成立于1806年，威廉·高露洁以自己的名字注册了一家公司，以生产牙膏开始事业。1890年，高露洁走出美国本土拓展全球业务。1953年，在与棕榄公司合并后，正式使用高露洁棕榄(Colgate-Palmolive)公司名称。如今，经过近200年的风雨历程，它生产的个人护理用品已经销售到世界200多个国家和地区，成为销售额达94亿美元的全球消费品公司。

高露洁棕榄有限公司是全球领先的日用消费品公司，拥有200多个国家的40,000多员工，在口腔护理、个人护理、家居护理和宠物食品等方面为大众提供高品质的消费品，其中有很多是广大消费者耳熟能详的全球著名品牌，如高露洁、棕榄、Ajax、Protex、Irish Spring、Fab、Mennen、Simply White和Hill's Science Diet等，特别是在口腔护理、液体香皂和腋下护理领域，在全球具有明显优势，在其他领域，高露洁也有一大批在日用卫生方面为全球消费者所熟知的品牌。

2016年6月8日，《2016年BrandZ全球最具价值品牌百强榜》公布，高露洁排第54名

The Colgate-Palmolive Company is one of the world’s biggest producers of household and personalhygiene goods. The Colgate half was founded in 1806 by soap and candle maker William Colgate. The Palmolive half was a rival company founded by B.J. Johnson who made a soap from palm and olive oils. The two companies merged in 1953. Today the company generates over $15 billion a year in revenue. Its major competitor is Proctor and Gamble. Colgate-Palmolive have a very broad mix of brands, including Ajax cleaner, Palmolive soap, Colgate toothpaste, and Fabdetergent. The chairman says the company is “deeply committed to advancing technology which can address changing consumer needs throughout the world”. His website message states: “Our goal is to…create products that will continue to improve the quality of life for our consumers wherever they live.”