Dr Bronner’s

How ethical is Dr Bronner’s?

Dr Bronner’s is a brand of toiletries which has a good score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soap & Shower Gel Ratings Table.

With a high GSG score, Dr Bronner’s can be considered an ethical brand. Dr Bronner’s hasn’t yet applied for Ethical Accreditation, but its high score would mean that if it did, it would be able to display The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Mark on its products.

We encourage other companies in the Ethical Soap & Shower Gel sector to follow Dr Bronner’s example and adopt more ethical policies and practices.

What does Dr Bronner’s do?

Dr Bronner’s was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Heilbronner who had emigrated from Germany to the US in 1929. The brand was used to spread Emanuel’s message of peace between all people and was a big hit in the 1960s. His son David took over the running of the company with his mother and uncle following Emanuel’s passing in 1998.

In which areas does Dr Bronner’s perform well?

Dr Bronner’s performs well for its Environmental Report as its 2023 ‘All-One Report contains lots of evidence of progress on environmental targets, and information on charity work and various initiatives it supports.  The brand also gets a top score for GM as it is Non-GMO Project verified, and Organic criteria due to lots of products being certified by NATRUE. Dr Bronner’s also has products certified by The Vegan Society.

We found no criticisms relating to; Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare (CFI approved), Armaments or Irresponsible Marketing, therefore Dr Bronner’s scores well for these criteria. On top of this, Dr Bronner’s has been awarded a top rating in our Ethical Innovator criterion due to its clear ethos. Find out more about our ethical criteria.

What can Dr Bronner’s do to improve its score?

The above benchmark score that Dr Bronner’s is awarded on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soap & Shower Gel Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

As Dr Bronner’s already receives a top score in the Ethical Soap & Shower Gel sector, The Good Shopping Guide encourages it to get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation. After sending in its application, Dr Bronner’s will be offered the use of The Good Shopping Guide ethical mark.

However, we would encourage Dr Bronner’s to cease Political Donations, as it currently receives a bottom rating for this criterion, in order to improve its score. If Dr Bronner’s applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide would be able to offer some guidance on this.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? If accredited by The Good Shopping Guide, brands can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable supplier. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.