Colgate-Palmolive 10-K 2023-12-31

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

For the transition period from to .

Commission File Number 1-644

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code 212-310-2000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☒ No ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of Colgate-Palmolive Company Common Stock held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2023 (the last business day of its most recently completed second quarter) was approximately $63.6 billion.

There were 823,150,919 shares of Colgate-Palmolive Company Common Stock outstanding as of January 31, 2024.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Table of Contents

PART I

General Development of the Business

Colgate-Palmolive Company (together with its subsidiaries, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Colgate”) is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. We seek to deliver sustainable, profitable growth and superior shareholder returns, as well as provide Colgate people with an innovative and inclusive work environment. We do this by developing and selling science-led products globally that make people’s and their pets’ lives healthier and more enjoyable and by embracing our sustainability and social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion (“DE&I”) strategies across our organization. Our products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories throughout the world. Colgate was founded in 1806 and incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1923.

For recent business developments and other information, refer to the information set forth under the captions “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations–Executive Overview,” “– Outlook,” “–Results of Operations” and “– Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Part II, Item 7 of this report.

Description of the Business

We operate in two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. We are a leader in Oral Care with global leadership in the toothpaste and manual toothbrush categories according to market share data. We sell our toothpastes under brands such as Colgate, Darlie, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso and Tom’s of Maine, our toothbrushes under brands such as Colgate, Darlie, elmex and meridol and our mouthwashes under brands such as Colgate, elmex and meridol. Our Oral Care business also includes pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals.

We are a leader in many product categories of the Personal Care market with global leadership in liquid hand soap, according to market share data, which we sell under brands such as Palmolive, Protex and Softsoap. Our Personal Care products also include Irish Spring, Palmolive and Protex bar soaps, Irish Spring, Palmolive, Sanex and Softsoap shower gels, Lady Speed Stick, Sanex, Speed Stick and Tom’s of Maine deodorants and antiperspirants, EltaMD, Filorga and PCA SKIN skin health products and Palmolive shampoos and conditioners.

We manufacture and market a wide array of products for the Home Care market, including Ajax, Axion and Palmolive dishwashing liquids, Ajax, Fabuloso and Murphy household cleaners and Suavitel, Soupline, Fluffy and Cuddly fabric conditioners.

Sales of Oral, Personal and Home Care products accounted for 42%, 19% and 17%, respectively, of our total worldwide Net sales in 2023. Geographically, Oral Care is a substantial part of our business in Asia Pacific.

Through our Hill’s Pet Nutrition segment (“Hill’s” or “Pet Nutrition”), we are a world leader in specialty pet nutrition products for dogs and cats with products marketed in over 80 countries and territories worldwide. Hill’s markets pet foods primarily under two brands. Hill’s Science Diet, which is called Hill’s Science Plan in Europe, is a range of products for everyday nutritional needs. Hill’s Prescription Diet is a range of therapeutic pet foods to help nutritionally support dogs and cats in different stages of health. Sales of Pet Nutrition products accounted for 22% of our total worldwide Net sales in 2023.

For more information regarding our worldwide Net sales by product category, refer to Note 1, Nature of Operations and Note 14, Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

For additional information regarding market share data, see “Market Share Information” in Part II, Item 7 of this report.

Distribution; Raw Materials; Competition; Trademarks and Patents

Our Oral, Personal and Home Care products are sold to a variety of traditional and eCommerce retailers, wholesalers and distributors worldwide. Pet Nutrition products are sold by authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians and eCommerce retailers. Certain of our products are also sold direct-to-consumer. Our sales to Walmart, Inc. and its affiliates represented approximately 11% of our Net sales in 2023. No other customer represented more than 10% of our Net sales. We support our products with advertising, promotion and other marketing (with increasing emphasis on digital) to build awareness and trial of our products. Our products are marketed by a direct sales force at individual operating subsidiaries or business units and by distributors or brokers.

The majority of raw and packaging materials used in our products is purchased from other companies and is available from several sources. No single raw or packaging material represents, and no single supplier provides, a significant portion of our total material requirements. We do, however, purchase certain key raw and packaging materials from single-source suppliers or a limited number of suppliers. For certain materials, new suppliers may have to be qualified under industry, governmental and/or Colgate standards (including those relating to responsible sourcing), which can require additional investment and/or take a significant period of time. Raw and packaging material commodities, such as resins, essential oils, tropical oils, pulp, tallow, corn, poultry and soybeans, are subject to market price variations. For further information regarding the impact of changes in commodity prices, see Item 1A, “Risk Factors - Volatility in material and other costs has in the past and may continue to adversely impact our profitability” and Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Our products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which has experienced increased retail trade concentration, the substantial growth of eCommerce, the integration of traditional and digital operations at key retailers and the growing presence of large-format retailers, discounters and eCommerce retailers. Products similar to ours are available from multinational and local competitors in the U.S. and around the world. Certain of our competitors are larger and have greater resources than we do. In addition, the substantial growth in eCommerce has encouraged the entry of new competitors and business models. In certain geographies, we also face strong local competitors, who may be more agile and have better local consumer insights than we do. Private label brands sold by retailers are also a source of competition for certain of our products.

The retail landscape in many of our markets continues to evolve as a result of the continued growth of eCommerce, changing consumer behavior and preferences (as consumers increasingly shop online and via mobile and social applications) and the increased presence of alternative retail channels, such as subscription services and direct-to-consumer businesses. We face competition in several aspects of our business, including pricing, promotional activities, new products and brand introductions and expansion into new geographies and channels.

We consider trademarks to be material to our business. We follow a practice of seeking trademark protection in the U.S. and throughout the world where our products are sold. Principal global and regional trademarks include Colgate, Palmolive, Darlie, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, Lady Speed Stick, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Murphy, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet. Our rights in these trademarks endure for as long as they are used and/or registered. Although we actively develop and maintain a portfolio of patents, no single patent is considered significant to the business as a whole.

Government Regulations

As a global company, we are subject to extensive governmental regulations, including environmental rules and regulations, in the U.S. and abroad. The most significant government regulations that impact our business are discussed below. It is our policy and practice to comply with all government regulations applicable to our business. In 2023, compliance with these regulations did not have, and we do not expect such compliance in the future to have, a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. For further discussion of how global legal and regulatory requirements may impact our business, see Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

Product Development: Legal and regulatory requirements apply to most aspects of our products, including their development, ingredients, formulation, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, distribution, export, import, advertising, sale and environmental impact. U.S. federal authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Occupational, Health and Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, regulate different aspects of our business, along with parallel authorities at the state and local levels and comparable authorities overseas.

Anti-Corruption, Anti-Bribery, Commercial Bribery and Competition: We are subject to anti-corruption laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other laws that generally prohibit the making or offering of improper payments to foreign government officials and political figures for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or to gain an unfair business advantage, and laws that prohibit commercial bribery. In addition, our selling practices are regulated by competition law authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

Privacy and Data Protection: Our collection, storage, transfer and/or processing of customer, consumer, employee, vendor and other stakeholder information and personal data is subject to important data protection laws and regulations in the U.S. and abroad, including the General Data Protection Regulation.

Trade Compliance: We are subject to laws and sanctions imposed by the U.S., including those imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”) and/or by other jurisdictions that may prohibit us or certain of our affiliates from doing business in certain countries or restrict the kind of business that may be conducted. For information regarding the impact of the war in Ukraine, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussions and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Executive Overview.”

Human Capital Management

Human capital matters at Colgate are managed by our Global Human Resources function, led by our Chief Human Resources Officer, with oversight from the Personnel and Organization Committee of our Board of Directors (the “Board”). As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 34,000 employees based in over 100 countries. Approximately two-thirds of our revenues are generated from markets outside the U.S. and 84% of our employees are located outside the U.S. Approximately 34% of our employees are based in Asia Pacific, 30% are based in Latin America, 14% are based in Europe, 17% are based in North America and 5% are based in Africa/Eurasia. Our global workforce covers a broad range of functions, from manufacturing employees to management personnel and certain of our employees are represented by unions or works councils.

Colgate’s Culture and Core Values

Colgate’s purpose is to reimagine a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.

We believe Colgate people are crucial to our ongoing business success and aim to recruit, develop and retain strong and diverse talent. We celebrate differences, promote an equitable and inclusive environment and value the contributions of all Colgate people. At Colgate, we are proud of our collaborative spirit - what we call The Power of WE.

Colgate people, working around the world, share a commitment to our three corporate values: We are Caring, We are Inclusive and We are Courageous. These evolved values, which were reimagined in 2023, represent who we are and inspire Colgate people to carry Colgate forward into the future. By encouraging Colgate people to be more caring, inclusive and courageous every day, our goal is to create a healthier future for ourselves and others. Underlying these values and our strong culture is the commitment of all Colgate people to maintain the highest ethical standards and demonstrate ethical leadership, including compliance with Colgate policies and our Code of Conduct.

