P&G’s Involvement with Israel: Reasons to Boycott

Procter & Gamble’s Investments in Israeli Startups

According to a Forbes article from 2012, Procter & Gamble (P&G) has been investing in Israeli startups since 2008. The company has a dedicated team in Israel that scouts for promising startups and helps them grow. P&G has also established a partnership with the Israeli Innovation Authority to support innovation in the country.

About P&G and its support for Israel

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a multinational corporation that produces a wide range of consumer goods, including personal care products, cleaning agents, and pet food. The company has been operating in Israel since 1995 and has gradually increased its holdings in Israel over the years. P&G has a corporate office in Tel Aviv and provides significant investment (funding, expertise, resources) into Israel through its “House of Innovation”.

P&G’s involvement in Israel is not only unethical but also illegal under international law. According to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights and to avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts through their activities. By supporting Israel’s apartheid regime, P&G is complicit in its grave violations of Palestinian rights, such as the right to life, liberty, dignity, self-determination, and freedom of movement.

P&G is also a major customer of Avgol, a company with a factory in the Barkan Industrial Area, adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Barkan in the occupied West Bank. Avgol manufactures approximately 10% of diaper raw materials in the global market. The Barkan Industrial Area is an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. The presence of P&G’s major supplier, Avgol, in the Barkan Industrial Area has led to criticism of P&G’s indirect support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Call to action

As consumers, we have the power to hold P&G accountable for its complicity in Israel’s crimes against humanity. We can boycott P&G products and choose alternatives that are not tainted by blood and oppression. We can also pressure P&G to end its ties with Israel and to respect the rights of the Palestinian people.

Boycotting P&G is not only a moral duty, but also an effective strategy to challenge Israel’s impunity and to support the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. Boycotting can isolate Israel economically, culturally, and academically until it complies with international law and respects Palestinian rights. By boycotting P&G, we can send a clear message that we will not tolerate its complicity in Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. We can also show our solidarity with the Palestinians who are resisting Israel’s brutal occupation and siege every day. We can make a difference by making informed choices and by raising awareness among our friends, family, and community.

Conclusion

P&G’s active engagement and financial investments in Israel are deeply troubling. By aligning itself with a nation implicated in the perpetration of genocide against the Palestinian people, P&G not only endorses but perpetuates a grave injustice. The company’s collaborations extend to entities complicit in illegal settlements in the West Bank, further exacerbating the severity of its involvement.

P&G must sever all ties with Israel until justice prevails, and the Palestinians are afforded equal rights, autonomy, and dignity. A resolute stance must be taken, demanding an end to these unjust practices. Until then, a unified and unwavering call for action is necessary: a comprehensive boycott of all P&G brands to demonstrate collective dissent against such complicity in the face of human rights violations.

ALL P&G BRANDS

Below are all P&G brands categorised by departments. The main products per brand to easily identify the products. In Bold are the most well-known P&G brands, some of which have surpassed $1 billion in annual sales. P&G’s net sales worldwide were over $80 billion in 2023. Pampers is the largest of them all surpassing $20 billion in annual sales in 2022. Gillette, Luvs and Crest are also among the largest P&G brands.

Baby Care

Fabric Care

Family Care

Feminine Care

Grooming

Hair Care

Home Care

Oral Care

Personal Health Care

Skin and Personal Care

Multi-brand Programs

References

Companies Supporting the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Land. Interfaith Peace Initiative, Oct. 2009, www.interfaithpeaceinitiative.com/profiting.pdf.

Boycott Cosmetics Companies Backing Israeli Occupation in Palestine.” Mayniaga, 17 Nov. 2023, https://www.mayniaga.com/boycott-cosmetics-companies-backing-israeli-occupation-in-palestine/.

P&G Israel: Career Site.” Procter & Gamble, https://www.pgcareers.com/global/en/locations/israel.

Procter & Gamble – English Innovation Site. Israel Innovation Authority, https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/winner/procter-gamble/.

Procter & Gamble Explain Why Israel is THE Startup Nation https://www.forbes.com/sites/ricardogeromel/2012/05/16/procter-and-gamble-israel-startup/?sh=766ad3d811f5

The Baby Diaper Market. Nonwovens Industry, 7 Jan. 2013, www.nonwovens-industry.com/issues/2013-01/view_features/the-baby-diaper-market/.

Branded Girls, brandedgirls.com/brands-that-support-israel/