For years, several thousand Chinese workers at four factories owned by Gold Peak International made nickel-cadmium batteries using hand tools and simple machines for major U.S. distributors such as Rayovac, Panasonic, Eveready and Energizer. No one told them cadmium is a carcinogen capable of causing severe bone pain, kidney failure and death. Hundreds of these workers suffered health problems such as severe headaches, sore throats and vomiting as a result of exposure to cadmium. Some died. [noted as Information due to age of report]

In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$55,599. The CEO was paid 163 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.

This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.

The Energizer EcoAdvanced is the world's first AA battery made with 4% recycled batteries. The company aims to increase this to 40% by 2025.

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.

OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.