Director Independence Standards

Independence promotes integrity, accountability and effective oversight. It is Colgate's policy to have a Board of Directors comprised of a substantial majority of independent directors.

The Board of Directors defines an independent director as a director who has no direct or indirect material relationship with Colgate or any of its officers, other than as a director or shareholder of Colgate. Stated simply, an independent director must be free of any relationship with Colgate or its senior management that may in fact or appearance impair the director's ability to make independent judgments or compromise the director's objectivity and loyalty to shareholders.

There are many different types of relationships between directors and the Company that may be material and preclude a finding of independence, including employment, advisory, business, financial, charitable, family and personal relationships. When examining these relationships, it is important to consider a director's ties to the Company's senior management and its other directors and significant shareholders, which also may affect a director's actual or perceived independence.

The Board shall review and make an affirmative determination regarding each director's independence at least once each year and more frequently as necessary due to changes in circumstance that may affect an individual director's independence. In making its determinations regarding independence, the Board shall consider all relevant facts and circumstances and shall apply the following guidelines:

Independent directors should not be current or former Colgate employees. During the last ten years, the director was not an employee of Colgate, and, during the last five years, none of the director's immediate family members was an employee of Colgate.

Independent directors should not serve as or be affiliated with advisors to Colgate or its senior management. During the last five years, neither the director nor an immediate family member of the director (i) served as a paid advisor or consultant to Colgate or any officer of Colgate, (ii) had a five percent or greater interest in or was a principal, executive officer or, in the case of the director, an employee of a company that served as a paid advisor or consultant to Colgate or any officer of Colgate, or (iii) had a personal services contract with Colgate or any officer of Colgate. In the case of officers, such advisory or consulting services shall include those provided regarding all matters, whether personal or business.

Independent directors should not receive compensation from Colgate other than board and committee fees. During the last five years, neither the director nor an immediate family member of the director received more than $10,000 per year in compensation from Colgate (other than director compensation and expenses). (For fees covered by the immediately preceding paragraph, there shall be no de minimis $10,000 exception pursuant to such paragraph.)

Independent directors should not do business with Colgate. During the last five years, if the director or an immediate family member of the director had a five percent or greater interest in or was a principal, executive officer or, in the case of the director, an employee of a company that made payments to or received payments from Colgate for property or services, such payments, in any single fiscal year, did not exceed the greater of $1 million or 2% of such company's consolidated gross revenues.

Independent directors should not borrow or lend funds to Colgate or its senior management. Loans between directors and the Company or its senior management are absolutely prohibited. In addition, during the last five years, if the director or an immediate family member of the director had a five percent or greater interest in or was a director, principal, executive officer or, in the case of the director, an employee of a company that was indebted to Colgate or any officer of Colgate, or to which Colgate or any officer of Colgate was indebted, the total amount of such indebtedness was not more than 2% of the total consolidated assets of such company.

Independent directors should not make investments with Colgate or its senior management. During the last five years, neither the director nor an immediate family member of the director had a five percent or greater interest in or was a director, principal, executive officer or, in the case of the director, an employee of a company in which Colgate or any officer of Colgate made an aggregate investment of more than 1% of the total consolidated assets of such company. In addition, directors and their immediate family members shall not make joint investments, including purchases of assets, with officers or executives of Colgate or other directors.

Independent directors should not have a leadership role in charitable organizations supported by Colgate. During the last five years, if the director or an immediate family member of the director was an officer, director or trustee of a charitable organization, Colgate's discretionary contributions to that organization, in any single fiscal year, did not exceed the greater of $1 million or 2% of that organization’s consolidated gross revenues. Colgate's matching of director and employee charitable contributions will not be included in Colgate's discretionary contributions for this purpose.*

Independent directors should not serve as or be affiliated with Colgate's auditors. During the last five years, (i) the director was not affiliated with or employed by a present or former internal or external auditor of Colgate (a "Colgate Auditor") and (ii) no immediate family members of the director were affiliated with or employed in a professional capacity by a Colgate Auditor. "Affiliation" includes being a partner of a firm or having another relationship with a firm that the Board determines may impair a director's independence, and "employment in a professional capacity" includes participation in a firm's audit, assurance or tax compliance practice.

Independent directors should not serve on interlocking boards of directors or compensation committees. During the last five years, neither the director nor an immediate family member of the director was an executive officer of another company where any of Colgate's present officers serve on that company's board of directors or compensation committee.

Independent directors should not have any other relationship with Colgate or its senior management or with another director or any other person that may impair the director's ability to make independent judgments. During the last five years, a director or an immediate family member of the director had a relationship with Colgate, an officer of Colgate, another director or any other person that does not fit within the relationships described above, and the Board has determined that the existence of such relationship does not in fact or appearance impair the director's ability to make independent judgments or compromise the director's objectivity and loyalty to all shareholders. Such relationships could include voting arrangements and personal, economic or professional ties between a director and an officer of Colgate, another Colgate director or any other person. Directors shall notify the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of any such arrangements or ties.

In applying the foregoing guidelines, the following definitions shall be used:

• "Colgate" means Colgate-Palmolive Company and its subsidiaries.
• A "company" means any corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other foreign or domestic entity of any kind.
• A director’s "immediate family members" are the director’s spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and anyone who shares the director’s home (other than domestic employees).
• An "officer" of Colgate means officers elected by the Board of Directors.

* Similarly, under Colgate policy, Colgate and officers of Colgate are not permitted to solicit director support for charitable organizations that officers of Colgate or their immediate family members serve as officers, directors or trustees.