Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

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Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Strong	Reckitt Benckiser discloses a clear process for governing both its own advocacy and its participation in trade associations, indicating strong oversight of climate-related lobbying activities. The company states that “Reckitt’s Global Responsible Advocacy Policy…guide[s] all interactions” and applies to “all employees of Reckitt companies globally, members of Reckitt’s Board and Reckitt’s contractors,” demonstrating a formal, group-wide framework. Direct lobbying is monitored through a requirement that “Employees…conducting advocacy activities…are required to submit their annual advocacy activity plans to the Chief Marketing, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs & Officer and keep them informed of any material developments,” naming a specific executive who signs off on and reviews lobbying plans. Indirect lobbying is addressed through an annual assessment in which “Reckitt’s membership is annually reviewed by our Group Ethics and Compliance department,” and the policy adds that “If Reckitt does not agree with the position of one of our trade associations…we would carefully reconsider our membership,” showing an active mechanism to align trade-association positions with company climate goals. These disclosures show defined processes, responsible parties and alignment checks for both direct and indirect lobbying; however, the company does not disclose a publicly available climate-lobbying alignment audit or evidence of Board-level review dedicated specifically to lobbying, so transparency could be strengthened by publishing the results of its annual reviews and providing formal Board oversight of lobbying alignment. View Sources	B

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Strong

Reckitt Benckiser discloses a clear process for governing both its own advocacy and its participation in trade associations, indicating strong oversight of climate-related lobbying activities. The company states that “Reckitt’s Global Responsible Advocacy Policy…guide[s] all interactions” and applies to “all employees of Reckitt companies globally, members of Reckitt’s Board and Reckitt’s contractors,” demonstrating a formal, group-wide framework. Direct lobbying is monitored through a requirement that “Employees…conducting advocacy activities…are required to submit their annual advocacy activity plans to the Chief Marketing, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs & Officer and keep them informed of any material developments,” naming a specific executive who signs off on and reviews lobbying plans. Indirect lobbying is addressed through an annual assessment in which “Reckitt’s membership is annually reviewed by our Group Ethics and Compliance department,” and the policy adds that “If Reckitt does not agree with the position of one of our trade associations…we would carefully reconsider our membership,” showing an active mechanism to align trade-association positions with company climate goals. These disclosures show defined processes, responsible parties and alignment checks for both direct and indirect lobbying; however, the company does not disclose a publicly available climate-lobbying alignment audit or evidence of Board-level review dedicated specifically to lobbying, so transparency could be strengthened by publishing the results of its annual reviews and providing formal Board oversight of lobbying alignment.

View Sources

Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Limited	Reckitt Benckiser offers only partial transparency on its climate-related lobbying. It names one specific legislative item—the Sustainable Chemistry Research & Development Act—and references participation in initiatives such as the Consumer Goods Forum Forest Positive Coalition, RE100 and the Dairy Sustainability Framework, but it does not present a comprehensive list of the government policies or regulations it seeks to influence. The company explains that it advances its positions mainly through indirect channels, citing membership of trade associations like the Consumer Goods Forum, AIM and the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council and collaboration with governments and NGOs, yet it does not describe concrete tactics such as meetings, letters or consultation submissions, nor does it identify the particular governmental bodies it engages. Desired outcomes are somewhat clearer: Reckitt is working for 100 % renewable electricity by 2030, elimination of deforestation from key commodity supply chains, and the advancement of green chemistry through the Sustainable Chemistry Research & Development Act. While these objectives show direction, the overall disclosure lacks detail on the full suite of policies, the specific lobbying methods deployed and the precise public-sector targets, leaving its climate-lobbying transparency limited.	D