WE ARE CARING: We are united in making the world a better place. We believe everyone deserves a healthier life. We lead with empathy, respect and gratitude. We act with integrity, doing things the right way, for the right reasons no matter what. We support others by generously sharing our resources and talents. We work every day to earn the trust of all of our stakeholders.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We create a sense of belonging for all and cultivate an environment where people can be their authentic selves. We foster a culture of belonging where Colgate people feel valued, part of a global team, and empowered to do extraordinary things. We design the best solutions by embracing the unique talents, perspectives and backgrounds of our diverse workforce. We form the strongest teams and create powerful pathways for our people and communities, to break through everyday barriers to equality of opportunity.

WE ARE COURAGEOUS: We drive change and get things done. We are infinitely curious, constantly searching for better ways of working. We challenge each other and how we do things, unafraid to disrupt the status quo, boldly and intentionally innovating, exploring and reaching for what is possible. We recognize that to grow and thrive we must build on the power of our legacy, our scale and reach for good and for all.

We are committed to getting better every day in all that we do, as individuals and as teams. We continue to drive a learning culture and transform our learning strategy to better meet our evolving business needs. We provide our employees with learning experiences focused on building leadership skills and offer training programs that are closely aligned with our business strategy. We continue to embed digital capabilities across the organization. Through our continuous learning program, our employees have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of data analytics and digital skills. We are also committed to listening to our employees and seeing how the company is evolving and growing through regular employee engagement surveys.

We also recently launched a new leadership framework anchored in three core principles: cultivate trust, create the future and commit to impact. We believe these principles serve as a foundation to guide our ongoing transformation by defining the behaviors that Colgate people need to model.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As a truly global company, it is important that our employees reflect the diversity of the communities in which we live and work. As of December 31, 2023, our global workforce was approximately 59% male and 41% female. Women represented approximately 54% of our salaried and clerical employees, 46% of our people managers, 45% of Colgate’s executives and 38% of senior leadership. Measuring the race/ethnicity of our workforce is challenging to do on a global basis. In the U.S., on an employee self-reported basis, the racial/ethnic composition of our workforce was approximately 67% White, 12% Hispanic, 10% Black, 9% Asian and 2% Other. The racial/ethnic composition of our people managers was approximately 61% White, 16% Hispanic, 14% Asian and 9% Black; the composition of our executives was approximately 56% White, 20% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 7% Black and 1% Other; and the composition of senior leadership was approximately 59% White, 17% Hispanic, 12% Asian and 12% Black. “Other” refers to American Indian/Alaska Native, two or more races or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander. In this section, “people managers” refers to employees with roles that have at least one direct report, “executives” refers to those employees who are eligible to participate in Colgate’s equity incentive compensation plans and “senior leadership” refers to employees who are Senior Vice Presidents and above.

We are committed to providing all of our employees with an equitable and inclusive work environment, learning opportunities and promotion and growth opportunities. A vital piece of our DE&I strategy has been ensuring that our succession planning process incorporates the equal opportunity for advancement of women and people from underrepresented communities. To help further foster inclusiveness, we support employee resource groups for team members of many different identities, interests and backgrounds, including underrepresented communities. Each of these resource groups contributes to our inclusive work environment by developing and implementing programs to promote business and community involvement as well as cultural awareness. We also partner with external organizations to develop an inclusive and supportive work environment.

Our global DE&I strategy aims to further advance our commitment to become an even more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization through its four pillars of People, Community, Supplier Diversity and Communication. Consistent with this strategy, we are working to implement policies, learning experiences and processes that promote awareness,

empathy, advocacy and opportunity; become an ally for positive change for the underserved in communities in which we live and work; support minority and women-owned suppliers to enable success of diversity-owned businesses; and promote dialogue around DE&I to increase awareness and advance the culture change to achieve our vision. Our Board, through its Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee and Personnel and Organization Committee, receives regular updates from management on our DE&I efforts.

Succession Planning

We have a rigorous succession planning process, led by our Global Human Resources function. Our Board is also extensively involved in succession planning and people development with special focus on CEO succession. As part of the succession planning process, we review and discuss potential successors to key positions and examine backgrounds, capabilities and appropriate developmental assignments.

Compensation Philosophy

Given the importance of Colgate people to our business success, motivating and retaining critical talent is a key focus. We view compensation as an important tool to motivate leaders at all levels of the organization. For information regarding our compensation philosophy and executive compensation programs, please see our Proxy Statement to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Sustainability and Social Impact

Sustainability is critically important to our overall business and growth strategy. Our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy is focused on three key ambitions - preserving our environment by accelerating action on climate change and reducing our environmental footprint; helping millions of homes by empowering people to develop healthier habits; and driving social impact with a commitment to helping to ensure the well-being of all people and their pets. These ambitions are supported by actionable targets consistent with our continued commitment to building environmental and social consciousness into our decision-making.

In 2023, we made progress on the targets set forth in our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.

Reduce Plastic Waste: As a positive step toward achieving our target to make all of our packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, we continue to implement our first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube across our toothpaste portfolio. We introduced this tube in 2019 and, as of December 31, 2023, we have transitioned approximately 60% of our toothpaste SKUs globally and approximately 90% of our toothpaste SKUs in North America to it. The recyclable toothpaste tube is now available in over 50 countries worldwide. We continue to share the tube technology with third parties by holding approximately 80 sessions to encourage recyclability of all tubes in practice and at scale. We are also focused on working with recycling stakeholders and partnering with key third parties to drive tube acceptance and communicating that consumers should check with their local facilities to see if they accept the tubes for recycling. We also remain committed to reducing our use of new (virgin) plastic across our portfolio and continue to make progress toward our target to reduce new (virgin) plastic by one-third versus 2019. We are working towards this target with product design changes and by increasing recycled content in our packaging.

Accelerate Action on Climate Change: We are taking steps to accelerate action on climate change through science-based near-term, long-term and Net Zero 2040 emissions targets across our operations and supply chain, which have been approved by The Science Based Targets initiative. To support our target to become Net Zero carbon in our operations by 2040, we have built a global renewable energy master plan which includes roadmaps by division to cover our manufacturing facilities and owned warehouses, global technology centers and offices. Renewable energy agreements are a valuable part of this renewable energy master plan. In 2023, we signed a long-term virtual power purchase agreement for a solar energy farm outside of Waco, Texas, which will be a long-term source of clean, renewable energy in the United States. Upon completion, the solar farm is expected to produce the equivalent of 100% of our U.S.-based operational electricity needs.

Lead with Zero Waste Facilities: It is our goal to achieve TRUE certification for zero waste at 100% of our operations, which we define as our manufacturing facilities, owned and operated warehouses, global technology centers and strategic

offices, by 2025. In 2023, four more of our sites achieved TRUE certification. That brings the total number of TRUE certified sites to 36 across five continents in 21 countries, as of December 31, 2023.

Social Impact: Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures is our flagship oral health education and well-being initiative. Since the program was established in 1991, we have reached approximately 1.7 billion children and their families in more than 100 countries. Through our Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program, we have helped over 14 million shelter pets find forever homes since 2002.

Additional information about our sustainability targets and efforts, including our 2022 Sustainability and Social Impact Report, our 2023 Climate Transition & Net Zero Action Plan and our reports aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) can be found in the Sustainability section of our website at https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/sustainability. References to these reports and our website are for informational purposes only and neither the reports nor the other information on our website is incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Information about our Executive Officers

The following is a list of our executive officers as of February 15, 2024:

Each of our executive officers listed above has served the Company or our subsidiaries in various executive capacities for the past five years with the exception of Stanley J. Sutula III, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Sutula was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pitney Bowes Inc., which he joined in 2017.

Under our By-Laws, our officers hold office until their respective successors are chosen and qualified or until they have resigned, retired or been removed by the affirmative vote of a majority of our Board. There are no family relationships between any of our executive officers, and there is no arrangement or understanding between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which the executive officer was elected.

Available Information

Our website address is www.colgatepalmolive.com. The information contained on our website is not included as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available, free of charge, on our website our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, interactive data files posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Also available on our website are the Company’s Code of Conduct and Board Guidelines on Significant Corporate Governance Issues, the charters of the Committees of the Board, Specialized Disclosure Reports on Form SD, reports under Section 16 of the Exchange Act of transactions in Company stock by directors and executive officers and our Proxy Statements.

In addition to the risks described elsewhere in this report, set forth below is a summary of the material risks to an investment in our securities. These risks, some of which have occurred and/or are occurring and any of which could occur in the future, are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also have an adverse effect on us. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially and adversely impacted, which might cause the value of our securities to decline.

Business and Industry Risks

We face risks associated with significant international operations, including exposure to foreign currency fluctuations.

