Colgate-Palmolive (India) has strengthened its sustainability performance in FY 2025-26, with a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and increased use of renewable energy across its manufacturing operations. The company’s environmental initiatives form part of its broader 2030 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.
“Through our “Organize, Optimize, and Outperform” approach, we ensure that every initiative contributes to a future that is both sustainable and inclusive,” Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director – ESG & Communications at Colgate-Palmolive India, said.
In FY 2025–26, Colgate-Palmolive recorded 30.68 percent reduction in carbon emissions compared to the previous year, reaching 17,816.49 tCO e. This was primarily driven 2 by increased use of renewable electricity and natural gas in plant operations.
Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions declined 30.68 percent year on year to 17,816.49 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) in FY 2025-26, compared with 25,700.40 tCO2e in FY 2024-25 and 33,276.53 tCO2e in FY 2023-24. This means operational emissions have fallen by about 15,460 tCO2e, or 46.5 percent, in two years.
Colgate-Palmolive India sustainability report 2025-26 indicated that Scope 1 emissions decreased to 2,395.83 tCO2e from 2,651.93 tCO2e in FY 2024-25 and 4,859.92 tCO2e in FY 2023-24. Scope 2 market-based emissions dropped more sharply to 15,420.66 tCO2e, from 23,048.46 tCO2e a year earlier and 28,416.61 tCO2e two years earlier. GHG emissions intensity consequently improved to 0.13 tCO2e per tonne of production, versus 0.18 in FY 2024-25 and 0.25 in FY 2023-24.
Renewable energy was one of the biggest contributors to the emissions reduction. Colgate-Palmolive India said 50.38 percent of its factory energy now comes from renewable sources. The company also purchases International Renewable Energy Certificates, or I-RECs, to convert non-renewable electricity to renewable energy in accordance with US EPA and RE100 guidelines.
Solar generation is expanding across the manufacturing network. Colgate-Palmolive has 3.03 MW of on-site solar installations across its operations, while its Sri City and Sanand plants operate on-site solar generation facilities.
At Sanand, the company expanded its existing 1 MW DC solar facility with another 0.250 MW DC under Phase 2 in 2025. The additional capacity is expected to generate 350 MWh of green electricity annually, increase the plant’s renewable-energy share by 2 percentage points, avoid 243 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, and generate about $28,000 in annual savings.
Sanand is also sourcing hybrid renewable electricity through a Power Purchase Agreement. In 2025, electricity sourced from hybrid power together with on-site solar accounted for 46.47 percent of the plant’s total power consumption. The facility achieved 487,205 kWh of energy savings, equivalent to 2.92 percent, through energy-conservation measures. Colgate invested another ₹1.43 crore in projects including additional on-site solar and energy-efficient equipment, with potential annual savings of 501,188 kWh.
Energy efficiency improvements extend to other factories. At Sri City, optimization of the Air Handling Unit system delivered 206 MWh of energy savings between June 2025 and March 2026, with annual savings projected at 247 MWh. At Goa, deployment of magnetic-levitation chillers and Siemens Demand Flow technology is expected to deliver around 6 percent energy savings, equivalent to 564,748 kWh annually, backed by an investment of ₹2.4 crore.
Beyond carbon and energy, all four owned manufacturing plants have achieved Net Zero Water status, while the company maintains 100 percent plastic neutrality. Its Sri City and Sanand manufacturing plants have also achieved LEED Gold certification, reinforcing the broader sustainability focus covering energy, emissions, water, waste and green buildings.
Overall, the combination of renewable electricity, on-site solar, I-RECs, natural gas substitution and energy-efficiency projects has enabled Colgate-Palmolive India to cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from 33,276.53 tCO2e in FY 2023-24 to 17,816.49 tCO2e in FY 2025-26, while renewable sources now provide more than half of factory energy.
SHAFANA FAZAL
