We manage the following two systems to ensure that our products are designed with environmental considerations.
One system is to verify the environmental impact of our products before releasing them into the world, and the other is to communicate to consumers that the products are environmentally friendly by displaying the "eco together" logo on the products. These systems have cleared our rigorous certification standards.
To reduce environmental impact across the product lifecycle, Kao has created its own Design for Environment (DfE) guidelines listing factors that should be taken account of from the design stage in order to create safe, eco-friendly products, and conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Starting from fiscal 2008, we introduced stricter quantifying of the environmental burden rate over the product lifecycle. To make the improvement rate clear, we have adopted a new environmental burden improvement rate index*. This allows us to compare and evaluate lifecycle CO2 emissions for existing "standard" products and new "development" products, to reduce the environmental burden by improving product functions and
performance.
To determine items and procedures regarding environmental impacts and safety that must be considered during the design process for the purpose of reducing environmental impacts and ensuring the safety of products
As a principle, the "eco together" logo is printed on products that meet the following two conditions in Japan:
Environmental features | Certification criteria |
---|---|
(1)Energy conservation | The energy consumed during use of the product is more than 20% lower than that of a standard product. |
(2)Resource conservation | ・The weight of the package or container of the product is more than 10% lower than that of a standard product. Or ・The weight of the raw material for the contents applying to use of the product is more than 10% lower than that of a standard product. |
(3)Water saving | The amount of water consumed for use of the product is more than 20% lower than that of a standard product. |
(4)Waste reduction | ・The amount of waste is more than 10% lower than that of a standard product. Or ・Refill or replacement is used so that the weight of the package is more than 50% lower than that of the base packaging. |
(5)Use of recycled materials | ・Recycled raw materials are used for at least 10% of the packaging or container. Or ・Recycled raw materials are used for at least 10% of the content of the product. |
(6)Use of plant materials
|
・Plant based materials are used for at least 50% of the content of the product. Or ・Plant based materials are used for at least 20% of the container or package. |
(7)Reduction of CO2 emissions | ・Total CO2 emission of across the lifecycle of the product is more than 10% lower than that of a standard product. Or ・Total CO2 emission of any stage of the product’s lifecycle (procurement and disposal of the content, procurement and disposal of the package or container, production, distribution and use) is more than 10% lower than that of a standard product. |
(8)Carbon offsetting | The product is certified by the Carbon Offset Certification System (third-party organization), and appropriate Carbon Offset measures are taken for the product. |