We operate on a global basis serving consumers in more than 200 countries and territories with approximately two-thirds of our Net sales originating in markets outside the U.S. While geographic diversity helps to reduce our exposure to risks in any one country or part of the world, it also means that we face risks associated with significant international operations, including, but not limited to:

• changing macroeconomic conditions in our markets, including as a result of inflationary pressure, the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, volatile commodity prices and increases and/or volatility in the cost of raw and packaging materials, labor, energy and logistics;

• political instability or uncertainty, including as a result of elections, economic instability, geopolitical events and tensions, wars and military conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and tensions between China and Taiwan;

• environmental events, widespread health emergencies, such as pandemics or epidemics, natural disasters or social or labor unrest;

• changes in exchange rates for foreign currencies, which may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, profits and cash flows from non-U.S. markets or increase our supply costs, as measured in U.S. dollars, in those markets;

• exchange controls and other limits on our ability to import or export raw materials or finished product, including as a result of the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, or to repatriate earnings from overseas;

• lack of well-established, reliable and/or impartial legal systems in certain countries where we operate and difficulties in enforcing contractual, intellectual property or other legal rights;

• foreign ownership and investment restrictions and the potential for nationalization or expropriation of property or other resources; and

• changes to trade policies and agreements and other foreign or domestic legal and regulatory requirements, including those resulting in potentially adverse tax consequences or the imposition of and/or the increase in trade restrictions and/or tariffs, sanctions, price controls, labor laws, travel or immigration restrictions (including as a result of pandemics, epidemics or other widespread health emergencies), profit controls or other government controls, including as a result of the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.

Any or all of the foregoing risks could have a significant impact on our ability to sell our products on a competitive basis in international markets and may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, a number of these risks may adversely impact consumer confidence and consumption, which could reduce sales volumes of our products or result in a shift in our product mix from higher margin to lower margin product offerings.

We face risks resulting from political and macroeconomic instability and geopolitical events and tensions, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and tensions between China and Taiwan. These situations are evolving and

significant uncertainties regarding their full impact or their related impacts on the global economy and geopolitical relations in general and on our business in particular remain. These geopolitical conflicts and tensions may also heighten other risks disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, any of which could have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

The war in Ukraine and the related geopolitical tensions have had and continue to have a significant impact on our operations in Ukraine and Russia, though it has not been material to our Consolidated Financial Statements. In Russia, we are importing and selling a reduced portfolio of health and hygiene products for everyday use. We have no manufacturing facilities in Russia and have ceased all capital investments and media activities in Russia. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our business in the Eurasia region constituted approximately 2% of our consolidated net sales and approximately 3% of our consolidated operating profit. We, however, have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, risks related to the impact of the war in Ukraine, including increases in the cost and, in certain cases, limitations on the availability of certain raw and packaging materials and commodities (including oil and natural gas), supply chain and logistics challenges, import restrictions, foreign currency volatility and reputational concerns. We also face challenges to our ability to repatriate cash from Russia and find banking partners in Russia and may face challenges to our ability to protect our assets in Russia. We also continue to monitor the impact of the sanctions, export controls and import restrictions imposed in response to the war in Ukraine.

The Israel-Hamas war has not had a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Uncertainties and risks remain as to the duration of the war and its impact on geopolitical relations and stability in North Africa, the Middle East and nearby regions. The war has impacted and may continue to impact, among other things, supply chain and logistics, the availability and price of raw and packaging materials and commodities, such as oil, consumer sentiment and consumption and category growth rates in the region.

Furthermore, the imposition of tariffs and/or increase in tariffs on various products by the United States and other countries have introduced greater uncertainty with respect to trade policies and government regulations affecting trade between the United States and other countries and new and/or increased tariffs have subjected, and may continue in the future to subject, us to additional costs and expenditure of resources. Major developments in trade relations, including the imposition of new or increased tariffs by the United States and/or other countries, such as China, and any nationalist trends in specific countries could alter the trade environment and consumer purchasing behavior which, in turn, could have a material effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

In an effort to minimize the impact on earnings of foreign currency rate movements, we engage in a combination of selling price increases, where permitted, sourcing strategies, cost containment measures and selective hedging of foreign currency transactions. However, the impact of these measures has not and may not in the future fully offset any negative impact of foreign currency rate movements on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Significant competition in our industry could adversely affect our business.

We face vigorous competition worldwide, including from strong local competitors and from other large, multinational companies, some of which have greater resources than we do. In addition, the substantial growth in eCommerce has encouraged the entry of new competitors and business models.

We face competition in several aspects of our business, including pricing, promotional activities, new product introductions and expansion into new geographies and channels. Some of our competitors may spend more aggressively on or have more effective advertising and promotional activities than we do, introduce competing products more quickly and/or respond more effectively to business and economic conditions and changing consumer preferences, including by launching innovative new products. Such competition also extends to administrative and legal challenges of product claims and advertising. Our success is and will likely increasingly be dependent on our ability to effectively leverage existing and emerging digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, to gain new commercial insights and develop relevant marketing and advertising to reach customers and consumers. Our ability to compete also depends on the strength of our brands and on our ability to enforce and defend our intellectual property, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and trade dress rights, against infringement and legal challenges by competitors.

We may be unable to anticipate the timing and scale of such initiatives or challenges by competitors or to successfully respond to them, which could harm our business and/or reputation. In addition, the cost of responding to such initiatives

and challenges, including management time, out-of-pocket expenses and price reductions, may affect our performance. A failure to compete effectively could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Increasing dependence on key retailers in developed markets, changes in the policies of our retail trade customers, the emergence of alternative retail channels and the rapidly changing retail landscape and changing consumer preferences may adversely affect our business.

Our products are sold in a highly competitive global marketplace which has experienced increased trade concentration and the growing presence of large-format retailers, discounters and eCommerce retailers. With the growing trend toward retail trade consolidation, the substantial growth of eCommerce and the integration of traditional and digital operations at key retailers, we are increasingly dependent on certain retailers, and some of these retailers have and may continue to have greater bargaining strength than we do. They have used and may continue to use this leverage to demand higher trade discounts, allowances, slotting fees or increased investment, including through display media, paid search and co-op programs, which have led to and could continue to lead to reduced sales or profitability in certain markets. The loss of a key customer or distributor or a significant reduction in sales to a key customer or distributor could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding our customers, see “Distribution; Raw Materials; Competition; Trademarks and Patents” in Item 1 “Business.”

We also have been and may continue to be negatively affected by changes in the policies or practices of our retail trade customers, such as inventory destocking, fulfillment requirements, limitations on access to shelf space, delisting of our products, or sustainability, supply chain or packaging standards or initiatives. For example, a determination by a key retailer that any of our ingredients should not be used in certain consumer products or that our packaging does not comply with certain requirements and standards could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, “private label” products sold by our retail customers, which are typically sold at lower prices than branded products, are a source of competition for certain of our products.

Further, the retail landscape in many of our markets continues to evolve as a result of the substantial growth of eCommerce, changing consumer behaviors and preferences (as consumers increasingly shop online and via mobile and social applications) and the increased presence of alternative retail channels, such as subscription services and direct-to-customer businesses. The substantial growth in eCommerce and the emergence of alternative retail channels have created and may continue to create pricing pressures and/or adversely affect our relationships with our key retailers.

Further, consumer preferences continue to evolve due to a number of factors, including evolving consumer concerns or perceptions (whether or not valid) regarding environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) practices, including the sourcing and sustainability of raw and packaging materials, a growing demand for natural or organic products and ingredients and ingredient transparency, evolving consumer concerns or perceptions regarding the effects of ingredients, changing consumer sentiment toward non-local products or sources and changing perceptions of and increased focus on labor and human rights and environmental impacts (including responsible sourcing, deforestation, packaging, plastic, energy and water use and waste management).

If we are not successful in continuing to adapt or to effectively react to changes in consumer behaviors, preferences or purchasing patterns and/or changing market dynamics, including customer policies or the proliferation of eCommerce and alternative retail channels, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.

The growth of our business depends on the successful identification, development and launch of innovative new products.

Our growth depends on the continued success of existing products, the successful identification, development and launch of innovative new and differentiated products and the expansion into adjacent categories, channels of distribution or geographies. Our ability to launch new products, to sustain existing products and to expand into adjacent categories, channels of distribution or geographies is affected by whether we can successfully:

• identify, develop and fund technological innovations;

• obtain and maintain necessary intellectual property protection and avoid infringing intellectual property rights of others;

• obtain approvals and registrations of regulated products, including from the FDA and other regulatory bodies in the U.S. and abroad; and

• anticipate and quickly respond to the needs and preferences of consumers and customers.

