Empowering People
Kraton’s mission is centered on building a better future for our people and communities.
We achieve this by fostering a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion, where the unique backgrounds and strengths of every individual are valued and embraced. It also entails upholding human rights, prioritizing employee safety and well-being, and fulfilling our corporate social responsibility.
As one of our fundamental sustainability pillars, our dedication to Impacting People serves as a cornerstone of our success, intricately woven into our values, policies, and strategic goals.
Our organization’s commitment to our people and communities is exemplified through the implementation of well-structured management systems. These systems comprise meticulously defined policies, procedures, and targeted actions that are not only designed to meet but exceed regulatory standards. We aim to set a precedent in our industry and inspire others beyond it. To achieve this, we regularly review and update our policies and procedures, regulatory changes, internal requirements, and industry best practices.
Key Areas of Focus

Well-Being
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and communities is paramount. It reflects our commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.

Our Culture
Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture that drives excellence and performance, operating with the highest integrity.

Community Engagement
Empowering people and communities to thrive through various volunteering projects and programs, aiding those in need.
Our Labor, Human Rights, and Supply Chain Policies include:
Inside Empowering People

Kraton firmly believes in providing fair compensation to all our employees. We are committed to ensuring that the minimum pay within Kraton is above the living wages globally and with equitable compensation. We prioritize work-life balance for our employees, and we provide additional leaves beyond typical vacation days such as parental, bereavement, and military leaves, among others. We also offer flexible working arrangements, such as remote work and flextime, when appropriate for each employee’s role and business conditions. Moreover, we offer comprehensive healthcare coverage for all eligible employees throughout our organization.
To further support our employees, we have expanded our bonus compensation program to include more eligible employees than ever before. The program recognizes and rewards employees based on both company-wide achievements and individual performance. Notably, employee safety is a key metric in the company performance segment, emphasizing its critical role within our organization. We also implemented the Kraton Corporate Care Solutions program, offering a range of benefits, including elderly care, childcare, and tutoring services for children. We also offer an education assistance program covering undergraduate programs to employees in some locations. In addition, Kraton assists eligible new hires with relocation benefits, including housing-related assistance.
Read more about Working Conditions on page 65 in our 2023 Sustainability Report.

Kraton acknowledges and upholds the fundamental rights of all employees to form, join, or support associations to represent their interests and negotiate collectively or individually. We are committed to ensuring an open two-way communication system that allows employees to comfortably voice their concerns. We have implemented collective agreements in various Kraton locations across the US and Europe, and established employee representative bodies, such as works councils, at our facilities worldwide. However, we believe that collaborating directly with our employees is the most effective way to explore possibilities and drive change together, rather than relying solely on third-party representatives.
In 2023, Kraton started key initiatives and communication focusing around overall employee well-being. Throughout the year, we communicate on key wellness strategies like eating healthy, staying active, wellness challenges and provide access to webinars on financial wellness.
Read more about Social Dialogue on page 66 in our 2023 Sustainability Report.
Kraton launched Management Fundamentals training in 2023, a new development program catered to both entry-level and experienced people leaders. This program was specifically developed based on valuable feedback from our employees, aiming to address the growing demand for bolstering leadership competencies and improving manager effectiveness.
Management Fundamentals is designed to equip new people leaders with the skills needed to confidently assume leadership roles and earn the opportunity to influence others. Nearly 400 leaders and aspiring managers completed the first two modules of Management Fundamentals in 2023. The remaining 4 modules are scheduled to roll out in 2024, with new modules being added to the curriculum.
As part of Kraton’s mandate to further develop talent, each employee has the opportunity and is encouraged to create a dedicated career roadmap through an Individual Development Plan to achieve their career goals and objectives.
Employees take ownership of their career development in consultation with their leaders and create a plan covering the upcoming three years. We conduct an annual assessment of individual performance and provide skills and leadership development training in a comprehensive blended format. Operator employees undergo a performance assessment review according to their contract.
Read more about Career Management and Training on page 67 in our 2023 Sustainability Report.

At Kraton, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and success. We’re deeply committed to creating a workplace where every individual is valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Through comprehensive initiatives, inclusive hiring practices, and open dialogue platforms, we strive to ensure equal opportunities for all employees. Our policies reflect this commitment, aiming to remove barriers and biases while fostering a culture of respect and collaboration. By embracing diversity and inclusivity, we aim to cultivate a vibrant organization where everyone can thrive.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to our values and business strategy. We recognize that a diverse and inclusive workforce fosters innovation, promotes employee engagement, and helps achieve our business objectives. That’s why we have implemented a comprehensive diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiative that goes beyond policies and programs to ensure that every employee is treated with respect and dignity.


In September 2023, Kuorumâ„¢, the first Employee Resource Group (ERG) was established under the guidance of the Global D&I Council and Steering Committee.
Read more about Working Conditions on page 68 in our 2023 Sustainability Report.

