Using Eco-Friendly Plant Materials

Surfactants, which are vital compounds for products such as detergents and cosmetics, are made from palm kernel oil. Palm kernel oil is harvested from oil palms.

Oil palms grow in the tropics. The forests of the tropics are rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat to a wide range of plants and animals. Additionally, forests absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂), making them vital for climate control.

With demand increasing for palm oil and palm kernel oil in recent years, illegal deforestation and habitat degradation have become critical issues. To combat deforestation and habitat loss, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was created in 2004. In 2007, Kao became an RSPO member.

Understanding the importance of biodiversity preservation, Kao is formulating Guidelines for Sustainable Procurement of Raw Materials in order to eliminate deforestation. By 2020, the Kao Group aims to achieve sourcing of all palm oil used in consumer products from plantations that are sustainable. In 2019, traceability back to the oil mills for all palm oil used in Kao Group's consumer products was verified.

The Kao Group achieved procuring 100% RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil equivalent to the volume used for consumer products by 2020. We are also expanding the use of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil in industrial applications. We aim to ensure that all our oil is fully sustainable and can be traced back to its origin.