(2) The Ethisphere Institute, a leading US think-tank, has named the Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. Kao is a leading consumer goods company and the only Asian company to have made the list every year since Ethisphere began its ranking in 2007. Thoughtful, purposeful consumption is at the heart of Kao's business and this continued recognition by Ethisphere, reflects this commitment. *"World's Most Ethical Companies" and "Ethisphere" names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210223005050/en/ The Ethisphere Institute develops and shares best practices in business ethics and corporate social responsibility. The World's Most Ethical Companies list recognizes companies which have demonstrated outstanding performance in transparency, integrity, ethics, and compliance. The Institute surveys and evaluates companies worldwide across five categories covering: ethics and compliance programs, corporate citizenship and responsibility, culture of ethics, governance, and leadership and reputation.