The identification, development and introduction of innovative new products that drive incremental sales involves considerable costs and effort, and any new product may not generate sufficient customer and consumer interest and sales to become a profitable product or to cover the costs of its development and promotion. Our ability to achieve a successful launch of a new product could also be adversely affected by preemptive actions taken by competitors in response to the launch, such as increased promotional activities and advertising. In addition, new products may not be accepted quickly or significantly in the marketplace.

Our ability to quickly innovate to adapt and market our products and to adapt our packaging or the sustainability profile of our products to meet evolving consumer preferences and/or regulatory requirements is an essential part of our business strategy. The failure to develop and launch successful new products or to adapt our packaging, the sustainability profile of our products or supply chain to meet such preferences could hinder the growth of our business and any delay in the development or launch of a new product could result in us not being the first to market, which could compromise our competitive position and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, our success in launching new products is also dependent on our ability to deliver effective and efficient marketing in an evolving media landscape (including digital), which is subject to dynamic and increasingly restrictive privacy requirements and emerging regulations. Our ability to launch new products, including our ability to deliver effective and efficient marketing campaigns, is also impacted by our ability to successfully adopt new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, including generative artificial intelligence.

If, in the course of identifying or developing new products, we are found to have infringed the trademark, trade secret, copyright, patent or other intellectual property rights of others, directly or indirectly, through the use of third-party ideas or technologies, such a finding could adversely affect our ability to develop innovative new products and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Even if we are not found to infringe a third party’s intellectual property rights, claims of infringement could adversely affect us, including by increasing costs and by delaying the launch of new products.

Damage to our reputation could have an adverse effect on our business.

Maintaining our strong reputation with consumers and our trade partners globally is critical to selling our branded products. Accordingly, we devote significant time and resources to programs designed to protect and preserve our reputation, such as our ethics and compliance, ESG, brand protection and product safety, regulatory and quality initiatives and our enterprise risk management program. Negative publicity about us, our brands, our products, our supply chain, our ingredients, our packaging, our ESG practices, or our employees, whether or not deserved, could jeopardize our reputation. Such negative publicity could relate to, among other things, health concerns, threatened or pending litigation or regulatory proceedings, animal welfare, labor and human rights and environmental impact (including responsible sourcing, deforestation, packaging, plastic, energy and water use and waste management) or our ESG practices. In addition, the proliferation of digital and social media has greatly increased the accessibility of information, the speed of its dissemination and the potential for negative publicity and misinformation. Negative publicity, posts or comments on digital and social media, whether true or untrue, could damage our brands and our reputation. The success of our brands could also suffer if our marketing initiatives do not have the desired impact on a brand’s image or its ability to attract consumers.

In addition, the legal, regulatory and ethics landscape around the use of artificial intelligence, including generative artificial intelligence, is rapidly evolving. Our ability to adapt and use this emerging technology in an effective and ethical manner may impact our reputation and our ability to compete, as outputs from generative artificial intelligence models could be, among other things, false, biased or inconsistent with our values or strategies. Further, the use of generative artificial intelligence tools may compromise our confidential or sensitive information or put our intellectual property at risk, which could in turn damage our reputation.

Additionally, due to the scale and scope of our business, we must rely on relationships with third parties, including our suppliers, distributors, contractors, joint venture partners and other external business partners, for certain functions. While

we have policies and procedures for managing these relationships, they inherently involve a lesser degree of control over business operations, compliance and ESG practices, thereby potentially increasing our reputational and legal risk.

We have taken and in the future may take certain actions to safeguard our reputation and uphold our ethical values, such as changes to how and where we sell, advertise and invest behind our products and operations, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

In addition, third parties sell counterfeit versions of our products, which are inferior or may pose safety risks. As a result, consumers of our brands could confuse our products with these counterfeit products, which could cause them to refrain from purchasing our brands in the future and in turn could impair our brand equity and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Damage to our reputation or loss of consumer confidence in our products for these or any other reasons could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, as well as require resources to rebuild our reputation.

We face various risks related to pandemics, epidemics or similar widespread public health concerns, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We face various risks related to pandemics, epidemics or similar widespread public health concerns. A pandemic, epidemic or similar widespread health concern could have, and COVID-19 has had and may in the future have, a variety of impacts on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, including:

• our ability to continue to maintain and support the health, safety and well-being of our employees, including key employees;

• disruptions to our global supply chain, including transportation and logistics challenges;

• a decrease in our workforce or in the efficiency of such workforce;

• volatility in the demand for and availability of our products;

• changes in purchasing patterns of our consumers;

• significant volatility in demand for certain of our products, which may require us to increase our production capacity or acquire additional capacity at an additional cost and expense;

• failure of third parties on which we rely to meet their obligations to us, or significant disruptions in their ability to do so, which may be caused by their own financial or operational difficulties;

• significant changes in the economic and political conditions of the markets in which we operate;

• disruptions and volatility in the global capital markets, including rising interest rates, which may increase the cost of capital and adversely impact our access to capital; and/or

• volatility in foreign exchange rates and increases in the cost and availability of raw and packaging materials and transportation and logistics costs.

These and other risks impacted us during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other pandemics, epidemics or similar widespread public health concerns may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition in the future. For additional information regarding how COVID-19 continues to affect our business, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Executive Overview.”

Our success depends upon our ability to recruit, attract and retain key employees, including through the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and the succession of senior management.

Our success largely depends on the performance of our management team and other key employees. If we are unable to recruit, attract and retain talented, highly qualified senior management and other key people, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected. Successfully executing organizational change, including management transitions at leadership levels of the Company and succession plans for senior management, is critical to our business success. While we follow a disciplined, ongoing succession planning process and have succession plans in place for senior management and other key executives, these do not guarantee that the services of qualified senior executives will continue to be available to us at particular moments in time. Further, changes in immigration laws and government policies have made, in certain circumstances, and may continue to make it more difficult for us to recruit or relocate highly skilled technical, professional and management personnel to meet our business needs. Our ability to attract and retain talent has been and may continue to be impacted by a number of factors, including challenges in the labor market. In addition, we continue to work to advance culture change through the implementation of DE&I initiatives and the launch of our evolved corporate values and new leadership framework throughout our organization. We continue to embed new ways of working to, among other things, instill a growth mindset to drive innovation. If we do not (or are perceived not to) successfully implement these initiatives, our ability to recruit, attract and retain talent may be adversely impacted.

We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions and divestitures, which could adversely impact our business.

We have pursued and may continue to pursue acquisitions of brands, businesses, assets or technologies from third parties. Acquisitions and their pursuit have involved, and can involve, numerous potential risks, including, among other things:

• realizing the full extent of the expected benefits or synergies as a result of a transaction, within the anticipated time frame, or at all;

• successfully integrating the operations, technologies, services, products and systems of the acquired brands, assets or businesses in an effective, timely and cost-efficient manner;

• receiving necessary consents, clearances and approvals in connection with a transaction;

• diverting management’s attention from other business priorities;

• successfully operating in new lines of business, channels of distribution or markets;

• achieving distribution expansion related to products, categories and markets;

• retaining key employees, partners, suppliers and customers of the acquired business;

• conforming standards, controls, procedures and policies of the acquired business with our own;

• developing or launching products with acquired technologies; and

• other unanticipated problems or liabilities.

Moreover, acquisitions have resulted in and could in the future result in substantial additional debt, the assumption of contingent liabilities, such as litigation or earn-out obligations, or transaction costs. In addition, to the extent that the economic benefits associated with an acquisition or investment diminish in the future or the performance of an acquired company or business is less robust than expected, we may be required to record additional impairments of intangible assets, including trademarks and goodwill. For example, in the fourth quarter of 2022, we took non-cash, aftertax impairment charges of $620 million, to adjust the carrying values of goodwill and intangible assets related to the Filorga skin health business. Any of these risks could adversely impact our reputation and our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We have divested and may in the future periodically divest brands or businesses. These divestitures may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition if we are unable to offset the dilutive impacts from the loss of revenue associated with the divested brands or businesses, or otherwise achieve the anticipated benefits or cost savings from the divestitures. In addition, businesses under consideration for, or otherwise subject to, divestiture may be adversely impacted prior to the divestiture, which could negatively impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Operational Risks

Our business results are impacted by our ability to manage disruptions in our global supply chain and/or key office facilities.

We are engaged in the manufacture and sourcing of products and materials on a global scale. Our operations and those of our suppliers, contract manufacturers or logistics providers have been and may continue to be disrupted by a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

• geopolitical events, wars and military conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war;

• widespread health emergencies, such as pandemics or epidemics;

• strikes and other labor disputes;

• disruptions in logistics;

• loss or impairment of key manufacturing or distribution sites;

• loss of key suppliers or contract manufacturers;

• capacity constraints;

• raw material and product availability and/or quality or safety issues;

• industrial accidents or other occupational health and safety issues;

• the impact on our suppliers of tighter credit or capital markets;

• the lack of availability of qualified personnel, such as truck drivers and production labor;

• governmental incentives, regulations and controls (including import and export restrictions, such as new or increased tariffs, sanctions, quotas or trade barriers); and

• natural disasters, including climatic events (including any potential effects of climate change) and earthquakes, tornadoes, acts of war or terrorism, political unrest or uncertainty, fires or explosions, cybersecurity incidents and other external factors over which we have no control.

