Kao Corporation is a Japanese consumer goods company that manufactures beauty, health and home care products, whilst also providing chemicals to industrial markets. In 2015 the company, which owns well-known brands such as Molton Brown, John Freida and Merries, was listed as one of the top ten home care businesses in the world. Kao Corp is exposed to palm oil and soy, which are used in its consumer products, and also to pulp and paper which feature in both the company’s products and its general operations.