A major chemicals and cosmetics corporation has released a biodiversity action policy, promising to work with consumers and business partners to conserve and restore biodiversity impacted by its activities.
Tokyo-based Kao, which employs more than 35,000 people, has added a new section to its biodiversity action plan committing to the symbiosis target.
“We will explore how chemistry can be used to address both biodiversity and climate change issues,” it said in the plan.
“We will contribute to the reduction of our own and the world’s use of chemicals by providing products and solutions that utilise our proprietary technologies, minimise the risk of contamination and adverse effects caused by chemical substances, and reduce waste,” it said.
The $17.6 billion company aims to use chemicals with the least environmental impact to minimise its waste, it said.
In the plan, Kao also committed to take action to conserve and restore biodiversity and regenerate nature.
“We will work with various stakeholders, including consumers and business partners, to take actions to avoid, reduce, conserve, restore, and regenerate, guided by the mitigation hierarchy to address direct causes of biodiversity loss including land use, climate change, pollution, and other causes,” it said.
The company pledged to promote biodiversity conservation activities in and around its business locations, and to “disclose progress with all stakeholders”.
The announcement came as part of an updated eight-point biodiversity action plan.
Other points in the plan included:
- Understanding biodiversity throughout the supply chain
- Publishing nature targets for palm oil, paper, pulp, and other products
- Supporting principles of no deforestation, no peat and no exploitation of people
- Developing technologies to improve the yield of plant-derived fats and oils
- Aligning with the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Raise awareness on biodiversity through participating in multistakeholder initiatives
“The aim has been to reverse biodiversity from loss to recovery by reducing negative impacts on nature while increasing actions that have a positive impact,” Kao said in a press release.
“Kao is actively promoting sustainable raw material procurement, the development of technologies to make effective use of limited raw materials, and activities aimed at achieving zero waste.”
The few corporations that have published biodiversity strategies so far include Grosvenor Property, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling, and Hyundai Motor.
Executives from Climate Asset Management and Forest Investment Associates said earlier this year they have noticed a ‘greenhushing’ trend in corporate nature-related activity, with firms afraid to speak out about their initiatives due to fear of criticism.
Kao’s announcement follows it publishing a biodiversity risk analysis in April, in line with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations at the time.
The company found through dividing the planet’s land areas into 96,000 cells, each representing a half-degree latitude and longitude, its supply chain might interface with more than 15% of the cells. Of those, 28% encompassed nature especially important for biodiversity, according to TNFD, and warranted further detailed assessment, it said.
By Thomas Cox – t.cox@carbon-pulse.com
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