Annual & ESG Report 2023-2024

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We seek to cater to changing consumer needs by continuously innovating and improving our products to meet the evolving market demands. We have also implemented a mechanism to drive greater sustainability and continuous improvement in our products

Creating Products for a Better Tomorrow

We employ a holistic approach to product strategy, covering the entire product development lifecycle. This includes design, quality assurance, ingredient safety, and recall management. Through targeted consumer education efforts, we ensure our customers understand our products' features and how to use them effectively

 

Product Design

Committed to delivering top-quality products while upholding stringent environmental standards, ColgatePalmolive (India) focuses on manufacturing excellence through innovative strategies to meet evolving customer needs.

In FY 2020-21, Colgate-Palmolive Company, USA introduced the industry's first recyclable toothpaste tubes, crafted from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Sharing the knowledge globally, including with competitors, the company aims to drive wider adoption of recyclable packaging. Our goal is to transition 100% of our toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2025 in India.

As of FY 2023-24, 50% of our tubes are already recyclable, marking significant progress toward our sustainability objectives.


Product Quality & Safety Management

We adhere to stringent standards to ensure regulatory compliance - from sourcing high-quality raw materials to implementing rigorous quality control measures during manufacturing, every step is carefully monitored. Extensive testing is conducted to achieve and/or surpass industry benchmarks for safety and performance.

Our guiding principle is the 26 Global Quality Standards, modeled after the US FDA's Six-system approach, covering innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization.

These standards are uniformly applied across all facilities, ensuring process monitoring and product testing with cutting-edge technology and robust quality control mechanisms.

Our products adhere to Key Release Specifications (KRSs), meeting specified requirements for each product type. Non-conforming products are withheld from release to prevent unintended usage.

Our commitment to quality was evident in FY 2023-24, with zero incidents of non-compliance regarding the health and safety impacts of our products.

This year, we continued to deploy technologies to enhance product quality, ensure process optimization and heighten production capacity.

 

Ingredient Safety

The safety and reliability of our products are fundamental to earning and maintaining the trust of our consumers. We are committed to transparency, continuously providing accurate information to empower our consumers to make informed decisions.

We adhere to stringent safety policies, ensuring compliance with both internal standards and government regulations across all regions. Our ingredient guidelines are based on comprehensive scientific evaluations, and we actively collaborate with external experts to stay abreast of the latest advancements in ingredient safety. By partnering exclusively with suppliers who meet our rigorous safety standards, we ensure the safety and quality of our products throughout the entire production process.

 

Consumer Awareness and Feedback

Consumer feedback is integral to our process, guiding enhancements and fostering innovation. We utilize surveys and various channels to gauge satisfaction, continuously refining our procedures and empowering employees to contribute to ongoing product evolution. Our dedicated team collaborates closely with partners to pioneer innovative solutions. These scientific breakthroughs are then translated into everyday products that promote both environmental stewardship and individual well-being.

 

Recall Management

To ensure the safety and well-being of our consumers, we've instituted a standardized recall process for any products falling below our rigorous quality standards or posing potential harm. This comprehensive procedure entails mock recovery audits, leveraging FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) technology to root out defects, and implementing product coding for traceability. These meticulous steps bolster confidence in the safety and reliability of our products, ensuring our customers can trust in their quality.
 

Combatting Caries with Science

In response to the widespread issue of caries affecting a vast majority of adults and children in India, Colgate-Palmolive Company, USA has pioneered the development of Argininefluoride technology. This innovative approach is aimed at nourishing and strengthening teeth, ultimately enhancing overall oral health and quality of life.

Our campaign for Colgate Strong Teeth with Arginine technology is dedicated to promoting optimal oral health and raising awareness about the importance of teeth nourishment in combating dental issues.

 

Leading the Way Through Innovation-led Products

Our innovation journey continues year on year. In FY 2023-24, we launched some truly superior products that continue to define the trends across categories.

 

Toothpastes & Toothbrushes

Relaunched our flagship product - Colgate Strong Teeth Toothpaste - with a refreshed formula. Enriched with our unique Arginine technology that gives a Calcium boost, this toothpaste nourishes teeth and makes them 2X stronger.

* vs a regular fluoride toothpaste


The new and improved Colgate Active Salt leverages the unique benefits of salt ingrained in Indian oral care tradition and tackles oral problems* right at their inception.

* Such as cavities, gum problems, plaque, bad breath and yellowness of teeth with twice daily brushing


Colgate Super Junior range of Toothbrush was relaunched after 7 years with a new product, packaging and pricing strategy. Creating contemporary relatable kids' characters and reimagining the backer as one canvas - a first in the category, drove availability to never-before stores with a consumer winning bundle vis-a-vis competition.


Enhanced Colgate Visible White O2 formulation with superior flavor and whitening technology offering a unique warming feeling during brushing, resulting in a smile that allows customers to look and feel their best.


Colgate Total Sensitive Toothpaste, a true whole mouth protection toothpaste with anti-sensitivity benefits was introduced with Zinc and Arginine technology and a special type of Silica.

Charting a Zig Zag way to Market Leadership

Zig Zag, a flagship sub-brand of toothbrush, has long been recognized as a leader in oral care across India. However, amidst the challenges of the pandemic, the Zig Zag line experienced reduced market traction. To rejuvenate the brand on all fronts - product, packaging and proposition, we decided to move back to the legacy roots of Zig Zag – 'Deep Cleaning'.

  • Employing design thinking, our team reimagined the whole toothbrush in terms of color combinations and bristles.
  • We redesigned the whole backer card of the packaging as one canvas, a first in the category. As advertising & communication is limited in the category, the packaging becomes the only form of impactful communication to persuade consumers.
  • A toothbrush relaunch, on an average, requires 8-9 months to execute end-to-end. By leveraging Colgate Strong Teeth's relaunch, we capitalized on the opportunity to win back Zig Zag's loyal consumers.

Our efforts paid off, with the new Zig Zag boasting a 2.1X index to the nearest competitor in terms of Purchase Intent, firmly establishing its key USPs.

The results speak for themselves - Zig Zag has emerged as the fastest-growing core toothbrush brand in our portfolio.

 
In FY 2023-24, we continued to accelerate premiumization through our proactive health toothpaste with Colgate Total, creating a desire for whitening with the Visible White range and building therapeutics credentials with Periogard.
 

Oral Beauty

We consolidated our leadership in teeth whitening in India with the launch of the Visible White Teeth Whitening Pen - Professional. This specially formulated whitening serum is an efficient at-home whitening solution that brightens your smile while you sleep. Launched exclusively through our professional partners and our exclusive B2B platform (Dentist First), the Teeth Whitening Pen elevates our consumers' oral beauty regimen.


Periogard

Gum disease is a silent pandemic. More than half the country's adults are suffering* and a sizable section of the population is visiting the dentist and/or pharmacy for resolution.

As an oral care leader, Colgate has taken this challenge head on with the launch of Periogard Regimen through the dentist channel and available at pharmacies across the country. Usage of the regimen fights the root cause of gum disease and is getting a positive response from our dentist fraternity.
* National Oral Health Survey, Dental Council of India


Palmolive

Palmolive, our personal care brand, launched three new Body Wash variants, under its core 'Aroma' range. Each of these variants, named Forever Happy, Sweet Delight and Alluring Love is crafted with unique fragrances that have been expertly designed to enhance our consumer's mood in the modern-day busy, urban lives.

Infused with the extracts of rich, natural ingredients, Palmolive body washes are crafted to transform your daily showers into an aromatic and sensorially elevated experience and these new variants strengthen our current portfolio by delivering true to promise.