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| Overall Assessment |
Analysis |
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Moderate
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Kao Corp provides some insight into how it governs climate-related engagement: it explains that "the person in charge of the environmental department checks the policymaker's and trade association's site multiple times a year" and that "If there are changes to policies, laws or regulations and the changes are important, they would be deliberated by the ESG Management Committee." The company also notes that when issues arise outside Japan, "local environmental department personnelcontact the HQ Japan and the ESG Management Committee would discuss them," indicating a recurring escalation path and a clear internal bodythe ESG Management Committeeresponsible for reviewing climate-related policy matters. Additionally, the firm confirms a "public commitment to conduct your engagement activities in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement," signalling an intention to align advocacy with its climate commitments. This demonstrates a defined process, regular monitoring, and a named oversight body, which suggests a moderate level of lobbying-governance transparency. However, the disclosure does not describe how the company evaluates or reconciles any misalignment between its own lobbying positions or those of its trade associations, nor does it mention any formal review of direct lobbying activities, engagement outcomes, or corrective actions; there is also no published audit or detailed report on lobbying alignment.
View Sources
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C
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| Overall Assessment |
Analysis |
Score |
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Comprehensive
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Kao Corporation provides highly detailed and specific disclosure of its climate-policy lobbying. It names the exact initiatives it has engaged on, including Japan’s Ministry of the Environment’s “Green Life Points” promotion project, the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures, and the 2021 amendment to that Act that embeds 2050 carbon-neutrality and requires greater corporate emissions data transparency. For each policy, Kao sets out how it lobbied and who it lobbied: it “expressed its opinion” to the Ministry of the Environment, “actively cooperates with the Ministry… to promote policies related to the Act,” and participates in the Ministry-led “decarbonization management network,” demonstrating multiple clearly identified mechanisms and a single, clearly identified governmental target. The company is equally explicit about the results it seeks. It supports the Green Life Points scheme but notes “minor exceptions,” backs voluntary value-chain emissions calculation while opposing a compulsory mandate that would “be a significant burden” for a global company, and advocates for positioning 2050 carbon-neutrality as a basic principle, expanding local renewable-energy use, and digitising corporate emissions data. By describing concrete desired policy changes or safeguards and explaining its reasons for support or qualified opposition, Kao demonstrates a high level of transparency across all aspects of its climate-related lobbying.
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A
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