Steven Ko

Steven Ko is the founder, chairman and CEO of the world’s greenest brand, O’right. Adhering to the ideal of “green, sustainable and innovative,” Ko connects the green supply chain to fully realise carbon neutrality. His company, Hair O’right International Corp., is a provider of zero-carbon hair, body, skin and personal care products.

In 2007, the company produced its first bottle of 8-free shampoo, a groundbreaking product that has zero of eight high-risk chemical substances that are harmful to the environment. He built a green supply chain, with suppliers that invest in the development of bio-recycling bottles, as well as bottle holders and pressure heads made of recycled plastics. Ko joined the RE100 in 2020, becoming one of the Top 15 green leaders to commit to 100 per cent renewable power. O’right is the only Taiwanese enterprise to be shortlisted for the RE100 Leadership Awards Corporate Leadership Award.

In 2021, O’right was invited to participate in the keynote speech of the United Nations COP15 Global Biology Conference, and Ko officially became the speaker of the United Nations COP26 Global Climate Summit and Forum.

By 2022, the company had reached 50 to 60 per cent reduction in emissions. In the same year, Ko attended the Global Biodiversity Summit by the Climate Week of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA77) and announced the Melting Greenland project through a documentary. The project will lead a team from all walks of life and of various expertise in calling for global action against climate change.

Ko believes that “Fashion is a form of freedom. It is something that allows individuals to express themselves and is not meant to be restrictive.” He is pleased to see Taiwan’s growing interest in sustainable fashion and believes that it is definitely a future trend. Ko says, “Your beauty should not have a negative impact on the environment or animals. This kind of beauty is broader and more far-reaching.” He emphasises the importance of considering the broader implications of beauty beyond personal appearance.