2010 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2010 CHOICE Shonky Awards. Nurofen painkillers actually contain identical ingredients from product to product despite marketing painkillers for varying pains. The active ingredient in these painkillers spreads through your whole body attacking whatever pain it comes across, wherever it is. The shonkiest aspect of this type of marketing is that the fast-acting painkillers labeled for specific pain types are more expensive.

Source: Choice (2010)

2012 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2012 CHOICE Shonky Awards. Exit Mould doesn't kill mould! This alleged mould killer can't penetrate porous surfaces, like grout, which is where mould tends to grow. While it may look nice and white post-spray, courtesy of the bleach removing the colour, the root structure remains entrenched in the grout, ready to sprout again. In fact, the bleach can actually erode and corrode grout and tiles, making them more porous - and more receptive to mould.

Source: Choice (2012)

Breaching advertising codes

In 2013, 2012 and 2011 the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Complaints Resolution Panel upheld complaints about ads by this company on the grounds that they breached advertising codes. The Panel requested this company withdraw the ads and not to use representations in the ads again.

Source: TGA Complaints Register (2013)

Fined $1.7m for misleading conduct

In April 2016 the Federal Court ordered Reckitt Benckiser Australia to pay $1.7 million in penalties for misleading conduct regarding Nurofen specific pain products, in proceeding brought by the ACCC. In December 2016 the fine was increased to $6 million after an appeal by the ACCC. The company was found to have contravened Australian Consumer Law by making representations on its website and packaging that Nurofen Specific Pain products were each formulated to specifically treat a particular type of pain, when this was not the case. In fact, each product contains the same active ingredient, ibuprofen lysine 342mg.

Source: ACCC (2016)

2016 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2016 CHOICE Shonky Awards for its Vanish Preen Power Powder Clean and Fresh Large Area Carpet Cleaner, which costs $14.70 and failed to outperform water in Choice tests, despite claiming to be "revolutionary," with five times more dirt removal and a "fast-drying action".

Source: Choice (2016)

GECA certified products

Company manufactures or distributes products which have received the Good Environmental Choice Ecolabel, provided by the Good Environmental Choice Australia.

Source: GECA (2024)

Use of microplastics

This company uses plastic microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean where they contribute to ocean plastic pollution, and are hazardous to sea life. While the effects of microplastics on human health are not completely understood, there are concerns about plastic additives, such as phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors which are shown to have harmful effects on life.

Source: Beat the Microbead (2021)

Palm oil from Wilmar

A 2016 report by Amnesty International found a range of labour rights abuses on the palm oil plantations operated by Wilmar's subsidiaries and suppliers in Indonesia. These abuses include worst forms of child labour, forced labour, discrimination against women workers, people being paid below the minimum wage, and workers suffering injuries from toxic chemicals. The report confirms that Reckitt Benckiser purchases palm oil from Wilmar. [Listed under Information due to age of report]

Source: Amnesty Intl (2016)

Palm oil sourcing

In the 2018 Greenpeace report "The Final Countdown", this company was identified as sourcing palm oil from at least 20 of the 25 dirty palm oil producers identified in the report. In addition to deforestation, the 25 individual cases in the report include evidence of exploitation and social conflicts, illegal deforestation, development without permits, plantation development in areas zoned for protection and forest fires linked to land clearance. [Listed under Information due to age of report]

Source: Greenpeace (2018)

Guide to Healthy Cleaning grade (A-F)

EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning provides safety ratings for household cleaning products, with over 2,500 products rated from A (lowest concern) to F (highest concern). This company's score range is A to F, with over 84% of products scoring a D or F.

Source: Environmental Working Group (2020)

Anticompetitive behavior

In Apr 2011, Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc was given a final fine of 10.2 million pounds (US$16.6 million) by a U.K. regulator for halting supplies of a heartburn medicine to the National Health Service to block sales of a generic version. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]

Source: news article (2011)

Tax havens

This company has been criticised by ActionAid for having subsidiaries in tax havens. One of the main reasons companies have subsidiaries in tax havens is to dodge their taxes. Developing countries lose more to tax dodging than they receive in aid each year.

