The Kao Way (corporate philosophy) 

Our mission is to strive for the wholehearted satisfaction and enrichment of the lives of people globally and to contribute to the sustainability of the world, with products and brands of excellent value that are created from the consumer's and customer's perspective. This commitment is embraced by all members of the Kao Group as we work together with passion to share joy with consumers and customers in our core domains of cleanliness, beauty, health and chemicals. 

We aim to be the global group of companies that is closest to the consumers and customers in each market, earning the respect and trust of all stakeholders.

- Yoki-Monozukuri

We define "Yoki-Monozukuri" as "a strong commitment by all members to provide products and brands of excellent value for consumer satisfaction". It consists of the following core concepts, which distinguishes us from all others. In Japanese, "Yoki" literally means "good/excellent", "Monozukuri" means "development/manufacturing of products".

We strive to develop innovative products and brands to maximize consumer satisfaction by determining the needs of consumers and fusing them with the seeds of R&D.

- Innovation

We continuously improve and innovate our products, brands and business processes in order to stay one step ahead of changes in consumer lifestyles and the business environment. 

We proactively seek new opportunities and challenges, never being satisfied with the status quo. 

We regard difficulties as opportunities for self-improvement and continue to grow individually and as a corporation by overcoming them. 

- Integrity

We treat others with respect and fairness, and pursue our work with sincerity and diligence in an effort to optimize the performance of individuals and the corporation as a whole.

We behave lawfully and ethically, and earn the respect and trust of all stakeholders through sound and honest business activities.

As a responsible corporate citizen, we seek to ensure the safety of our products and operations, and proactively engage in solving social and environmental issues.

- Consumer Driven

We always place the consumer as our first priority, conducting day-to-day work from the viewpoint of the consumer.

We strive to be as close as possible to the consumer to grasp actual needs and develop products and brands with greater value.

We actively communicate with the consumer and utilize the feedback in daily business activities.

- Genba-ism

"Genba" literally means "actual spot". At Kao, "Genba-ism" defines the importance of observing things "on-site", in the actual location and environment, both internally and externally, in order to maximize our understanding of the business and optimize our performance.

We always strive to visit sites, and sense, experience and understand consumer behavior in purchasing and using products. 

We share experiences and understanding among operational Genba to enhance organizational capabilities and to promote unification within the group.

We constantly seek fresh ideas and inspiration from Genba, as they can be catalysts for innovation in our products, brands and business processes.

- Respect & Teamwork

We believe that the vitality engendered by diversity is a wellspring of business development, and therefore actively embrace differences of culture, nationality, belief, race and gender. 

We challenge to maximize our individual capabilities and pursue high-performance targets, always approaching daily tasks with enthusiasm.

We attain higher goals by working as a team, encouraging the active exchange of ideas and opinions, and sharing information.

We build firm cooperative relationships with our business partners through mutual understanding and respect for the benefit of all parties.

- Global Perspective

We strive to deeply understand the different cultures and customs of each market and offer products and brands appropriately suited to the needs of local consumers.

We develop suitable business operations involving marketing and sales activities in each market.

We are always open to innovative ideas and technologies from any source, internal or external, and strive with sincerity to learn anything that is superior from a global perspective.

We pursue the global efficiency and benefits of the Kao Group while respecting local initiatives.