In addition, we purchase certain key raw and packaging materials from single-source suppliers or a limited number of suppliers and new suppliers may have to be qualified under industry, governmental and/or Colgate standards, which can require additional investment and take a significant period of time. If our existing or new suppliers fail to meet such standards or if we are unable to contract with suppliers on favorable terms, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.

We believe that the supplies of raw and packaging materials needed to manufacture our products are adequate. In addition, we have business continuity and contingency plans in place for key manufacturing sites and contract manufacturers and the supply of raw and packaging materials. Nonetheless, a significant disruption to the manufacturing or sourcing of products or materials for any reason, including those mentioned above, have at times interrupted and could in

the future interrupt product supply and, if not remedied, could have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

In addition, as a result of our global shared service organizational model, certain of our functions, such as finance and accounting, customer service and logistics, human resources, global information technology and data analytics are concentrated in key office facilities. A significant disruption to any of our key office facilities for any reason, including those mentioned above, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Volatility in material and other costs has in the past and may continue to adversely impact our profitability.

Raw and packaging material commodities, such as resins, essential oils, tropical oils, pulp, tallow, corn, poultry and soybeans, are subject to market price variations. Increases in the costs of and/or a reduction in the availability of commodities, energy, logistics (including trucks and containers) or other necessary services, including as a result of geopolitical conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war and/or the impact of climatic events have affected and are likely to continue to adversely affect our profit margins. While the prices of many commodities and services have started to stabilize or decline, inflationary pressures may continue to increase the cost of such commodities and services. We have taken and may continue to take actions to mitigate these cost increases in the form of price increases and efforts to achieve cost efficiencies in areas such as manufacturing and distribution, or otherwise manage the exposure through sourcing strategies, ongoing productivity initiatives and the limited use of commodity hedging contracts. These actions may not, however, fully offset these higher costs and our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition have been and may continue to be adversely impacted. In addition, even if we are able to increase the prices of our products in response to commodity and other cost increases, we may not be able to sustain the price increases. If such price increases are sustained, they may negatively impact our sales volume, which can in turn negatively impact our margins and profitability. If competitors do not adjust their prices or if consumers decide not to pay higher prices and forego purchasing certain of our products or switch to “private label” or lower-priced product offerings, sales declines, a deterioration in our profitability and loss of market share may occur which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. See “Our business results depend on our ability to manage disruptions in our global supply chain and/or key office facilities” above for additional information.

There is no guarantee that our ongoing efforts to reduce costs will be successful.

One way that we generate funds needed to support the growth of our business is through our continuous, Company-wide initiatives to lower costs and increase effective asset utilization, which we refer to as our funding-the-growth initiatives. These initiatives are designed to reduce costs associated with direct materials, indirect expenses, distribution and logistics, and advertising and promotional materials, among other things. The achievement of our funding-the-growth goals depends on our ability to successfully identify and realize additional savings opportunities. Events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays and unexpected costs may occur that could result in our not realizing any or all of the anticipated benefits or our not realizing the anticipated benefits on our expected timetable. If we are unable to realize the anticipated savings of our funding-the-growth initiatives, our ability to fund other initiatives and achieve our profitability goals may be adversely affected. Any failure to implement our funding-the-growth initiatives in accordance with our expectations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding our funding-the-growth initiatives, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Executive Overview.”

A cybersecurity incident, data breach or a failure of key technology systems could adversely impact our business.

We rely extensively on information and operational technology systems (“IT/OT Systems”), some of which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties, including cloud-based service providers, and their vendors, in order to conduct our business. Our uses of these systems include, but are not limited to:

• communicating within our company and with other parties, including our customers and consumers;

• ordering and managing materials from suppliers;

• converting materials to finished products;

• receiving and processing orders from, shipping products to and invoicing our customers and consumers;

• marketing products to consumers;

• collecting, storing, transferring and/or processing customer, consumer, employee, vendor, investor and other stakeholder information and personal data, including, but not limited to, such data from residents of states, countries and regions with important data protection laws and regulations;

• processing transactions, including but not limited to employee payroll, employee and retiree benefits and payments to customers and vendors;

• hosting, processing and sharing confidential and proprietary research, intellectual property, business plans and financial information;

• summarizing and reporting results of operations, including financial reporting;

• managing our banking and other cash liquidity systems and platforms;

• complying with legal, regulatory and tax requirements;

• providing data security; and

• handling other processes involved in managing our business.

Although we have a broad array of information and operational security measures in place, our IT/OT Systems, including those of third-party service providers with whom we have contracted, have been, and will likely continue to be, subject to computer viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access attempts, phishing and other cyberattacks. Cyberattacks and other cyber incidents are occurring more frequently, are constantly evolving in nature, are becoming more sophisticated and are being made by groups, individuals and nation states with a wide range of expertise and motives. Such cyberattacks and cyber incidents can take many forms, including cyber extortion, social engineering, password theft or introduction of viruses or malware, such as ransomware. In addition, the techniques used in cyberattacks and cyber incidents continue to evolve and develop, including through the use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

We cannot guarantee that our security efforts will prevent breaches or breakdowns of our or our third-party service providers’ IT/OT Systems because the techniques used in these attacks change frequently and may be difficult to detect for periods of time. In addition, although we have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all personal information collected by us or our third-party service providers is securely maintained, data leakages due to human error or intentional or unintentional conduct have occurred and likely will continue to occur. Furthermore, we periodically upgrade our IT/OT Systems or adopt new technologies. If such an upgrade or new technology does not function as designed or does not go as planned or if an attacker identifies a vulnerability in our IT/OT Systems, then our exposure to a cyberattack or cyber incident may increase significantly.

A cyberattack or cyber incident may adversely impact our business, including our ability to ship products to customers, issue invoices and process payments or order raw and packaging materials. Although we have seen no material impact on our business operations from the cybersecurity incidents we have experienced to date, if we suffer a significant loss or disclosure of confidential business or stakeholder information as a result of a breach of our IT/OT Systems, including those of third-party service providers with whom we have contracted, or otherwise, we may suffer reputational, competitive and/or business harm, incur significant costs and be subject to government investigations, litigation, fines and/or damages, which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, the rapid evolution and increased adoption of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, may intensify our cybersecurity risks. Further, while we currently maintain insurance coverage that, subject to its terms and conditions, is intended to address costs associated with certain aspects of cybersecurity incidents and IT/OT System failures, this insurance coverage may not, depending on the specific facts and circumstances surrounding an incident, cover all losses or all types of claims that arise from an incident, or the damage to our business, reputation or brands that may result from an incident. As the frequency and magnitude of cybersecurity incidents increase globally, we may be unable to obtain the insurance coverage that we think is appropriate or necessary to offset the risk.

While we have disaster recovery and business continuity plans in place, if our IT/OT Systems are damaged, breached or cease to function properly for any reason, including the poor performance of, failure of or cyberattack on third-party service providers, catastrophic events, power outages, cybersecurity breaches, network outages, failed upgrades or other similar events and, if the disaster recovery and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve such issues on a timely basis, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to manage or conduct business as well as reputational harm, and may be subject to governmental investigations and litigation, any of which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Climate change and other sustainability matters could have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Climate change resulting in the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters and other extreme weather conditions may adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Specifically, the predicted physical effects of climate change may exacerbate challenges regarding the availability and quality of water and the cost, quality and availability of raw and packaging materials, pose physical risks to our facilities and those of our key suppliers, disrupt our global supply chain or impact demand for our products. In addition, the increased concern over climate change has resulted and is likely to continue to result in transition risks, including additional legal and regulatory requirements intended to, among other things, reduce or mitigate the effects of climate change and have related and may relate to, among other things, greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., carbon pricing), alternative energy policy and additional disclosure obligations. Such additional regulation may adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition by increasing our compliance and manufacturing costs and/or negatively impacting our reputation if we are unable to, or are perceived (whether or not valid) not to, satisfy such requirements or expectations. Achieving our sustainability and social impact targets will require significant efforts from us and our stakeholders, such as our suppliers and other third parties. It will also require capital investment, additional expense (e.g., renewable energy costs) and the development of technology that may not currently exist. Any failure to achieve our sustainability and social impact targets or the perception (whether or not valid) that we have failed to act responsibly with respect to such matters or to effectively respond to new or additional legal or regulatory requirements regarding climate change or other sustainability matters, could result in adverse publicity and increased litigation risk and adversely affect our business and reputation. There is also increased focus, including by governmental and non-governmental organizations, investors, customers, consumers, regulators, our employees and other stakeholders on these and other sustainability and social impact matters, including responsible sourcing, deforestation, animal welfare, labor, employment and human rights, the use of plastic, energy and water, the recyclability or recoverability of packaging, including single-use and other plastic packaging, and a growing demand for natural or organic products and ingredient transparency, such as sources of palm oil and palm kernel oil. Our reputation could be damaged if we do not (or are perceived not to) act responsibly with respect to sustainability matters, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We may not fully realize the benefits that we expect from our 2022 Global Productivity Initiative.

