For the second year in a row, Kao Corporation has been included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI), regarded as one of the world’s most renowned socially responsible investment (SRI) indices. Kao was also selected as one of 24 Industry Group Leaders in total, with the top score in the Household & Personal Products Group.
 
Within the Personal Products Industry, Kao received top marks for economic initiatives including its strategic innovation management in producing high-value-added products and supply chain management, environmental initiatives such as reducing its environmental impact through Life Cycle Assessment and package development based on the 4Rs (Reduce, Renewable, Reuse, and Recycle), and social initiatives such as human capital development and corporate citizenship activities.
 
The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices are offered cooperatively by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC in the United States and RobecoSAM AG in Switzerland to evaluate the performance of the world’s leading companies in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria. Each year, about 2,500 companies in 59 industries are evaluated, and only 10% of these companies are named to DJSI World. This year, 317 companies were selected for inclusion in the World Index, 20 companies of which are headquartered in Japan. One company is named Industry Leader for each of the 59 industries and one is also selected as Industry Group Leader from within each of 24 industry groups that represent all 59 industries.