Sustainable governance

Flowers on white cloth
  • Engaging all stakeholders transparently
  • Governance structure
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Our governance structure and processes aim to engage all stakeholders transparently and contribute to the creation of a fair, inclusive business.

Robust standards, policies and management systems provide a framework for addressing risks and opportunities through operations and allow us to measure our performance and meet our commitments to stakeholders.

Our purpose drives our sustainability agenda. The Board of Directors has the oversight of all Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects, including the sustainability strategy and targets. The Board tables and discusses selected ESG topics at each Board meeting. 

The Executive Committee (EC) leads Givaudan’s overall strategic direction and is accountable for our purpose and Sustainability ambitions. Topics related to purpose/sustainability ambitions form part of the regular EC meeting agenda so that progress and pending decisions can be discussed. 

Topics related to purpose/sustainability ambitions form part of the regular EC meeting agenda so that progress and pending decisions can be discussed, each purpose ambition is allocated to a specific EC member who leads the regular briefs to the Board. In addition, sessions dedicated to reviewing the overall progress and strategic direction of our ESG ambitions are half twice a year. 

The Sustainability Leadership Team led by the Global Head of Sustainability, is made up of internal experts topics linked to purpose/sustainability. They meet on a regular basis to review progress and agreed on key recommendations for the EC. 

The Purpose Management Office led by the purpose project led, is responsible for both supporting the embedding of our purpose within the business agenda at the EC and leadership team levels as well as helping identify ways of cascading it down the organisation.

The divisions and functions leadership teams integrate the purpose/sustainability ambitions into strategic plans and allocate the resources that will make the difference in delivering our purpose/sustainability agenda. 

Read more in our 2023 Integrated Report on economic and ESG performance.

Governance structure
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Our governance structure

   

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Board of Directors

Responsible for the ultimate direction, strategic supervision and control of the management of the Company,

including reviewing the overall progress on ESG targets and direction of the Company purpose.

 

Four committees: Audit | Compensation | Nomination and Governance | Innovation
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Executive Committee

Led by the CEO. Responsible for all areas of operational management that the board has delegated to it including decisions 
on the direction and commitments related to our sustainability and purpose ambitions.

 

7 members: CEO | CFO | President Taste & Wellbeing | President Fragrance & Beauty
Head of Global Human Resources and EHS | Head of Global Procurement and Sustainability | Head of Givaudan Business Solutions

 

ENGAGED TO DEFINE AND DRIVE THE PURPOSE/SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA

 

Sustainability Leadership Team

Led by the Global Head of Sustainability, it meets twice

a month for a regular progress review and to jointly discuss

direction and progress in key purpose/sustainability topics.

Divisions and functions

Integrates business and sustainability goals and commitments into

strategic plans and embed them into daily business.

  

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Business and functions
  • Constant engagement with employees of the business and functions

Management tools
  • Ambitions

  • Policies/Principles of Conduct

  • Risk management/precautionary principle

  • Corporate governance

  • External assessments

Stakeholders
  • Constant engagement with internal and external stakeholders

  • Directing our business efforts towards to broader needs of our relevant stakeholder groups

Partners and advisors
  • Partnering with experts and external bodies for collaboration on key matters such as purpose, sustainability, innovation and more