On January 27, 2022, the Board approved a targeted productivity program (the “2022 Global Productivity Initiative”). The program is intended to reallocate resources toward our strategic priorities and faster growth businesses, drive efficiencies in our operations and streamline our supply chain to reduce structural costs. The successful implementation of the program may present organizational challenges and, in some cases, may require successful negotiations with third parties. As a result, we may not be able to fully realize all of the anticipated benefits from the 2022 Global Productivity Initiative. Events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays and unexpected costs may occur that could result in our not realizing all of the anticipated benefits or our not realizing such benefits on our expected timetable. In addition, changes in foreign exchange rates or in tax, labor or immigration laws may result in our not achieving the anticipated cost savings as measured in U.S. dollars. If we are unable to fully realize the anticipated savings from the 2022 Global Productivity Initiative, our ability to fund other initiatives and enhance profitability may be adversely affected. Any failure to implement the 2022 Global Productivity Initiative in accordance with our expectations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For additional information regarding the 2022 Global Productivity Initiative, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Restructuring and Related Implementation Charges.”

Legal and Regulatory Risks

Our business is subject to legal and regulatory risks in the U.S. and abroad.

Our business is subject to extensive legal and regulatory requirements in the U.S. and abroad. Such legal and regulatory requirements apply to most aspects of our products, including their development, ingredients, formulation, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, distribution, export, import, advertising, sale and environmental impact. U.S. federal authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, regulate different aspects of our business, along with parallel authorities at the state and local levels and comparable authorities overseas. In addition, our selling practices are regulated by competition law authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

New or more stringent legal or regulatory requirements, or more restrictive interpretations of existing requirements, could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For example, from time to time, various regulatory authorities around the world review the use of various ingredients and packaging content in consumer products. While we monitor and seek to mitigate the impact of any emerging information, a decision by a regulatory or governmental authority that any ingredient or packaging content in our products should be restricted or should otherwise be newly regulated could adversely impact our business and reputation, as could negative reactions by our consumers, trade customers or non-governmental organizations to our current or prior use of such ingredients or packaging. Additionally, an inability to develop new or reformulated products containing alternative ingredients, to obtain regulatory approval of such products or ingredients on a timely basis or to effectively market and sell such products could likewise adversely affect our business.

Because of our extensive international operations, we could be adversely affected by violations of worldwide anti-bribery laws, including those that prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to government officials or other third parties for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and laws that prohibit commercial bribery. We are also subject to laws and sanctions imposed by the U.S. (including, without limitation, those imposed by OFAC) and/or by other jurisdictions that may prohibit us or certain of our affiliates from doing business in certain countries, or restrict the kind of business that may be conducted. While our policies mandate compliance with these laws, we cannot provide assurance that our internal control policies and procedures will always protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees, joint venture partners or agents. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and adversely affect our reputation and our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

While it is our policy and practice to comply with all legal and regulatory requirements applicable to our business, findings that we are in violation of, or out of compliance with, applicable laws or regulations have subjected us to, and could subject us to, civil remedies, including fines, damages, injunctions or product recalls, or criminal sanctions, any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Even if a claim is unsuccessful, is without merit or is not fully pursued, the cost of responding to such a claim, including management time and out-of-pocket expenses, and the negative publicity surrounding such assertions regarding our products, processes or business practices could adversely affect our reputation, brand image and our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For information regarding our legal and regulatory matters, see Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” and Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Legal claims and proceedings could adversely impact our business.

As a global company serving consumers in more than 200 countries and territories, we are and may continue to be subject to a wide variety of legal claims and proceedings, including disputes relating to intellectual property, contracts, product liability, marketing, advertising, foreign exchange controls, antitrust and trade regulation, as well as labor and employment, pension, data privacy and security, environmental and tax matters and consumer class actions. Regardless of their merit, these claims can require significant time and expense to investigate and defend. Since litigation is inherently uncertain, there is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves against such claims or proceedings, or that our assessment of the materiality of these matters, including any reserves taken in connection therewith, will be consistent with the ultimate outcome of such matters. In addition, if one of our products, or an ingredient contained in our products, is perceived or found to be defective, or unsafe or have a quality issue, we have had to and may in the future need to withdraw, recall or reformulate some of our products. Whether or not a legal claim or proceeding is successful, or a

withdrawal, recall or reformulation is required or advisable, such assertions could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, and the negative publicity surrounding them could harm our reputation and brand image. The resolution of, or increase in the reserves taken in connection with, one or more of these matters in any reporting period could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition for that period. See Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” and Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on certain of our legal claims and proceedings.

Financial and Economic Risks

Uncertain or unfavorable global economic conditions may adversely affect our business.

Uncertain or unfavorable global economic conditions could adversely affect our business. Unfavorable global economic conditions, such as a recession, an economic slowdown, inflation, higher interest rates and/or reduced category growth rates, including as a result of the war in Ukraine and/or the Israel-Hamas war, have negatively impacted and/or could negatively impact our business and result in declining revenues, profitability and/or cash flows. Although we continue to devote significant resources to support our brands and market our products at multiple price points, during periods of economic uncertainty or unfavorable economic conditions, consumers may have less consumer confidence, reduce consumption or discretionary spending and/or change their purchasing patterns by foregoing purchasing certain of our products or by switching to “private label,” or lower-priced product offerings. These changes could reduce demand for our products or result in a shift in our product mix, as consumers may choose products that sell at lower prices. Additionally, our retailers may be impacted and they may increase pressure on our selling prices or increase promotional activity for lower-priced or value offerings as they seek to maintain sales volumes and margins. Furthermore, economic conditions can cause our customers, suppliers, distributors, contract manufacturers, logistics providers or other third-party partners to suffer financial or operational difficulties, which may impact their ability to buy our products or provide us with or distribute finished product, raw and packaging materials and/or services in a timely manner or at all. In addition, we could face difficulty collecting or recovering accounts receivables from third parties facing financial or operational difficulties, including bankruptcies.

Disruptions in the credit markets or changes to our credit ratings may adversely affect our business.

While we currently generate significant cash flows from ongoing operations and have access to global credit markets through our various financing activities, a disruption or volatility in the credit markets, interest rate increases or changes to our credit rating could negatively impact the availability or further increase the cost of funding. Reduced access to credit or increased costs could adversely affect our liquidity and capital resources or significantly increase our cost of capital. In addition, if any financial institutions that hold our cash or other investments or that are parties to our undrawn revolving credit facility supporting our commercial paper programs or other financing arrangements, such as interest rate, foreign exchange or commodity hedging instruments, were to declare bankruptcy or become insolvent, they may be unable to perform under their agreements with us. This could leave us with reduced borrowing capacity or unhedged against certain interest rate, foreign currency or commodity price exposures. In addition, tighter or more volatile credit markets may lead to business disruptions for certain of our suppliers, contract manufacturers or trade customers which could, in turn, adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Tax matters, including changes in tax rates, disagreements with taxing authorities and imposition of new taxes could negatively impact our business.

We are subject to taxes in the U.S. and in the foreign jurisdictions where we do business. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates in the U.S. and various foreign jurisdictions have been and may be subject to significant change. Changes in the mix of our earnings between countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities related to changes in tax rates, changes in tax laws, including how existing tax laws are interpreted or enforced, or contemplated changes in long-standing tax principles, if finalized and adopted, could adversely impact our future effective tax rate and business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For example, long-standing international tax norms that determine each country’s jurisdiction to tax cross-border international trade are evolving as a result of a multilateral project, the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project (the “BEPS Project”), that has established new principles and reporting requirements recommended by the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the “OECD”). In connection with the BEPS Project, companies are required to disclose more information to tax authorities on operations around the world, which may lead to greater audit scrutiny of profits earned in countries outside of the U.S. Many jurisdictions have already enacted legislation and adopted policies

resulting from the BEPS Project. The OECD is also addressing the challenges of the digitization of the global economy with plans to redefine jurisdictional taxation rights in market countries and establish a global minimum tax. In addition, we are evaluating the impact of recent legislation, such as the Minimum Tax Directive in the European Union that provides for a minimum level of taxation for certain large corporations in every jurisdiction in which they operate. In addition, many other jurisdictions outside of the European Union have also committed to implement this Directive while others have implemented a similar minimum tax regime consistent with the policy of the Directive. Important details of these minimum tax regimes are still being considered. As these and other tax laws and related regulations change, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially impacted. For more information regarding recent legislation, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Results of Operations - Income Taxes.”

