Monica Potts argues that Dawn’s wildlife-rescue campaign just shows how good the company is at managing its image:
While individuals may be able to donate a dollar to worthwhile organizations by buying Dawn, the reality is that Procter & Gamble’s profit goes to lobbying against environmental regulations. The company spent more than $4 million in lobbying last year and $1 million in lobbying in the first quarter of this year, fighting efforts to restrict or regulate the household chemicals in its products and to ban animal testing. Though the company does not have to disclose its position on proposed legislation, Procter & Gamble lobbied against a 2009 effort to disclose ingredients in household cleaning products, instead supporting an industry-led voluntary-disclosure effort. It also lobbied against bans in various states on dishwashing detergent containing high levels of phosphorus and fought to delay the bans’ implementation.