Breaking Down Croda International Plc Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Snaith, Croda International Plc has grown into a global specialty chemicals leader with over 6,000 employees across 94 sites in 37 countries, generating £1.6 billion in revenue in 2024 by supplying innovative ingredients for personal care, health care and crop care; guided by the mission "to use Smart science to improve lives™," Croda funnels innovation into practice-New and Protected Products made up 35% of sales in 2024 while the company invests around £30 million annually in R&D and launches roughly 100 new products each year-complemented by a £188 million R&D commitment in 2024 (over 3% of sales) as it pursues a vision to be the most successful and sustainable supplier of ingredients, aiming to be Climate, Land and People Positive by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, with sustainability already driving over 65% of group turnover through sustainable product sales and concrete targets such as eliminating process waste to landfill by end‑2024, all rooted in core values-Responsible, Innovative and Together-that shape decarbonisation roadmaps, supply-chain transparency and a collaborative "One Croda" culture.

Croda International Plc (CRDA.L) - Intro

• Founded: 1925
• Headquarters: Snaith, England
• Employees: >6,000
• Sites: 94 sites in 37 countries
• 2024 Revenue: £1.6 billion
• Net-zero ambition: 2050 target with near-term targets aligned to a 1.5°C pathway

• Innovation-led ingredient development for personal care, health care, crop care and specialty industrial applications.
• Sustainability integration across product lifecycles, raw materials and operations to reduce Scope 1-3 emissions.
• Customer collaboration and tailored technical support to drive formulation performance and regulatory compliance.

• Responsibility - embedding safety, ethics and environmental stewardship into operations and supply chains.
• Innovation - sustained R&D investment to create differentiated, performance-driven ingredients.
• Collaboration - partnering with customers, suppliers and NGOs to scale sustainable solutions.

• Scale and diversification: global footprint with multi-sector exposure reduces single-market risk.
• Sustainability alignment: explicit 1.5°C-aligned targets and a 2050 net-zero goal support long-term resilience and regulatory readiness.
• Operational footprint: 94 production and technology sites provide manufacturing flexibility and proximity to global customers.

Croda International Plc (CRDA.L) Overview

• Mission focus: translate advanced chemistry and bioscience into market-ready, sustainable ingredients that improve product performance and consumer outcomes.
• Customer alignment: co-develop solutions with customers to address formulation, regulatory and sustainability requirements, strengthening loyalty and repeat business.
• Sustainability integration: embed circularity and emissions reduction across R&D, manufacturing and supply chain decisions to meet long-term environmental targets.

• Investment model: consistent annual R&D spend (~£30m) supports formulation science, green chemistry, and scalable manufacturing techniques.
• Product pipeline: roughly 100 launches yearly, with 35% of total sales deriving from NPP in 2024-evidence that innovation translates to commercial value.
• Cross-sector impact: innovations target measurable outcomes such as improved skin feel in personal care, enhanced active delivery in pharmaceuticals, and more efficient adjuvants in crop protection.

• Operational targets: eliminate process waste to landfill by end-2024-driving waste reduction, reuse and improved waste management across sites.
• Climate roadmap: net-zero emissions by 2050, supported by energy efficiency, low-carbon process redesign and procurement of low-carbon feedstocks where feasible.
• Product-level sustainability: focus on bio-based and renewable feedstocks, improved biodegradability, and lifecycle assessment to reduce embodied impact.

• NPP as % of sales - 35% (2024).
• R&D spend - c. £30m pa.
• Product introductions - ~100 pa.
• Sustainability milestones - landfill elimination (end-2024), net-zero (2050).

Croda International Plc (CRDA.L) - Mission Statement

• Sustainability leadership: target to be Climate, Land and People Positive by 2030.
• Innovation-led growth: heavy emphasis on biotechnology and formulation science.
• Customer partnership: focus on co-development and long-term supply relationships.
• One Croda culture: inclusive, collaborative global organisation driving consistent delivery.
• Strategic focus: prioritising beauty, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture as high-growth end markets.

• Sustainable product sales: >65% of group turnover in 2024, demonstrating strong commercialisation of sustainability-focused offerings.
• R&D investment: £188 million in 2024 - >3% of sales - with a material shift towards biotechnology capabilities and innovation hubs.
• Governance and culture: ongoing embedding of 'One Croda' behaviours to accelerate cross-business collaboration and inclusion.

• Investing in biotechnology and formulation science to accelerate sustainable ingredient innovation.
• Scaling sustainable product penetration across global sales channels to increase the share above current levels.
• Strengthening customer partnerships through co-development, technical support and supply security.
• Embedding measurable ESG KPIs across business units to track progress toward Climate, Land and People Positive outcomes.

Croda International Plc (CRDA.L) - Vision Statement

• Responsible - ownership, environmental stewardship, and building trusted relationships with customers, suppliers and communities.
• Innovative - a culture of creativity, agility and entrepreneurial thinking to anticipate and meet evolving customer needs.
• Together - inclusivity, open communication and recognition of each team member's contribution to collective success.

• Decarbonization roadmaps: site-level plans to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, invest in energy efficiency and increase use of renewable energy across manufacturing sites.
• Supply-chain transparency: supplier engagement, traceability initiatives and increased reporting to reduce Scope 3 impacts and ensure responsible sourcing of feedstocks.
• People and culture: inclusive leadership programs, talent development and employee engagement initiatives that support Croda's high employer-satisfaction ratings within the chemical sector.

• Responsible: investment in cleaner energy and process optimisation at key sites to reduce emissions intensity; expanded sustainability reporting and supplier audits to strengthen supply-chain trust.
• Innovative: R&D investment focused on bio-based and biodegradable technologies for personal care, crop solutions and industrial applications; agile customer collaborations that shorten time-to-market.
• Together: cross-functional inclusion programs, internal recognition frameworks and external partnerships (academia, NGOs, customers) to accelerate sustainable innovation and share best practice.

• Employer standing: consistently strong rankings in sector employee-satisfaction and engagement surveys, reflecting Croda's focus on wellbeing and development.
• Sustainability disclosure: progressive reporting on emissions, waste and water metrics with increased granularity at site and product levels.
• Investor engagement: clear alignment of capital allocation with decarbonization and innovation priorities, informing shareholder dialogues and stewardship reviews.