Better Health for All

Ecolab's core business is dedicated to improving health, protecting 1.7 billion people from foodborne illnesses and infections in 2024

and cleaning 15 million patient rooms. The company's operations have no significant negative health externalities, and it generates no revenue from products with direct negative health impacts. Its preventative health measures are transformative, including comprehensive hand hygiene programs, environmental cleaning solutions, and water management plans compliant with ASHRAE Standard 188, as well as developing a Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring System. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ecolab demonstrated exceptional crisis response by developing the first EPA-registered product to kill the virus in 15 seconds and contributing over $11 million in cleaning and sanitizing products in 2020. Ecolab also maintains excellent risk transparency by discussing risks like Legionella in water systems and providing water safety information. Furthermore, it supports healthcare education by providing access to guidelines from organizations like the CDC and WHO, along with studies and publications.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Ecolab Inc. is a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services, and its core business does not involve lending, insuring, moving, or storing money for consumers. Consequently, the company does not offer financial products, consumer credit, or operate financial service access points. While Ecolab's Foundation contributed $5 million in 2023 to education, basic needs, and job training for underserved communities

, and the company invested $140 million in the WaterEquity Global Access Fund IV in March 2023 to improve water and sanitation access , , these activities are philanthropic or investment-related and do not constitute direct financial services or community finance as defined by the rubric's KPIs.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Ecolab settled a class action lawsuit in California for over $180,000 in May 2022, related to violations of labor laws concerning overtime wages.

In October 2022, workers in Australia conducted strikes protesting "poverty wages" and pay inequity, noting the CEO's $22 million compensation. Employee engagement and satisfaction scores are around 70-72%. The company has been recognized as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for four consecutive years with a top score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index. It also received the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Equality 100 Award for 11 consecutive years for LGBTQ+ inclusion and is on Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year. Ecolab confirmed equitable compensation across gender and race in the U.S. through third-party pay studies in June 2021 and aligns its operations with the SA8000 Standard to protect workers' basic human rights. The company also states it respects freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Ecolab conducts annual audits for its suppliers and performs biannual ethical and environmental sourcing surveys.

The company reported no specific incidents of forced or child labor within its direct operations in the last three years, while acknowledging supply chain risks and conducting proactive risk assessments. Ecolab includes its Global Anti-Human Trafficking Policy in all applicable supplier contracts. Roughly 5% of Ecolab’s global purchases are made in countries estimated to have a higher prevalence of forced labor, and the company has a Conflict Minerals Policy requiring suppliers to be 'DRC Conflict-Free'. In 2024, US$601.8 million in revenue was earned by suppliers through Ecolab’s diversity initiatives, representing approximately 15% of its $4.0 billion direct raw material, contract manufacturing, and equipment purchases.

Honest & Fair Business

Ecolab has a Whistleblower Policy

and a Global Non-Retaliation Policy , encouraging anonymous and confidential reporting by employees and external stakeholders worldwide through its Helpline . Reports are subject to prompt investigation and resolution . No specific total value of ethics-related regulatory fines for the past three years (2023-2025) is provided. While Ecolab has an Anti-Corruption Policy covering international laws like the US FCPA and UK Bribery Act , details on its enforcement, such as training or auditability, are not available. No score from a recognized transparency benchmark or severity-weighted ESG controversy index is provided. Information on financial restatements, audit coverage percentage, median complaint resolution time, percentage of board members free from material conflicts of interest, or the extent of third-party verification of ethical claims is also not available.

Kind to Animals

Ecolab has an Animal Welfare Policy

and is committed to fully utilizing alternative methods of safety assessment testing in product development . The company conducts animal testing only when required by law or regulatory agencies .

No War, No Weapons

Ecolab's core business is water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions, and its services do not involve defense manufacturing or military contracts for arms.

However, the company has minor military interactions, including a $300,000 Blanket Purchase Agreement contract with the Tripler Army Medical Center for chemical cleaning supplies, which are for non-military applications. Ecolab supports military personnel through employment programs, receiving the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in 2020 for supporting National Guard and Reserve employees, and is recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Company for veteran support.

Planet-Friendly Business

Ecolab has near-term science-based targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2018 base year

, and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030 from a 2022 base year . As of 2026, the company sourced more than 80% of its electricity globally from renewable sources . Ecolab has set a net-zero emissions target for 2050 , which includes a 90% absolute reduction of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Ecolab has at least six formal partnerships, including with World Emergency Relief, The Nature Conservancy, Water.org, Project WET Foundation, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.

In 2024, the company contributed $21.7 million to global communities. No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported. The company provides a Code of Conduct reporting form for potential violations, which serves as a standard grievance mechanism. Ecolab actively protects cultural sites and resources, with no reported incidents of disruption; examples include associates preserving chinampa agriculture in Mexico City and a partnership with the Colorado River Indian Tribes for water conservation. The Ecolab Code of Conduct is available in 18 languages, and educational programs like Clean and Conserve are available in six languages, demonstrating strong language inclusivity. Potential violations of the Code of Conduct or laws are investigated confidentially, but a specific framework for cultural incident response is not detailed. While diversity training programs are implemented, there is no specific mention of cultural sensitivity components or completion rates.

Safe & Smart Tech

Ecolab has reported no material cybersecurity incidents since its program was established in 2014.

The company has a Responsible AI Policy, updated August 14, 2025, built on five core principles: Safety, Reliability, Privacy, Security, Accountability, Transparency, and Fairness, holding all personnel accountable. Ecolab is certified and complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, its UK Extension, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and ensures compliance with data privacy laws including GDPR. The company provides cybersecurity training, simulations, and awareness communications for employees and contractors, and evaluates their effectiveness. Ecolab allows individuals to access, correct, or delete their personal data, recognizes Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals, and treats opt-out preference signals as valid requests. The company conducts vulnerability testing, periodically reviews its security measures, and encourages reporting of potential vulnerabilities through a dedicated form. Ecolab retains personal data for the length of employment plus at least one additional year, or as necessary for its purposes.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Ecolab aims to have all non-regulated product packaging be reusable or recyclable by design by 2030

. As of 2023, 91% of its packaging by weight meets this criterion . In 2023, the company utilized post-consumer recycled plastic resin representing 17% of its total plastic packaging by weight . Ecolab integrates circular design principles, evidenced by its MAXX S range being Cradle to Cradle Certified and its use of bio-based raw materials like enzymes to support circular production and minimize waste . The company implements waste reduction initiatives such as formulating products with bio-based materials , using concentrated formulations that allow for low dosing , launching plastic-free disinfectant wipes , and through strategies that avoided 15.9 million pounds of virgin plastic resin in 2024 .