Degree
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About Degree
Degree operates as Unilever's performance-driven deodorant and antiperspirant line, engineered with adaptive technology that responds to body heat and movement for reliable sweat protection. Since its 1960 founding, the brand has positioned itself in the competitive personal care market through innovation in protection technology and inclusive product development.
As part of Unilever's extensive portfolio, Degree benefits from corporate sustainability infrastructure while maintaining distinct challenges in animal welfare practices and environmental transparency. The brand's sustainability profile reflects strong commitments to packaging innovation and inclusive design, contrasted with significant gaps in cruelty-free certification and comprehensive environmental stewardship.
Degree's market presence spans major retail channels, supported by substantial marketing investments and community partnership initiatives. The brand's sustainability journey demonstrates both progressive packaging innovation and persistent challenges in aligning with evolving consumer expectations around animal welfare and chemical safety standards.
The Good Stuff
Where Degree appears to be making meaningful progress. We cross-referenced these findings with multiple independent sources.
Comprehensive Packaging Circularity Initiative
Committed to achieving full recyclability across product packaging by 2025, incorporating post-consumer recycled plastics and aluminum while developing lighter aerosol formats and refillable concepts
Inclusive Innovation for Accessibility
Developed specialized product prototypes addressing accessibility needs for people with disabilities, demonstrating commitment to inclusive design and universal usability
Complete Ingredient Disclosure Transparency
Voluntarily discloses all ingredients including fragrance components down to 0.01% concentration levels, exceeding standard regulatory requirements for formulation transparency
The Reality Check
Areas where the publicly available data gets murky, incomplete, or concerning. We're transparent about the limitations of our analysis.
Animal Testing Policy Permits Testing
Maintains policy allowing animal testing when required by law and lacks certification from recognized cruelty-free organizations, limiting appeal to ethically-conscious consumers
Chemical Safety Verification Gap
Absence of comprehensive green chemistry policy with laboratory testing detecting PFAS compounds in formulations, raising concerns about forever chemical exposure
Environmental Stewardship Information Void
Limited public disclosure on water efficiency, biodiversity protection, and conservation partnerships, creating transparency gaps in environmental impact assessment
Degree's
Impact Aura
A visual representation of Degree's positive impact
across People, Planet and Animals
Each colored area represents the brand's performance in that sustainability category. The size and intensity of each blob corresponds to their score—larger, more vibrant areas indicate stronger performance.
Our Research
Key findings from our comprehensive analysis of Degree's sustainability performance across People, Planet & Animals impact.
Positive Impact on People
Research Highlights
- Comprehensive ingredient transparency with voluntary disclosure of all components down to 0.01% concentration levels since 2017
- Inclusive innovation includes specialized product development addressing accessibility needs for people with disabilities
- Independent safety assessments indicate moderate hazard concerns in clinical protection formulations
- Labor practices and supply chain verification lack independent third-party audit documentation
Evidence Strength
Strong documentation for ingredient transparency and inclusive initiatives, limited verification for labor standards and supply chain oversight
Positive Impact on Planet
Research Highlights
- Packaging innovation targeting full recyclability by 2025 through post-consumer recycled plastic, aluminum integration, and refillable concepts
- Climate commitments include carbon footprint reduction via operational efficiency and clean logistics systems
- Chemical responsibility shows gaps with presence of PFAS compounds detected in laboratory testing
- Water stewardship and biodiversity protection initiatives demonstrate minimal public disclosure or programming
Evidence Strength
Excellent documentation for packaging and climate initiatives, significant gaps in water stewardship, chemical safety, and biodiversity protection
Positive Impact on Animals
Research Highlights
- Animal testing policy permits testing when required by law without commitment to cruelty-free certification
- Vegan status absent across product line with potential animal-derived ingredients in formulations
- Wildlife conservation and habitat restoration show no documented partnerships or funding initiatives
- Sustainable sourcing includes parent company commitment to certified sustainable palm oil without brand-specific traceability
- Conservation support demonstrates minimal evidence of environmental protection partnerships
Evidence Strength
Clear documentation confirms lack of cruelty-free certification and animal welfare commitments across all criteria
See the Receipts
We don't just make claims—here are the official certifications that prove Degree's sustainability commitments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Degree sustainable?
Live By's assessment reveals mixed sustainability performance for Degree. The brand demonstrates strong commitments in packaging innovation with recyclability goals and inclusive product development. However, significant gaps exist in animal welfare practices, chemical safety verification, and environmental stewardship disclosure that limit overall sustainability credentials.
Is Degree cruelty-free?
Degree is not certified cruelty-free and maintains a policy that permits animal testing when required by law. The brand lacks certification from recognized cruelty-free organizations, making it unsuitable for consumers seeking verified animal welfare commitments in their personal care products.
Is Degree deodorant vegan?
Degree does not claim vegan status across its product line. Independent analysis indicates some formulations may contain animal-derived ingredients, and the brand lacks certification from recognized vegan verification organizations for comprehensive plant-based assurance.
What makes Degree packaging sustainable?
Degree has committed to achieving full packaging recyclability by 2025 through integration of post-consumer recycled plastics and aluminum. The brand is developing lighter aerosol formats and exploring refillable concepts to reduce environmental impact, representing substantial progress in sustainable packaging innovation.
Does Degree test for harmful chemicals?
While Degree provides comprehensive ingredient transparency, independent laboratory testing has detected PFAS compounds in some formulations. The brand lacks a comprehensive green chemistry policy for systematic evaluation and elimination of potentially harmful ingredients from product development.
How does Degree support social causes?
Degree demonstrates social impact primarily through inclusive product development, including specialized prototypes addressing accessibility needs for people with disabilities. The brand's social responsibility initiatives focus on inclusive design and universal usability in personal care products.
Is Degree owned by Unilever sustainable?
As a Unilever subsidiary, Degree benefits from corporate sustainability infrastructure including sustainable sourcing commitments for palm oil. However, brand-specific sustainability performance varies significantly across environmental and animal welfare criteria, requiring individual assessment beyond parent company policies.
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The Bottom Line
Degree presents a sustainability profile marked by notable innovation in packaging circularity and inclusive product development, balanced against significant challenges in animal welfare certification and comprehensive environmental stewardship. While the brand's transparency in ingredient disclosure and inclusive design initiatives demonstrate progress, gaps in cruelty-free certification and chemical safety verification limit its appeal to sustainability-focused consumers seeking verified ethical commitments.
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