Colgate-Palmolive has marked 100 years of operations in Mexico, underscoring a long-term strategy that blends business growth with social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Over the past century, the company has supplied consumer products to households across income levels while building education and community programs that are now deeply rooted in the country.
Riccardo Ricci, executive vice president and general manager of Colgate-Palmolive Mexico, said the company defines leadership by responsibility as well as market presence. “Leadership is not measured only by participation, but by responsibility,” Ricci said. He added that beyond delivering products, the company has focused on oral health education and improving living conditions for millions of Mexicans.
A central part of this effort has been the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, launched in Mexico in 1991. The initiative provides oral health education in communities with limited access to dental care. Ricci described education as the cornerstone of the company’s social strategy, calling it the foundation of its local and global impact.
Sustainability has also been a key pillar of Colgate-Palmolive’s operations in Mexico. The company developed the first recyclable toothpaste tube and shared the technology with competitors to help reduce plastic waste. It has set goals to cut plastic use, improve water efficiency, and increase reliance on renewable energy.
Its Guanajuato facility, the company’s largest plant worldwide, has been certified as True Zero Waste, with more than 90 percent of its waste recycled.
Colgate-Palmolive is also a signatory to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business, a five-year action plan aimed at eliminating plastic waste and advancing a circular economy. The agenda emphasizes policy advocacy, collaboration across industries, and stronger internal practices.
The initiative builds on the Global Commitment launched in 2018 by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme. Companies involved, representing about 20 percent of the global plastic packaging market, have collectively avoided 14 million tons of virgin plastic and significantly increased the use of recycled materials.
To mark its centennial, Colgate-Palmolive also highlighted community initiatives. In partnership with Operation Smile, the company supported 100 corrective surgeries in Puebla. The collaboration, active in Mexico for more than 15 years, has helped more than 7,500 children.
Ricci said these programs allow employees to see the broader social impact of their work beyond commercial results.
Looking ahead, the company said its priorities include expanding accessible innovation, accelerating sustainability efforts, and strengthening a culture of inclusion and community engagement. “Innovation, sustainability, and social commitment are not separate paths,” Ricci said. “They are one direction.”