Reckitt Benckiser Australia
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Owned |
UK |
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Cleaning, health and personal care product distributor
In Australia, RB manufactures, markets, sells, imports and exports household cleaning and health and personal care products represented by well known global and local brands. Reckitt Benckiser plc acquired Boots Healthcare International in 2005 and SSL International in 2010.
Company Ownership
Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd | AUS | website | ||||
Reckitt Benckiser PLC ![]() owns 100% of Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd |
UK | website | ||||
Consumer goods Producer of health, hygiene and home products. Their products are available in some 200 countries. Acquired Boots Healthcare International in 2005 and SSL International (makers of Durex condoms) in 2010. | ||||||
JAB Holding Company SARL ![]() owns 10% of Reckitt Benckiser PLC |
LUX | website | ||||
Holding company Owned by four siblings from one of Europe's wealthiest and most private families, the Reimanns. The company is run my three CEOs, who collectively own about 8% of JAB. Owns controlling stakes in beauty business Coty, luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo, coffee giant Jacobs Douwe Egberts, beverages giant Keurig Dr Pepper and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, among others. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd | ||||
Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation.
Source: Australian Packaging Covenant (2020) |
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) |
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)
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)
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 Resolution Panel (2013)
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)
This company is a signatory to the Manufacturers and Importers Agreement 1992 (MAIF), a voluntary self-regulatory code of conduct between the manufacturers and importers of infant formula in Australia. The MAIF Agreement aims to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and by ensuring the proper use of breast milk substitutes, when they are necessary, on the basis of adequate information through appropriate marketing and distribution.
Source: Australian Government Dept of Health (2019)
Follow the link to see this company's Product Ingredients Information Site, where the company discloses the ingredients of its household products available in Australia.
Source: company website (2015)
This company is listed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) as a Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation holder. The citation is designed to encourage, recognise and promote active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.
Source: WGEA (2019) |
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Reckitt Benckiser PLC | ||||
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2019)
In 2019, 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 A-.
Source: CDP (2019)
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)
In 2019, 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 B-.
Source: CDP (2019)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 76/100 in the Household Products category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2019) |
This company sources palm oil from at least 20 of the 25 dirty palm oil producers identified in the 2018 Greenpeace report "The Final Countdown". 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.
Source: Greenpeace (2018)
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2020)
This company received a score of 11.3/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company is rated 'lagging behind' with a score of 6.8 out of a possible total of 22.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 (2019)
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.
Source: Amnesty (2016) |
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 (2019)
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: remove commodity-driven deforestation from all supply chains by 2020;
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
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 (2020)
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)
The Female FTSE Board Report 2015 examines the percentage of women on the UK's FTSE 100 boards of directors. This company was one of 41 in the FTSE 100 with at least 25% female directors.
Source: Cranfield University (2015)
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 (2020)
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 (2019)
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)
This company is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), a not-for-profit, membership organisation that leads work with buyers and suppliers to deliver improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. Tens of thousands of companies use Sedex to manage their performance around labour rights, health & safety, the environment and business ethics.
Source: Sedex (2018)
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 55%.
Source: Forest 500 (2019)
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)
Ethical Consumer has ranked companies' practices and policies in relation to their palm oil sourcing for the Rainforest Foundation/Ethical Consumer palm oil campaign. This company received a 'yellow' rating.
Source: Rainforest Foundation UK (2016)
This company uses microbeads in some of its personal care products, but have indicated it will replace them in a given timeframe or adapt the products accordingly. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean. While microplastics aren't thought to be a health hazard to consumers, they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Beat the Microbead (2015)
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: Modern Slavery Registry (2017) |
Company Details
Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Revenue | $744 million in 2009 |
Employees | 470 in 2014 in Australia |
Aus Manufacturing | Yes |
Contact Details
Address | 44 Wharf Rd, West Ryde, NSW, 2114, Australia |
Phone | 02 9857 2000 |
Fax | 02 9857 2004 |
ANZ.Consumer_Inquiry@reckittbenckiser.com | |
Website | https://www.rb.com/rb-worldwide/operations-around-the-world/australia |