Protecting society and improving lives

Gender balance and diversity and inclusion

In 2023, we increased the number of women in senior positions from 38% to 39%. This is a leading value within our peer group.

On 31 December 2023, the Board of Directors had 50% female representation. While appointments at all levels will continue to be made based on skill and ability, all forms of diversity are key to ensuring that we have the right mix of backgrounds, knowledge and experience to meet our future business needs. Work continues to be done to create further diversity and gender balance in the underlying management teams. Diversity and inclusion is central to succession planning discussions and critical to the long-term sustainable success of our business.

Broadening to diversity & inclusion (D&I)

We continue to progress against our D&I roadmap, published in 2021, identifying actions in key areas to ensure we become a more diverse and inclusive organisation: diversity data gathering; improving D&I awareness; developing our D&I brand; measuring and setting KPIs; and alignment to reward and recognition.

Following on from our Global Diversity Representation Survey, we have established region-specific objectives to address targeted issues. For example, our South Asia region established three sub-groups to address issues of communication and awareness, nurturing a D&I culture and reviewing recruitment. Our programme to build D&I awareness across Croda includes running masterclasses from thought leaders in the field, including a series of sessions on Cultural Awareness with a focus on Asia that was delivered to senior leaders. Our regional teams have also established new D&I subcommittees and affiliation groups to complement our Global D&I Committee. These have been instrumental in advising regional management on a range of topics to help deliver real change in our employee experience.

Promoting healthy lives and wellbeing

Protecting against threats to global human health

Protection from potentially developing skin cancer

Increasing our positive impact

Supporting our local communities

We are committed to engaging with and supporting our local communities, and in 2023 our employees donated 5,310 hours through our 1% Club.

In 2023 our UK STEM outreach team developed a five-year strategy that focuses activity where it can have the greatest impact, prioritising deprived schools local to Croda sites. We partner with the University of York’s Centre for Industry Education Collaboration and its Children Challenging Industry programme, funding an advisory teacher to deliver science lessons in primary schools. STEM activities have also been taken up globally: for the last two years, our Atlas Point site in Delaware USA has supported six children from a local high school to attend a prestigious engineering summer camp at Bucknell University, Pennsylvania.

In 2023, Croda India developed and equipped a community for construction workers from other parts of the country and their families at our greenfield site in Dahej, Gujarat state. The goal was to create an inclusive environment that promotes physical and mental wellbeing, prevents ill-health and equips residents with lasting benefits and skills. Particular focus has been given to safety, with regular awareness and training, safety awards, motivational activities and recognition. Providing better working facilities and support has contributed to the project achieving 1 million safe staff hours at the construction site.

Sustainably improving one million lives by 2030: Croda Foundation

The Croda Foundation is an independent charitable company solely funded by Croda International. The Foundation’s priority impact areas include improving access to healthcare, protecting and restoring ecosystems, and reducing hunger and poverty while improving livelihoods.

The Croda Foundation’s goal is to sustainably improve one million lives by 2030. In 2023, the Foundation achieved a major milestone. Working with project partners and super-charged by additional funding accepted from Croda, it has now sustainably improved the lives of more than 22 million people, providing 34 grants across 21 countries.

Croda Foundation has approved several milestones to be achieved by the end of 2026:

-450,000 people have increased income and skills to better support their livelihoods

-600,000 people have access to healthcare and clean drinking water provision that they didn't previously have

-30,000 trees planted

Croda Foundation’s adjusted mission now aligns further with the UN SDGs. The Foundation ensures that projects supporting the UN SDGs are charitable under English law and further the Foundation’s charitable purposes.