifestyle Plan,” an ESG strategy that includes 19 leadership actions; and in April 2020, The Kosé Group announced its Kosé Sustainability Plan, through which it will work to address a range of social challenges “for the people and “for the Earth.” Still, the companies believe collaborative action is necessary to enact positive change.
 
“Finding solutions to these challenge themes is often beyond the capacity of individual enterprises, but if corporations can collaborate in this regard, there is increasing potential for more effective, rapid achievement of results,” the companies said in a statement.

Kao and Kosé plan to jointly launch initiatives to contribute to the realization of environmental protection and a resource-circulating society, such as:

• Incorporating a wide range of environmentally friendly materials into product packaging
• Promoting resource circulation and upcycling measures jointly
• Sourcing materials with limited environmental impact

Furthermore, the companies also plan to launch initiatives to contribute to solution of social challenges, such as:
• Jointly deploying/coordinating awareness-raising activities relating to skin care, UV care, etc.
• Jointly deploying/coordinating awareness-raising activities relating to respect for beauty diversity