Source: ActionAid (2011)

Price fixing in France

In Dec 2014 this company and 12 other consumer goods firms were fined a total of 951m euros by the French competition watchdog for price fixing in supermarkets. The regulator said the companies colluded on price increases between 2003 and 2006. This company was fined 121m euros.

Source: news article (2014)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: commit to 100% renewable power, adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.

Source: We Mean Business (2021)

Ingredients disclosure

In 2014 this company announced it would expand its ingredients disclosure program to include the subset of fragrance ingredients identified as recognized allergens by the European Union's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. This company was already ahead of the pack on ingredients disclosure with its website www.rbnainfo.com

Source: Environmental Defense Fund (2014)

US Plastics Pact signatory

This company is a signatory to the US Plastics Pact, a collaborative effort organized by The Recycling Partnership and the World Wildlife Fund, launched as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global Plastics Pact network to unify diverse public-private stakeholders across the plastics value chain to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics, to create a path forward to realize a circular economy for plastic in the United States. In line with the Ellen McArthur Foundation's vision of a circular economy for plastics, which unites more than 850+ organizations, the US Plastics Pact brings together companies, government entities, NGOs, researchers, and other stakeholders to work collectively toward scalable solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges within the U.S. landscape, through vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action.

Source: US Plastics Pact (2023)

83.9% in Newsweek Green Rankings 2016

This company received a score of 83.9/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2016, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.

Source: Newsweek (2016)

Plastics Commitment signatory

This company is a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution at its source.

Source: New Plastics Economy (2022)

GC3 member (Green Chemistry)

This company is a member of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), a business-to-business forum that advances the application of green chemistry and design for environment across supply chains. It provides an open forum for cross-sectoral collaboration to share information and experiences about the challenges to and opportunities for safer chemicals and products.

Source: GC3 (2019)

Ellen MacArthur Foundation member

This company is a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, whose stated mission is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation works with business, government and academia to build a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design.

Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2023)

How2Recycle member

This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.

Source: How2Recycle (2023)

Global Plastics Treaty endorsee

In 2022 after more than 170 nations backed a historic UN resolution to end plastic pollution, global businesses across the plastics value chain, financial institutions, and NGOs came together to announce a common vision for an effective and ambitious Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution. The vision will form the basis for future policy engagements with governments through a newly launched Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty which will be convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF. This company has endorsed the vision statement of the treaty.

Source: Global Plastics Treaty (2023)

Sustainable Agriculture Initiative member

This company is a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the main food industry initiative supporting the development of sustainable agriculture worldwide. Created by Nestle, Unilever and Danone in 2002, the SAI Platform is a non-profit organization to facilitate sharing, at precompetitive level, of knowledge and initiatives to support the development and implementation of sustainable agriculture practices involving the different stakeholders of the food chain.

Source: SAI Platform (2023)

Microbeads scorecard

In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company was ranked as 'getting there'. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.

Source: Greenpeace (2016)

CDP Forests score of C

In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests score of C.

Source: CDP (2023)

46.8% in Forest 500 Rankings

Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 46.8%.

Source: Forest 500 (2023)

C grade in Plastic Promises Scorecard

As You Sow's 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard measures the corporate ambition and action of 225 large companies across six industries on six core pillars of plastic packaging pollution prevention: 1) Recyclability, 2) Reduction, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Recovery, 5) Reuse, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of C.

Source: As You Sow (2024)

Palm oil scorecard - WWF

The 2024 WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard evaluates the progress and performance of 285 major retailers and manufacturer companies, focusing on actions companies have taken to ensure their own palm oil supply chain is sustainable and free of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, and human rights abuse. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 13.74 out of a possible total of 24.

Source: WWF Palm Oil Scorecard (2024)

Modern Slavery statement

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.

Source: company website (2017)

CDP Water Security score of C

In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security score of C.

Source: CDP (2023)