by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Tom's of Maine, best known for it's supposedly environmentally friendly toothpaste practices, is seen by a great many people to be a real caring company but few know that it is almost wholly owned nowadays by Colgate-Palmolive and that means by one of the biggest corporations in the personal care market.
While it is being claimed that the products are remaining the same as the were when the original owners were in (full) control the association with Colgate-Palmolive should tell us something already.
This is a story very similar to the sell-out by the original owners of the Body Shop to another huge corporation. It is very much a “buyer beware” scenario out there and we really must do our research in that department.
We must be very, very careful and carefully research the backgrounds and actions of many companies that claim to be green and environmentally friendly and ethical. The question always had to be as to who is the true owner.
When the likes of Colgate-Palmolive or similar are the true owners, or the absolute majority owners, then we must come to our own conclusions as to the claims being made when it is known and obvious that the company itself is involved in unethical and environmentally destructive actions in other parts of their business.
And I believe that we also must question the integrity of other supposedly green and ethical companies that, in any way, shape or form, align themselves with them, have them as sponsors, or whatever.
As consumers we all have that power, namely to vote with our feet and wallets and to shun those whose practices, or whose parent companies' practices, are questionable, and also those companies that in other ways associate themselves with those corporations.
© 2012
