Mission Since the business was founded in 1887, Kao has always put consumers at the heart of everything they do. This is laid down in the Kao Way, the company´s corporate philosophy that goes back to the founder Tomiro Nagase.
Some of the cornerstones of the Kao Way are the Japanese principles of Genba, a strong focus on the consumer needs, Yoki-Monozukuri, the idea of constant improvement and innovation, and Integrity. Kao has been named "Most Ethical Company of the World" for 18 consecutive years.
Today, this remains the foundation of the Group’s corporate philosophy, underpinning all of the activities. Every bold innovation, thoughtful new product and breakthrough action is in service of consumers’ needs.
The Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) actions are no different. Kao is committed to enhancing the contribution to society through a renewed focus on ESG. And our ESG strategy is in service to our consumers’ needs, behaviours and desires to live sustainable lifestyles that contribute to a more sustainable world.
Description Founded in Japan in 1887 with a mission to enrich people’s lives, Kao's commitment to deliver high quality products that make life beautiful has continued for over 130 years.
Globally, Kao develops consumer products in four fields of business: Hygiene and Living Care, Health and Beauty Care, Life Care, and Cosmetics – in addition to the Chemical Business. In the Americas and EMEA Region, our family of brands and products are grouped into three sectors—the Kao Consumer Care Business; Kao Salon Division; and Molton Brown, our line of luxury bath, body and beauty products.
The Kao Consumer Care Business in the America’s Region has been creating innovative, award-winning products since the founding of Jergens® in 1882. Through our family of brands—Ban®, Bioré®, Curél®, Jergens®, John Frieda®, MyKirei by KAO™ and Wakati®—we offer diverse variety of products that promote healthy, inclusive and sustainable lifestyles—A Kirei Lifestyle—for all.
The Kao Salon Division found its start in Germany in 1948 when Goldwell was established. Today, our salon brands—Goldwell®, KMS® and Oribe®—are as unique as each of the salons and stylists we work with and the customers we serve. Through research, collaboration and innovation, we continue to provide solutions that make life beautiful.
Founded in London in 1973, Molton Brown offers expertly-blended luxury beauty products made with exotic ingredients. Our perfumes, shower gels, body lotions, candles and hand care products feature bold, signature scents with vibrant colors. From five-star hotels and high-end department stores to a Royal Warrant for the supply of toiletries by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, our products create truly indulgent, memorable experiences for customers across the world.
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Why work with us?
Careers
Culture
Benefits
Our Team
The Kao Way
Be a part of something beautiful
When you join our team, you’ll find the opportunities and support you need to shape your career and truly make a meaningful difference. We believe this is why so many employees come to work here, and stay.
If you are curious, passionate and driven to make the world a better place, we have an opportunity for you. From corporate offices to salon training academies to our manufacturing facilities, career opportunities at Kao are as diverse as the team members we are looking for.
Explore Life at Kao
It’s More than Culture
At Kao, we’re dedicated to inclusion and cultivating a culture where everyone is connected, valued and respected—a culture where every employee can thrive.
Benefits to Find Harmony
At Kao, we’re dedicated to making life beautiful for our employees, too. We reward our teams for their contributions with benefits designed to help them live healthy, fulfilling lives.
Powered by Our People
Our backgrounds, roles and locations are varied but what brings us together is our united sense of optimism, integrity and trust in one another.
Kao Corporation has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 403 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Kao Corporation employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufacturing industry (3.5 stars).
Overall, 68% of employees would recommend working at Kao Corporation to a friend. This is based on 435 anonymously submitted reviews on Glassdoor.
67% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Kao Corporation as positive. Candidates give an average difficulty score of 2.8 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) for their job interview at Kao Corporation.