Reckitt Benckiser Group plc — Ethics Grade D

Reckitt Benckiser Group plc receives an overall ethics grade of D (32/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Consumer Goods. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 60
• privacy: 80
• consumer: 15
• environment: 55
• humanRights: 40

Documented incidents (3)

• Humidifier Disinfectant Fatalities (high, 2016) — The company's South Korean unit sold a humidifier disinfectant containing PHMG that caused 100+ deaths and hundreds of lung injuries in children and pregnant women. Prosecutors found the company failed to conduct safety tests before marketing the toxic chemical.
• Deceptive Marketing of Suboxone (high, 2019) — Former subsidiary Indivior (spun off from Reckitt) was involved in a marketing scheme to fraudulently promote the opioid addiction treatment Suboxone to doctors despite safety risks. Reckitt paid a massive settlement to resolve potential federal liability related to the marketing.
• Misleading Pain Relief Claims (medium, 2015) — Australian regulators fined the company for selling 'targeted' Nurofen products (e.g., for back pain, migraine) that all contained the same active ingredient but cost double the standard price. The court ruled the products were inherently misleading to consumers.

Documented good deeds

• WASH Program Expansion — Reckitt expanded its global program to improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for 20 million people across South Asia and Africa.

Ethical alternatives

• Seventh Generation — Certified B Corp with radical transparency in ingredient sourcing and superior environmental standards.