Although data shows GSK is making efforts to protect the stratospheric ozone, its credit on environment is far from satisfactory. It has been widely criticized for polluting waters around its factories with nitrates. More effort should be applied to improving their disposal processes as they are worse than should be expected of any company.

VENTOLIN HFA, a drug manufactured and marked by GSK, uses the hydroluoroalkane HFA-134a as a replacement of Ozone-Depletion Substances..

A massive amount of the nitrates in the chemicals that GlaxoSmithKline uses is dumped as waste into rivers, causing eutophication. This not only causes widescale pollution but also puts employees at risk. Research undertaken by the company recognizes that such chemicals can be found in human tissue.

GSK is a member of Intenational Life Science Institute. However, World Health Organization (WHO) has barred a life sciences industry association from participating in setting global standards protecting food and water supplies because its members have a financial stake in the outcome.

GlaxoSmithKline has many factories around the world. The factory in Ulverston is labeled by its use of deadly carcinogenic emissions and by environmental regulations that they violate; it alone emitted 10% of the UK's caricinogens in 2001. On two occasions, September 1992 and May 1994, the Ulverston factory dumped chemical waste into the river Leven without permission. Although GSK is required by law to make authorities aware of its dumping plans, there was no information released by the company until six days after the event.

According to Scorecard's 2002 Rankings, GSK's company in ZEBULON, NC ranked 60%-70% for total chemical releases and 50%-60% for noncancer risk score (air and water releases), which is unsatisfactory.

For many years now GSK has been a leading contributor to a multinational government and industry allianceto rid the world of lymphatic filariasis (elephantisis). LF threatens over one billion people in 83 countries.The Global Alliance to Eliminate LF was formed with the support of the pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Merck to help countries with LF respond. GSK has donated over 440 million albendazole tablets to date, which serve as a cornerstone of the program.

In addition Glaxo has been short-listed for awards such as The Worldaware Business Award for its work to eliminate malaria in Kenya.

GlaxoSmithKline recently donated money to the British flood appeal. And was ranked first on the 2006 UK Corporate Citizenship Indiex for donations.

GlaxoSmithKline was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2007 by magazine and was recognized by the International Charter for its efforts. GSK also received a perfect score of 100 percent from the Human rights campaign Foundation's 2005 Corporate Equality Index, an annual report card of coporate America's treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) employees, customers and investors. GSK also supports employee diversity networks for groups such as ECN, PTPN, GLBT, AAA, etc.

In 2003 GSK signed a corporate integrity agreement and paid $88 million in a civil fine for overcharging Medicaid for the antidepressant Paxil, and nasal-allergy spray Flonase. Later that year GSK also ran afoul of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and was facing a demand for $7.8 billion in backdated taxes and interest, the highest in IRS history.

On Sep 12, 2006 GSK settled the largest tax dispute in IRS history agreeing to pay $3.1 billion. At issue in the case were Zantac and the other Glaxo Group heritage products sold from 1989–2005.

In February 2007, the Serious Fraud Office in the UK launched an investigation into allegations of GSK being involved in the discredited oil-for-food sanctions regime in Iraq. They are accused of paying bribes to Saddam Hussein's regime.

On Dec 22, 2006, a US court decided in Hoorman, et al. v. SmithKline Beecham Corp that individuals who purchased Paxil(R) or Paxil CR(TM) (paroxetine) for a minor child may be eligible for benefits under a $63.8 million Proposed Settlement.The lawsuit stemmed from a consumer advocate protest against Paroxetine manufacturer GSK. Since the FDA approved paroxetine in 1992, approximately 5,000 U.S. citizens – and thousands more worldwide – have sued GSK. Most of these people feel they were not sufficiently warned in advance of the drug's side effects and addictive properties. According to the Paxil Protest website, hundreds more lawsuits have been filed against GSK.

On March 27, 2007, GSK pleaded guilty in an Auckland District Court to 15 charges relating to misleading conduct brought against them under the Fair Trading Act by New Zealand's Commerce Commission. The charges related to a popular blackcurrant fruit drink Ribena which the company had lead consumers to believe contained high levels of vitamin c. The company was fined $217,000 for the 15 charges.

The company and its shareholders have been targeted by animal rights activists because it is a customer of the controversial animal testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences.

In Nov 2005, AIDS Healthcare Foundation accused GSK for their monopoly profit by not increasing production of the anti-AIDS drug AZT. In Jun 2006 GSK said it was further cutting by about 30%, the not-for-profit prices.