Kao Brands

Skin Deep is an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns, with over 69,000 products rated from 1 (low hazard) to 10 (high hazard).
[Source 2016][More on Product Safety]

This company is a member of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), a business-to-business forum that advances the application of green chemistry and design for environment across supply chains. It provides an open forum for cross-sectoral collaboration to share information and experiences about the challenges to and opportunities for safer chemicals and products.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

This company is a member of The Sustainability Consortium, an organization of diverse global participants that work collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability. They develop transparent methodologies, tools, and strategies to drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social, and economic imperatives.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

In 2006 Kao subsidiary Kao Chemical Corporation Shanghai was blacklisted by various levels of Chinese government for releasing wastewater not sufficiently treated. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
[Source 2006][More on Habitats]

This company uses microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean. While microbeads aren't thought to be a health hazard to consumers, they are a threat to the marine environment.
[Source 2014][More on Oceans]

In 2009 Naturewatch reported that Kao Corporation was still investing in new methods of testing on animals. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
[Source 2009][More on Animal Testing]

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; responsible corporate engagement in climate policy; remove commodity-driven deforestation from all supply chains by 2020.
[Source 2017][More on Climate Change]

This company was included in Bloomberg's 2019 Gender-Equality Index, a list of 230 companies committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing women's equality in the workplace.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights]

This company has a number of sustainability claims on its website including various policy statements.
[Source 2016][More on Sustainability Reporting]

This company is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), a not-for-profit, membership organisation that leads work with buyers and suppliers to deliver improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. Tens of thousands of companies use Sedex to manage their performance around labour rights, health & safety, the environment and business ethics.
[Source 2018][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
[Source x][More on Sustainability Reporting]

This company received a score of 45.5/100 (retrieved 14-Feb-2018) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
[Source 2018][More on Habitats]

This company received a score of 5 out of a possible total of 9 in the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard 2016, which rates companies on what they are - and aren't - doing to prevent the negative environmental and social impacts of palm oil production.
[Source 2016][More on Palm Oil]

The Union of Concerned Scientists' 2015 Palm Oil Scorecard scores America's top brands on their commitments to use deforestation-free palm oil. This company received a score of 54.8/100, signifying some commitment.
[Source 2015][More on Palm Oil]

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
[Source 2016][More on Human Rights]