Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2024
Ethical Consumer ratings
Ethical Consumer reported concerns about Colgate-Palmolive’s palm oil, deforestation, climate strategy, plastics, supply-chain management, labor rights, animal testing, taxation, and executive pay. Its assessment gave the company poor or worst-category ratings in several areas.
2023
Climate-target criticism
Planet Tracker criticized Colgate-Palmolive’s progress against emissions targets and argued that upstream Scope 3 emissions lacked a sufficiently clear mitigation strategy. Sustainability-focused commentators characterized the gap between commitments and emissions trends as a potential greenwashing and financial-risk issue.
2021
Palm-oil supply-chain and Papua New Guinea allegations
Global Witness reported that palm-oil suppliers connected to Colgate-Palmolive had alleged links to bribery, violence against villagers, and child labor in Papua New Guinea. The report contributed to broader scrutiny of supplier traceability and human-rights safeguards.
2021
Rainforest Action Network deforestation and human-rights assessment
Rainforest Action Network gave Colgate-Palmolive a failing score in a palm-oil assessment covering deforestation and human-rights risks. The company subsequently disclosed information about forest impacts connected with its palm-oil supply chain in North Sumatra.
2020
Earth Island Institute sues companies over plastic packaging pollution in California
Lawsuit filed
Earth Island Institute filed a lawsuit in a California court against Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle USA, Procter & Gamble and other companies, seeking unspecified damages and an order requiring them to clean up plastic waste. The group alleges that plastic packaging from the companies is fouling California waters and says their products contributed to a global pollution crisis; these are allegations in the lawsuit, not a court determination.
Stated objective. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and an order for the companies to clean up plastic waste.
Source excerpt
The Earth Island Institute asked for unspecified damages and an order for Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle USA, Procter & Gamble and six other companies to clean up plastic waste that the group says has created a global pollution crisis.
Escalating a campaign to make corporations responsible for the waste they produce, an environmental group filed suit Wednesday against some of the world’s biggest food, beverage and consumer goods companies in a California court, arguing they should be held responsible for plastic packaging that is fouling the state's oceans, rivers and streams.
The suit names those companies, along with Nestle USA, Crystal Geyser Water, Clorox, Mars and Danone North America.
2019
Plastic pollution criticism
BreakFreeFromPlastic identified Colgate-Palmolive among major plastic polluters in its brand-audit work. The criticism focused on the scale and recyclability of consumer-product packaging and the distinction between making packaging recyclable and reducing the use of virgin plastic.
2017
Chemsol Superfund-site liability allegations
Through the historical Mennen business, Colgate-Palmolive was reported as one of several companies potentially responsible for hazardous waste at the Chemsol federal Superfund site in Piscataway, New Jersey. Reported contamination involved volatile organic compounds, PCBs, lead, soil, and groundwater, with cleanup costs discussed among government and potentially responsible parties.
2011
Triclosan controversy in Total toothpaste
Colgate-Palmolive retained triclosan in its market-leading Total toothpaste range after withdrawing the antibacterial ingredient from several other product categories. The decision drew criticism from groups concerned about possible health and environmental effects, although the company continued to market the toothpaste under applicable regulatory approvals.