Palmolive

How ethical is Palmolive?

Palmolive is a brand of soap and shower products which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soap & Shower Gel Ratings Table. Although Palmolive has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Palmolive if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement.

Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Ethical Soap & Shower Gel sector.

What does Palmolive do?

Palmolive produces a range of personal care products, which grew from initially selling only soap. The brand is now owned by Colgate-Palmolive.

In which areas does Palmolive perform poorly?

Palmolive was marked down under our criteria for Animal Welfare as the brand’s parent company, Colgate-Palmolive, confirms that it does use animal testing when required by law. It also scores poorly for Organic as it lacks certification, and Political Donations, as Colgate-Palmolive donated over $217k in recent election cycles.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Palmolive’s record

Palmolive’s parent company, Colgate-Palmolive, has been criticised by Rainforest Action Network in their report ‘Keep Forests Standing’ for its part in sourcing palm oil from producers controlled by the Harita Group, responsible for deforestation in Borneo.

In which areas does Palmolive score well for its ethics?

Palmolive’s parent company, Colgate-Palmolive, has a 2021 Sustainability & Social Impact Report with targets and evidence of progress, so Palmolive scores well for its Environmental Report.

We found no criticisms of Palmolive relating to; GM, Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels, Political Donations, Armaments or Irresponsible Marketing, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Palmolive improve its ethical rating?

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

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Palmolive has some issues to resolve, including its use of animal testing and lack of certification. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Palmolive some guidance to improve on these areas.

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