Reckitt Benckiser — Ethics Grade C

Reckitt Benckiser receives an overall ethics grade of C (48/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Consumer Goods. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 60
• privacy: 45
• consumer: 25
• environment: 55
• humanRights: 55

Documented incidents (3)

• South Korea Humidifier Deaths (high, 2016) — Reckitt's South Korean unit sold toxic humidifier disinfectants that killed or injured hundreds of people.
• Enfamil Recall (medium, 2023) — Recalled 145,000 cans of baby formula due to potential cross-contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.
• Gaviscon Generic Blocking (medium, 2020) — Fined for withdrawing Gaviscon from pharmacies to steer doctors toward newer, more expensive versions and block generics.

Documented good deeds

• Water Stewardship Program — Reduced water use in operations by 30% and launched global hygiene education programs.

Ethical alternatives

• Seventh Generation — Strict non-toxic ingredient standards and 100% recycled packaging goals.