Skip to content

Ethical brand ratings and accreditation since 2001

Back to table

Schwarzkopf

How ethical is Schwarzkopf?

Schwarzkopf is a brand of hair care products which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Shampoo & Conditioner Ratings Table. Although Schwarzkopf has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Schwarzkopf 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 Shampoo & Conditioner sector.

What does Schwarzkopf do?

Schwarzkopf began in Berlin over 120 years ago. The brand is now owned by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

In which areas does Schwarzkopf perform poorly?

Schwarzkopf gets a bottom score for GM as a statement on its parent company’s website appears to confirm use of GMOs. It also gets a bottom rating for Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuels, as parent company Henkel provides products and services to these industries.

On Henkel’s website, it also confirms that the company does use animal testing when required by law, so Schwarzkopf is given a bottom score for Animal Welfare. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Schwarzkopf’s record

Henkel has appeared at the bottom of rankings tables regarding the sustainability and supply chain practices of companies.

In which areas does Schwarzkopf score well for its ethics?

We found no criticisms relating to Vegetarian or Irresponsible Marketing so Schwarzkopf scores well for these criteria. Henkel has a Sustainability Report 2022 containing lots of targets, so Schwarzkopf is given a top score for its Environmental Report.

How can Schwarzkopf improve its ethical rating?

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

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Schwarzkopf has some issues to resolve, including its use of animal testing and GMOs. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Schwarzkopf 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.

Ethical performance in category

0

GSG score

25
67

GSG category benchmark

100

Ethical Rating

Environment

  • Environmental Report

    Good

  • Genetic Modification

    Poor

  • Organic

    Poor

  • Nuclear Power

    Poor

  • Fossil Fuels

    Poor

Animal

  • Animal Welfare

    Poor

  • Vegetarian/Vegan Verified

    Good

People

  • Armaments

    Acceptable

  • Irresponsible Marketing

    Good

  • Political Donations

    Poor

Other

  • Ethical Accreditation

    Poor

  • Public Record Criticisms

    Poor

= GSG Top Rating = GSG Middle Rating = GSG Bottom Rating