Kao : Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for Fifth Consecutive Year

The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices are offered cooperatively by S&P Dow Jones Indices in the United States and RobecoSAM in Switzerland to evaluate the sustainability of the world's leading companies with regards to key areas such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. This year, about 2,500 major companies were evaluated, and 319 companies, of which there were 34 companies headquartered in Japan including Kao, were named to DJSI World.

Kao received high evaluation for its efforts in the criteria of Product Quality and Recall Management and Codes of Business Conduct in the Economic category which also covers the Governance perspective. Kao's engagement to Product Stewardship and Environmental Reporting was lauded in the Environmental category, while its Social Reporting was highly evaluated in the Social Category.

The Kao Group embarked on its Kao Group Mid-term Plan 2020 (K20) in 2017 with the key theme of 'Transforming Ourselves to Drive Change'. Dave Muenz, head of the ESG Division, newly setup this July as part of an effort to achieve K20 goals, comments, 'We are delighted to see Kao's ESG activities received so positively by the investment community. We will further our efforts to create a positive impact on the sustainability of society and for further business success.'

The Kao Group will promote its unique ESG activities on a global level for the wholehearted satisfaction and enrichment of the lives of people worldwide and to contribute to social sustainability.