Kao Selected for a Commendation in
Cefic’s European Responsible Care^® Awards 2025

In the more than 30 years since the launch of its first refill packs in 1991, Kao has been reducing plastic use by introducing more concentrated products in smaller containers, and by developing and promoting refill packs and bottles designed for the continued use of the spray nozzle. In Japan’s personal care and household products market, refills and nozzle-reuse bottles accounted for approximately 80% of all product shipments as of 2023.^*4

Kao’s RecyCreation initiative was launched in 2015 with the aim of improving the circularity of plastic as a resource. The term RecyCreation, combining “recycle” and “creation,” was invented by Kao and expresses the hope of finding new value in used refill packs through technology and innovation. Working together with local authorities, enterprises and consumers throughout Japan, the initiative promotes the collection of used plastic refill packaging to recycle as a resource. As of December 2024, the total amount of used refill packs collected was 2.68 million units, equivalent to 48.2 tons of plastic. In 2023, Kao developed film-to-film recycling technology for used refill packs, and packaging incorporating recycled material was produced and sold in limited quantities.

In addition to products for the consumer market, Kao developed NEWTLAC asphalt modifier to help reduce plastic waste. Using Kao’s in-house technology, PET is converted into an asphalt modifier that can improve pavement durability by up to five times compared to ordinary pavement. Making asphalt pavement highly durable can help reduce damage to road surfaces and suppress the generation of CO₂ associated with repair work. In Japan, NEWTLAC has been used on over 400,000 square meters of paved surface such as roads and parking lots, and it is also being used in Europe, the United States, Thailand and Taiwan.

Responsible Care^® is a global initiative committed to principles that go beyond regulations concerning chemical manufacture and management, to encourage responsible conduct to protect humans and the environment, encourage efficient use of raw materials, improve transparency and engage in dialogue with stakeholders. The European Responsible Care^® Awards are sponsored by Cefic, of which Kao is a member, to recognize and promote such initiatives, share best practices across the chemical industry and its value chains, and contribute to improving safety, sustainability and the environment throughout the entire chemical industry.

The award consists of five categories: Kao was awarded for Category 2—“Above and beyond boundaries: Spreading Responsible Care^® ethic across chemicals value and supply chains.” This category recognizes activities related to safety, energy, sustainability and the environment across the entire value chain, including suppliers, customers and business partners, as well as responsible sourcing, enhanced transparency and knowledge-sharing.

Over the past 130 years, Kao has worked to improve people’s lives and help them realize more sustainable lifestyles—a Kirei Lifestyle. The Japanese word “kirei” describes something that is clean, well-ordered, and beautiful all at once. For Kao, this concept of “kirei” not only describes appearance but also attitude—a desire to create beauty for oneself, for other people, and for the natural world around us. Aiming to realize a more sustainable way of living, in April 2019, the Kao Group established its ESG strategy known as the Kirei Lifestyle Plan. By 2030, Kao aims to empower at least 1 billion people, to enjoy more beautiful lives. Kao also strives to have 100% of its products leave a full lifecycle environmental footprint that science says our natural world can safely absorb.
Please visit the Kao sustainability website for more information.

Kao, a Japan-based manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics, and specialty chemicals creates high-value-added products and services that provide care and enrichment for the life of all people and the planet. Through its brands such as Attack laundry detergent, Bioré and Jergens skin care products, Laurier sanitary products, Curél, SENSAI, and MOLTON BROWN cosmetics, and Oribe hair care products, Kao is part of the everyday lives of people across Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Combined with its chemical business, which contributes to a wide range of industries, Kao generates about 1,630 billion yen in annual sales. Kao employs about 32,600 people worldwide and has more than 130 years of history in innovation. As an enterprise that provides products people use on a daily basis, the Kao Group takes responsibility to actively reduce the environmental footprint of its products throughout the product lifecycle. This is laid out in Kao’s ESG strategy, the Kirei Lifestyle Plan, which launched in 2019.
Please visit the Kao Group website for additional information.