Furthermore, we are seeing an increase in regular reviews, examinations and audits by the Internal Revenue Service and increasingly aggressive enforcement actions by other taxing authorities with respect to taxes outside of the U.S. Although we believe our tax positions are sustainable, when a taxing authority disagrees with the positions we have taken, we have faced and in the future may face additional tax liabilities, including interest and penalties, in excess of reserves. The payment of such additional amounts upon final adjudication of any disputes could adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

None.

Management’s Role in Assessing and Managing Cybersecurity Risk; Processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats

We have a systematic and thorough risk management process, which is designed to identify, assess, prioritize and mitigate the risks that could negatively impact achievement of our strategic and operating objectives. A key component of this process is our Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) Committee, which is led by our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and includes our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Information Officer and other members of senior management. The ERM Committee monitors both current and emerging risks facing the Company and meets at least quarterly to review the prioritization of identified risks. The ERM Committee has identified cybersecurity as a critical risk facing the Company. Each of the most critical risks identified is assigned to a member of senior management who oversees the management, mitigation and presentation of the risk to the senior leadership team and throughout the year to our Board of Directors. The risks relating to information technology, including cybersecurity, are overseen by our Chief Information Officer. Our Chief Information Officer then assigns the risks within the Information Technology risk category to others on his team. The cybersecurity risk is managed and overseen by our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), who reports to our Chief Information Officer. Cybersecurity as a risk is presented to the full ERM Committee annually or more frequently as needed.

We have a dedicated information security organization, led by our CISO and overseen by our Chief Information Officer, which is responsible for assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. Our Chief Information Officer reports to our Group President, Growth and Strategy, a member of our senior leadership team who reports to our Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Our CISO has over 25 years of information technology experience, including leading data analytics, customer relationship management, architecture and application development teams. He has been leading our global information security program for almost five years. He is a Certified Information Systems Professional, a member of Google Cloud CISO Customer Advisory Board and New Jersey Infragard and completed the FBI CISO Academy. He joined the Company over 25 years ago and has extensive knowledge regarding our business processes and the associated information technology platforms utilized worldwide, enabling him to guide his organization to protect the Company’s systems and information.

Our Chief Information Officer joined the Company over 25 years ago and has expertise across a wide array of information technology and systems, with experience leading a large array of different functions within the global information technology organization. He has led our information technology Operational Performance and Reliability Committee for the last eight years, which reviews and provides continuous improvement processes and technology across infrastructure, information security, architecture, application and end user performance. He has application development leadership experience across all functions, including the policies and controls that govern both application development and implementation of packaged software.

The Company’s information security organization seeks to employ cybersecurity best practices, including implementing new technologies to proactively identify and monitor new vulnerabilities and reduce risk, conducting due diligence of third-party vendors’ information security programs, maintaining security policies and standards and regularly updating and testing our response planning and protocols. The information security organization also works in partnership with our Internal Audit function to identify cybersecurity risks and review cybersecurity-related internal controls with third parties as part of the overall internal controls process. The information security organization also gains valuable information to improve our threat and risk awareness capabilities as a member of an industry information sharing and analysis organization, which provides strategic and tactical information sharing channels. Additionally, employees are provided mandatory cybersecurity awareness training on an annual basis, which includes information about how to identify and report cybersecurity concerns and incidents. The information security organization also conducts phishing simulations and testing scenarios through tabletop exercises and assessment activities, to help ensure compliance with our cyber policies and procedures. We maintain a cybersecurity insurance policy and have retained relevant incident response services. Additionally, we maintain an offensive security team that works both independently and with third party cybersecurity professionals to conduct security assessments of our

enterprise-wide cybersecurity practices, including penetration testing, and identify areas for continuous improvement within the information security program.

We maintain a Data Security Incident Response Plan (the “Plan”), which outlines the processes and procedures that we should follow to respond to, remediate and resolve a security incident involving a potential or actual compromise of our proprietary information and/or personal information. It also describes the structure, roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in responding to such incidents and provides a process for alerting senior management of such incidents. The Plan is reviewed on an annual basis and revised as necessary.

Our dedicated information security organization leverages various frameworks for managing cybersecurity risks, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) framework. The key pillars of the NIST framework are to (i) develop an organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risk to systems, people, assets, data and capabilities; (ii) develop and implement appropriate safeguards to ensure delivery of critical services; (iii) develop and implement appropriate activities to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event; (iv) develop and implement appropriate activities to maintain plans for resilience and to restore any capabilities or services that were impaired due to a cybersecurity incident; and (v) develop appropriate activities to action an incident.

We have a comprehensive third party cybersecurity risk review process, which prioritizes, monitors and assesses the risks associated with our third party service provider interactions. The third party service provider assessment framework follows industry standard practices and allows us to properly understand the risk associated with the services provided which are key to our company’s daily operations.

For additional information regarding risks faced by the Company from cybersecurity threats, see Item 1A, “Risk Factors - A cybersecurity incident, data breach or a failure of key technology systems could adversely impact our business.”

Board’s Oversight of Cybersecurity Risks

Our Board of Directors is focused on cybersecurity. Specific responsibility for cybersecurity oversight is delegated to the Audit Committee. The Board oversees our risk management process to ensure it is properly designed, well-functioning and consistent with our overall corporate strategy. Our Audit Committee oversees the ERM process and the implementation of appropriate risk monitoring and management systems, though all Board members attend Audit Committee meetings and participate in risk management discussions. The Audit Committee also oversees risks associated with cybersecurity, financial reporting and legal matters (including data privacy, competition law, litigation and ethics and compliance).

Our Board of Directors has adopted a written statement, known as the Independent Board Candidate Qualifications and made available on our website, outlining the qualities sought in our directors. This statement, which is refreshed periodically and was most recently updated in January 2023, is used by the Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee (“NGCR Committee”) in evaluating individual director candidates. The NGCR Committee has identified experience with overseeing and managing risk management processes, including with respect to cybersecurity, as being important to creating an effective, well-rounded and diverse Board. Directors with experience overseeing and managing risk management processes play a critical role in the Board’s oversight of our enterprise risk management process.

Our CISO provides a report to the Audit Committee on cybersecurity quarterly, or more frequently if circumstances warrant, including relevant cybersecurity incidents impacting the Company and on topics related to information security, data privacy and cyber risks and mitigation strategies. In addition, outside experts periodically present to the Board on cybersecurity.

We own or lease approximately 320 properties, which include manufacturing, distribution, research and development and office facilities worldwide. Our corporate headquarters is located in a leased property at 300 Park Avenue, New York, New York.

In the U.S., we operate in approximately 85 properties, of which 17 are owned. Major U.S. manufacturing and warehousing facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment of our business are located in Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Pet Nutrition segment has major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Outside the U.S., we operate in approximately 235 properties, of which 58 are owned, in over 80 countries. Major overseas manufacturing and warehousing facilities used by the Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment of our business are located in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Greece, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Turkiye and Vietnam. The Pet Nutrition segment has major manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Czech Republic, Italy and the Netherlands.

The primary research and development center for Oral Care and Personal Care products is located in New Jersey, the primary research and development center for Home Care products is located in Mexico and the primary research and development center for Pet Nutrition products is located in Kansas. Our global data center is also located in New Jersey.

We have shared business service centers in India, Mexico and Poland, which are located in leased properties.

All of the facilities we operate are well maintained and adequate for the purpose for which they are intended.

For information regarding legal proceedings, refer to Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part IV, Item 15 of this report.

Not applicable.

PART II

For information regarding the market for the Company’s common stock, including stock price performance graphs, refer to “Market Information” included in Part IV, Item 15 of this report. For information regarding the securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans, refer to “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” included in Part III, Item 12 of this report.

As of December 31, 2023, the number of common shareholders of record was 16,595.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

On March 10, 2022, the Board authorized the repurchase of shares of the Company’s common stock having an aggregate purchase price of up to $5 billion under a new share repurchase program (the “2022 Program”), which replaced a previously authorized share repurchase program. The Board also has authorized share repurchases on an ongoing basis to fulfill certain requirements of the Company’s compensation and benefit programs. The shares are repurchased from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions at the Company’s discretion, subject to market conditions, customary blackout periods and other factors.

The following table shows the share repurchase activity for the three months in the quarter ended December 31, 2023:

(1)Includes share repurchases under the 2022 Program and those associated with certain employee elections under the Company’s compensation and benefit programs.

