Tom’s of Maine, owned by Colgate-Palmolive, markets itself as a natural and ethical personal care brand, selling toothpaste, deodorant, and body care. Despite its green image, it is fully tied to Colgate-Palmolive’s global system of palm oil exploitation, plastic packaging, and animal testing in markets where it is required by law.
Colgate-Palmolive is rated Medium Impact because its harms are systemic but less directly tied to military supply chains than the highest-impact targets. The company is implicated in animal testing where required by law, palm oil linked to forced labour and sexual abuse in Indonesia and Malaysia, and a heavy reliance on plastic packaging. Its supply chains have been tied to gender-based violence and exploitation on plantations, and watchdogs continue to flag widespread labour risks in raw material sourcing.
Politically, however, Colgate-Palmolive’s footprint is weaker than corporations that directly enable Israeli state violence, such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, or weapons contractors. Its complicity is more indirect, flowing through global investment networks and consumer markets rather than direct military contracts.
Boycotting Colgate-Palmolive still matters. It exposes how everyday products—oral care, soap, pet food—are entangled in labour abuse, ecological destruction, and political influence. The scale of its reach makes it a clear reminder that ordinary spending decisions can sustain or interrupt systems of harm.
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Better and Better
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