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Leave No One Behind:
Kao Establishes a Company-wide Initiative to Improve Web Accessibility
Kao Corporation will launch an initiative to ensure web accessibility, with the goal of making its websites easy for anyone to access, starting in 2022.
The Kao Group's purpose is to create a Kirei life for all—providing care and enrichment for the life of all people and the planet. Based on that purpose, Kao has set forth "sustainability as the only path" as its vision for K25, the Group's five-year Mid-term Plan through 2025, with the goal of becoming an essential company in a sustainable society. In its ESG strategy, the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, Kao aims to achieve sustainable, fulfilling lifestyles from a consumer perspective, and is strengthening its environmentally and socially conscious initiatives.
Under the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, Kao is working to develop and offer products of universal design that are easy for anyone to use, so that consumers can make their everyday more beautiful.
In communications as well, Kao will strive to ensure web accessibility going forward, making the information and functions offered via its websites easy to access. The goal is to allow even more users to easily gain the information they need to select and use products, from an even wider variety of user environments, situations and circumstances.
The internet has become an indispensable presence in daily life, and is used by a variety of consumers across a wide range of ages. The devices used are expected to grow increasingly diverse, including not only PCs, smartphones and tablets, but also those such as smart speakers and wearable technology. Web accessibility is essential to making sure that more people can access websites in the environment that works for them. The entire Kao Group will work to ensure web accessibility with the goal of people-friendly communication.
Efforts to ensure website accessibility going forward:
(1) Formulate a web accessibility policy
The Kao Group will formulate a web accessibility policy by the end of 2022 that establishes specific policies aiming for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA published by the World Wide Web Consortium.
(2) Website improvements
Based on the above web accessibility policy, Kao will begin successive improvements starting with its corporate information and product catalog sites. Other Kao websites will also be addressed after reviewing the best way to proceed.
(3) Conduct in-house training regarding web accessibility
To continuously improve Kao's websites throughout their lifecycle and ensure this is not a one-time effort, Kao will conduct regular in-house training on the importance of web accessibility and how to address it, and will ensure that those websites are operated in accordance with the above policy.
By making Kao's websites more accessible to all consumers, regardless of age, disability, device used or environment, Kao will provide information that will help each individual to enjoy a more beautiful life, which is one of Kao's ESG commitments.
About Kao
Kao creates high-value-added products that enrich the lives of consumers around the world. Through its portfolio of over 20 leading brands such as Attack, Bioré, Goldwell, Jergens, John Frieda, Kanebo, Laurier, Merries, and Molton Brown, Kao is part of the everyday lives of people in Asia, Oceania, North America, and Europe. Combined with its chemical division, which contributes to a wide range of industries, Kao generates about 1,400 billion yen in annual sales. Kao employs about 33,000 people worldwide and has 130 years of history in innovation. Please visit the Kao Group website for updated information.
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Corporate Strategy
Kao Corporation