Better Health for All

Colgate-Palmolive's core product portfolio, including oral care and hygiene products, delivers substantial health benefits, aligning with a strategic focus on health-positive impact. The company demonstrates a strong commitment to healthcare education through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached approximately 1.8 billion children and their families in over 100 countries since 1991, providing oral health education and free dental screenings.

This program fosters lifelong healthy habits. Additionally, Colgate-Palmolive collaborated with the American Diabetes Association to educate about the link between oral health and diabetes and partnered with PAHO to educate healthcare providers and community leaders on reducing dental caries among vulnerable populations. The company also generates positive health externalities through environmental mitigation efforts, such as providing over 500,000 individuals with access to safe water services since 2013 and replenishing 42 million liters of water in India. Its waste management program in India benefits approximately 125,000 people and collects over 25,000 kilograms of dry waste. The company has also achieved TRUE Zero Waste certification for 21 manufacturing facilities and LEED certifications for 19 facilities.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

The CEO-to-median employee pay ratio was 314:1 in fiscal year 2024.

For workplace safety, the company reported a Total Recordable Rate of 0.19 in 2020, which marked its lowest number of recordable accidents. However, Colgate-Palmolive has faced multiple OSHA fines for workplace safety or health violations, including $10,228 in 2023 for its Tom's of Maine subsidiary, and fines of $8,407, $7,760, and $6,360 (for Hill's Pet Nutrition) in 2018. The company was subject to a private federal lawsuit in 2026 for a benefit plan administrator violation, incurring a $332,000,000 penalty, and a similar lawsuit in 2014 for $45,900,000. A 2016 Amnesty International report highlighted child and forced labor in the palm oil supply chain, and Ethical Consumer has raised concerns about the company's supply chain management and human rights practices, including a lack of wage standards and complaint mechanisms. In 2007, the company received a $65,000 penalty from the NLRB for a labor relations violation. Colgate-Palmolive states it supports the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ILO Core Labor Standards, prohibits forced labor in its own operations, and conducts comprehensive health and safety audits.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Colgate-Palmolive has faced criticism regarding its palm oil sourcing, with a 2021 report, updated in 2022, highlighting issues with suppliers in Papua New Guinea linked to child labor

. In November 2023, the Rainforest Action Network rated the company 'D-' on human rights abuses . The company placed a specific palm oil supplier, REPSA, on its No Buy List in 2017 due to ethical concerns . Colgate-Palmolive has implemented a No Deforestation Policy for commodities like palm oil and paper, aiming for deforestation-free materials by 2030 , and a Responsible Soy Procurement Policy with the same 2030 goal . In 2023, it engaged with top direct soy suppliers representing 99% of its volume to ensure policy implementation and traceability . Since 2015, the company has collaborated with Earthworm Foundation on supplier engagement and traceability . Colgate-Palmolive's Third Party Code of Conduct sets ethical expectations for business partners, requiring adherence to standards such as no child or forced labor . Since 2012, the company has utilized the SMETA protocol to assess over 80% of its spend, covering various supplier types .

Honest & Fair Business

Colgate-Palmolive was fined €672,000 by Greek authorities in November 2023 for violating profit cap regulations

. The company maintains a Code of Conduct that encourages employees to 'Speak Up' and report any conflicting behavior, supported by multiple reporting channels and whistleblower protections . All employees, directors, and corporate officers are mandated to comply with this Code, which is reinforced by regular training sessions and annual certifications .

Kind to Animals

Colgate-Palmolive addresses over 99% of internal product safety assessment requests using non-animal methods

and invests more than $1 million annually in developing and validating alternative testing methods. The company has a voluntary moratorium on animal testing for adult personal care products and ingredients since 1999, but still conducts tests when mandated by regulatory agencies. It actively advocates for the acceptance of non-animal testing methods by regulatory bodies worldwide and supports initiatives like the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA), Institute for In Vitro Science (IIVS), and Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT). While some owned brands like Tom's of Maine and Hello Products, and specific product lines such as Colgate Zero, are cruelty-free certified, the main Colgate and Palmolive products lack third-party cruelty-free certifications. Furthermore, the company received a 'worst rating for factory farming' for its Hill's Science Plan pet food range, which uses animal-derived ingredients not labeled organic or free range, and for which no animal welfare policy was found.

No War, No Weapons

Colgate-Palmolive operates in the consumer goods sector, producing oral, personal, home care, and pet nutrition products.

The company does not produce or supply military goods, arms, or weapon system components, nor does it engage in military goods production or weapon systems manufacturing. Its core product lines have no discernible connections to military applications. In 2023, the company ceased capital investments in Russia due to the Ukraine war, focusing on humanitarian efforts in the region. Colgate-Palmolive maintains a Conflict Minerals Policy, adhering to U.S. SEC disclosure requirements for tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TGs), and expects suppliers to source these minerals responsibly to prevent financing armed groups. The company is committed to responsible sourcing, opposing exploitative labor practices, and expects suppliers to uphold standards that do not contribute to conflict or human rights violations. It also supported global health initiatives, donating 25 million bars of soap and committing $20 million in health and hygiene products.

Planet-Friendly Business

Colgate-Palmolive has set ambitious targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its value chain by 2040.

These targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), confirming their alignment with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The company's commitments include reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2020 baseline and sourcing 100% renewable electricity globally by 2030.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Colgate-Palmolive faced criticism in 2021 for seeking to trademark 'Caribbean Carnival' for its fabric conditioners, an incident seen as cultural appropriation due to the festival's cultural significance for Caribbean people.

The company has established 4 formal partnerships with community and cultural organizations, including the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, First Nations growers in Australia, and Seva Mandir in India. , , ,

Safe & Smart Tech

Colgate-Palmolive has a very strong regulatory compliance program, overseen by an Ethics & Compliance Committee of senior executives, which ensures adherence to ethical standards and regulatory compliance, with regular updates to address evolving contexts.

The company also demonstrates excellent data governance, having established a Data Governance Manager role to develop and implement strategies, policies, and compliance frameworks, with no documented incidents of unauthorized data use. For cybersecurity, the company employs excellent vulnerability management practices, utilizing security platforms to identify and remediate vulnerabilities, conducting regular penetration testing, and collaborating with security firms for third-party assessments. In AI ethics, Colgate-Palmolive has a formal policy, committing to train all non-plant employees on AI principles and ethical use by the end of 2024, and establishing guardrails to prevent misuse and foster fairness. Employees also receive mandatory cybersecurity awareness training.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

By December 2023, 89.5% of Colgate-Palmolive's packaging met criteria for being recyclable, reusable, or compostable

. In 2024, the company achieved 36 TRUE Zero Waste certifications across 21 countries , which is more than any other company , signifying that at least 90% of waste is diverted from landfills at these certified facilities . Under India's Extended Producer Responsibility framework, Colgate-Palmolive collected 107% of the plastic packaging waste it generated in fiscal year 2023-24 , recycling 25,839 metric tons and safely disposing of 11,627 metric tons . The company aims for all plastic packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025 , and plans for 100% of its toothpaste stock-keeping units to be in a recyclable format by 2025 , following the introduction of a recyclable toothpaste tube in 2019 .