The Board and culture
The Board is responsible for monitoring and assessing the culture of the Group and how it is embedded throughout the organisation. Croda’s culture is customer-driven, underpinned by our Purpose of Smart science to improve lives™. Culture and employee sentiment are assessed through a range of metrics that provide insight into how employees experience the organisation. Trends in attrition and retention, data from engagement surveys, feedback from employee engagement activities, safety data, and reports from ethics and whistleblowing channels help the Board identify emerging issues relating to leadership behaviours, workload, inclusion, and alignment with the Company’s values. Differences across functions, locations or demographic groups are reviewed to ensure cultural consistency and to highlight areas requiring further attention. Ongoing monitoring of personal safety performance and recordable injuries enabled the early identification of sites where additional attention might be needed, thereby allowing local safety culture to be reinforced to ensure consistent behavioural standards across the Group. This analysis also enables the Board to assess whether the culture supports the long-term strategy, attracts and retains talent, and fosters an environment where our people can thrive. Key metrics are considered alongside actions taken to strengthen leadership capability, enhance well-being, and improve inclusion, providing assurance that the Company continues to maintain a healthy, values-led culture.
The Board devotes significant time to activities that provide insight into Croda’s culture and allow it to assess how effectively it is embedded across the organisation. Engagement with our people enables the Board to understand first-hand issues and challenges across the Business. During the year, Non-Executive Directors undertook site visits to China, Singapore, Spain, Denmark, the US and the UK, which incorporated listening groups comprising small, diverse groups of employees from different functions, job types, ages and tenure. These forums provide an opportunity for open, informal discussions. To encourage unconstrained dialogue, local management do not attend the listening groups. Feedback and key themes arising from these sessions are discussed at the next scheduled Board meeting.
In March 2025, an employee listening and insight tool was introduced, designed to strengthen engagement by capturing authentic feedback on an ongoing basis. It enables our people to share their experiences safely and consistently, while providing leaders with clear, actionable insight into what matters most to their people. In Singapore, the Customer Care team identified workload as a key focus area from their YourVoice feedback. To address this, the team collaborated to list pain points and propose solutions, resulting in four major areas of improvement which have eased resource challenges, boosted productivity, and reinforced Croda’s commitment to sustainability. The Board receives regular updates on the insights received, as well as site-specific reports during its visits.
The Group maintains a range of development programmes for high-potential senior talent, alongside initiatives to foster inclusion. In 2025, a strategic workforce plan was developed, establishing a structured approach to attracting, assessing, managing, and developing talent, and supported by an enhanced succession planning framework. This framework prioritises the identification of high-potential employees and reviews essential roles for business continuity and strategic delivery.
“A strong, values led culture remains central to the Board’s agenda. Through regular workforce engagement and the introduction of new insight tools, the Board has kept close to how our culture is lived across the business, ensuring it continues to support our strategy and help our people thrive.”