(2)The difference between the total number of shares purchased and the total number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs is 45,888 shares, which represents shares deemed surrendered to the Company to satisfy certain employee elections under the Company’s compensation and benefit programs.

(3)Includes approximate dollar value of shares that were available to be purchased under the publicly announced plans or programs that were in effect as of December 31, 2023.

(Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

Executive Overview

Business Organization

Colgate-Palmolive Company (together with its subsidiaries, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Colgate”) is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. We seek to deliver sustainable, profitable growth and superior shareholder returns, as well as to provide Colgate people with an innovative and inclusive work environment. We do this by developing and selling science-led products globally that make people’s and their pets’ lives healthier and more enjoyable and by embracing our sustainability and social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion (“DE&I”) strategies across our organization.

We are tightly focused on two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. Within these segments, we follow a closely defined business strategy to grow our key product categories and increase our overall market share. Within the categories in which we compete, we prioritize our efforts based on their capacity to maximize the use of the organization’s core competencies and strong global equities and to deliver sustainable, profitable long-term growth.

Operationally, we are organized along geographic lines with management teams having responsibility for the business and financial results in each region. We compete in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide with established businesses in all regions contributing to our sales and profitability. Approximately two-thirds of our Net sales are generated from markets outside the U.S., with approximately 45% of our Net sales coming from emerging markets (which consist of Latin America, Asia (excluding Japan), Africa/Eurasia and Central Europe). This geographic diversity and balance help to reduce our exposure to business and other risks in any one country or part of the world.

The Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment is managed geographically in five reportable operating segments: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa/Eurasia, all of which sell primarily to a variety of traditional and eCommerce retailers, wholesalers, distributors, dentists and, in some segments, skin health professionals. Through Hill’s Pet Nutrition, we also compete on a worldwide basis in the pet nutrition market, selling products principally through authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians and eCommerce retailers. We also sell certain of our products direct-to-consumer. We are engaged in manufacturing and sourcing of products and materials on a global scale and have major manufacturing facilities, warehousing facilities and distribution centers in every region around the world.

On an ongoing basis, management focuses on a variety of key indicators to monitor business health and performance. These indicators include net sales (including volume, pricing and foreign exchange components), organic sales growth (net sales growth excluding the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestments), a non-GAAP financial measure, and gross profit margin, selling, general and administrative expenses, operating profit, net income and earnings per share, in each case, on a GAAP and a non-GAAP basis, as well as measures used to optimize the management of working capital, capital expenditures, cash flow and return on capital. In addition, we review market share and other data to assess how our brands are performing within their categories on a global and regional basis. The monitoring of these indicators and our Code of Conduct and corporate governance practices help to maintain business health and strong internal controls. For additional information regarding non-GAAP financial measures and the Company’s use of market share data and the limitations of such data, see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Market Share Information” below.

COVID-19

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business has largely abated, uncertainties continue in China, which is experiencing the ongoing effects of the pandemic and an economic slowdown, and in the travel retail channel, where we have experienced and may continue to experience disruptions in our Filorga business. While we currently expect to be able to continue operating our business as described above, uncertainty resulting from COVID-19 could result in unforeseen additional disruptions to our business, particularly in China and in the travel retail channel.

The War in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine and the related geopolitical tensions have had and continue to have a significant impact on our operations in Ukraine and Russia, though it has not been material to our Consolidated Financial Statements. The safety of our employees and partners in Ukraine has been and remains our first priority. While our ability to do business in Ukraine has been significantly impacted, we remain committed to providing access to our products to people in the region. In

(Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

Russia, we are importing and selling a reduced portfolio of health and hygiene products for everyday use. We have no manufacturing facilities in Russia and have ceased all capital investments and media activities in Russia. For the year ended December 31, 2023 our business in the Eurasia region constituted approximately 2% of our consolidated net sales and approximately 3% of our consolidated operating profit. We, however, have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, risks related to the impact of the war in Ukraine, including increases in the costs and, in certain cases, limitations on the availability of certain raw and packaging materials and commodities (including oil and natural gas), supply chain and logistics challenges, import restrictions, foreign currency volatility and reputational concerns. We also have faced and continue to face challenges to our ability to repatriate cash from Russia and find banking partners in Russia and we may face challenges to our ability to protect our assets in Russia. We also continue to monitor the impact of sanctions, export controls and import restrictions imposed in response to the war in Ukraine.

The Israel-Hamas War

The Israel-Hamas war has not had a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Uncertainties and risks remain as to the duration of the war and its impact on geopolitical relations and stability in North Africa, the Middle East and nearby regions. The war has impacted and may continue to impact, among other things, supply chain and logistics, the availability and price of raw and packaging materials and commodities, such as oil, consumer sentiment and consumption and category growth rates in the region.

For more information about factors that could impact our business, including due to geopolitical conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, refer to Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Strategy

To achieve our business and financial objectives, we are focused on driving organic sales growth and long-term profitable growth through science-led, core and premium innovation; pursuing higher-growth adjacent categories and segments; expanding in faster-growing channels and markets and delivering margin expansion through operating leverage and efficiency. We continue to prioritize our investments in high growth segments within our Oral Care, Personal Care and Pet Nutrition businesses. We are also seeking to lead in the development of human capital, and to maximize the impact of our sustainability and social impact and DE&I strategies. We are strengthening and leveraging our capabilities in areas such as innovation, digital, artificial intelligence, eCommerce and data and analytics, enabling us to be more responsive in today’s rapidly changing world. In particular, we believe our digital transformation is of paramount importance to our success going forward. We continue to invest behi

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See “Managing Foreign Currency, Interest Rate, Commodity Price and Credit Risk Exposure” in Part II, Item 7.

See “Index to Financial Statements.”

None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023 (the “Evaluation”). Based upon the Evaluation, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) are effective.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based upon the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and concluded that it was effective as of December 31, 2023.

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, has audited the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, and has expressed an unqualified opinion in their report, which appears under “Index to Financial Statements – Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The Company is in the process of upgrading its enterprise IT system to SAP S/4 HANA. This change has not had and is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

Except as noted above, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

During the three months ended December 31, 2023, no director or officer of the Company adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.

Not applicable.

PART III

See “Information about our Executive Officers” in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

Additional information required by this Item relating to directors, executive officers and corporate governance of the Company is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Proxy Statement”).

Code of Ethics

The Company’s Code of Conduct promotes the highest ethical standards in all of the Company’s business dealings. The Code of Conduct satisfies the SEC’s requirements for a Code of Ethics for senior financial officers and applies to all Company employees, including the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the Executive Vice President and Controller, and the Company’s directors. The Code of Conduct is available on the Company’s website at www.colgatepalmolive.com. Any amendment to the Code of Conduct will promptly be posted on the Company’s website. It is the Company’s policy not to grant waivers of the Code of Conduct. In the extremely unlikely event that the Company grants an executive officer a waiver from a provision of the Code of Conduct, the Company will promptly disclose such information by posting it on its website or by using other appropriate means in accordance with SEC rules.

The information regarding executive compensation set forth in the 2024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

(a)The information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management set forth in the 2024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

(b)The Registrant does not know of any arrangements that may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of the Registrant.

(c)Equity compensation plan information as of December 31, 2023:

(1)Consists of 20,742 options outstanding under the Company’s 2013 Incentive Compensation Plan and the Company’s 2019 Incentive Compensation Plan and 2,174 restricted stock units awarded but not yet vested under the Company’s 2019 Incentive Compensation Plan, as more fully described in Note 8, Capital Stock and Stock-Based Compensation Plans to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

(2)Includes the weighted-average exercise price of stock options outstanding of $75 and restricted stock units of $76.

(3)Amount includes 19,951 options available for issuance and 8,571 restricted stock units available for issuance under the Company’s 2019 Incentive Compensation Plan.

The information regarding certain relationships and related transactions and director independence set forth in the 2024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

The information regarding auditor fees and services set forth in the 2024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

(a)Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules

See “Index to Financial Statements.”

(b)Exhibits:

• Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

** Filed herewith.

*** Furnished herewith.

(1) Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish the Commission, upon request, with a copy of any instrument with respect to long-term debt where the total amount of securities authorized thereunder does not exceed 10% of the total assets of the Registrant and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

The exhibits indicated above that are not included with the Form 10-K are available upon request and payment of a reasonable fee approximating the registrant’s cost of providing and mailing the exhibits. Inquiries should be directed to:

None.

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below on February 15, 2024, by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.

Index to Financial Statements

All other financial statements and schedules not listed have been omitted since the required information is included in the financial statements or the notes thereto or is not applicable or required.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Colgate-Palmolive Company

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the consolidated financial statements, including the related notes and financial statement schedule, of Colgate-Palmolive Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as listed in the accompanying index (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Basis for Opinions

The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in

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