People are at the heart of our sustainability efforts, and we recognize that a thriving community is not just the backdrop for our operations, but a critical stakeholder in our journey towards growth and innovation. This is why community engagement is fundamental for us to foster trust and build long-lasting relationships with the communities we serve. It enables us to understand and respond to local concerns and needs, while also aligning our business objectives with community interests. Our approach to community engagement combines global cohesion with local relevance, ensuring that our core values and strategies are adapted to meet the unique needs of each community we serve. This approach allows us to maintain a global standard of excellence while embracing local cultures, regulations, and community expectations. It is a balance of global vision and local action. At the core of our engagements with communities, we focus on three key themes that we believe we can make the most impact:
We are Partners in Education:
Supporting education to build skills and enable a successful future
We Support Sustainable Communities:
Helping communities thrive through volunteering, supporting those in need, and promoting environmental sustainability
We are Leaders in our Communities:
Performing vital action within our communities where we can come together to make a positive difference
We dedicate volunteer time, resources, expertise, and funding to organizations and institutions that build strong & vibrant communities. With the help of our employees and strategic partnerships, we create a positive difference in the communities where we live, work, and do business. In 2023, we donated over $150,000 to people and communities in need worldwide. In addition, our employees contributed over 2,000+ hours of their time to volunteer across seven countries. We continue to impact our local communities by executing our corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy.
Read more about Community Impact & Giving on page 70 in our 2023 Sustainability Report.

Safety & Integrity is one of our leading core values and we foster a culture of Zero Harm in all our operations. To build on this, reporting and tracking all incidents, including near misses, is a fundamental element of our health and safety program. This approach allows us to implement effective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. We firmly believe that by employing the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle approach and prioritizing culture, operational discipline, defined management systems & processes, appropriate tools & equipment, worker commitment, and regular risk assessments, we can continually advance towards HSES Excellence. The PDCA cycle is engrained in our Safety Management System (SMS) and is the feedback loop for our continual improvement in all aspects of HSES.
We are committed to achieving American Chemistry Council (ACC) top quartile performance for Recordable Injury Rates and achieving zero fatalities and zero serious injuries.
We are also committed to working toward achieving Process Safety performance of ≤ 1 Tier 1 event, and ≤ 8 combined Tier 1 and 2 Events.
Kraton is a proud participant in the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Responsible Care® initiative. All our manufacturing plants in North America currently hold RC14001 SMS certification. Outside of the US, moreover, our plants in Oulu (Finland), Sandarne (Sweden), Gersthofen and Wesseling (Germany), Niort and Berre (France), and Kashima (Japan) are all certified to ISO14001 with our sites in Oulu and Berre additionally certified to ISO45001. Further, our Jacksonville (Florida) headquarters maintains an ACC Responsible Care Management Systems (RCMS) certification. The American Chemistry Council’s website provides a list of standards associated with both RC14001 and RCMS. These management systems comprehensively cover all Kraton employees and contractor activities at those locations.
Process Safety Management
We are committed to Process Safety Management (PSM) principles across all our facilities, extending beyond PSM and Seveso regulations. Encouraging our sites to adhere to this higher standard drives continuous improvement, advancing our goals of zero compromises on HSES, net zero GHG through sustainability efforts, and fostering active participation from every Kraton employees in upholding our strategy.
Ensuring the health and development of our programs is crucial for the success of our SMS. To achieve continual improvement, we conduct internal audits on health and safety issues at our locations, maintain Hazard and Operability studies, and develop Risk Mitigation and Compliance plans.
HSES Committees
At Kraton, we place a high priority on health and safety across all our global sites. To achieve our goal of eliminating accidents and injuries, we have established Kraton Safety Committees that bring together representatives from management and operating teams.
These committees serve as a platform for employee participation and involvement, providing cross-functional department representation and a mechanism for addressing safety concerns and issues.
Safety Training
Kraton prioritizes employee safety and well-being, and training plays a crucial role in our SMS. Our commitment to safety is reflected in our Health and Safety policies and procedures, which define our targeted training programs for employees and contractors. We provide comprehensive training on health and safety risks and best working practices, covering Chemical, General, and Personal Safety topics.
Safety Data
Our 2023 results for TIR and PSIR were aligned with similar organizations of a comparable size. A total of 79 injuries were reported worldwide during the year. Of these, 9 met the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable classification, 3 of which were lost time incidents.
The injuries amounted to a Total Injury Rate (TIR) of 0.33. Hand injuries accounted for most injuries, 23, followed by 11 back, 10 other, 9 eye, 8 leg, 6 head/neck, 6 arm, 3 shoulder, 2 foot, and 1 chest/abdomen. This trend is similar to the rest of the chemical industry at large, and we will actively continue to address this with our Operational Excellence strategies, increased awareness campaigns, enhanced machine guarding, and reinforcing the use of personal protective equipment.
2023 Safety Data
Total Work Hours  | TRIR (200,000-man hour basis)  | Recordable Injuries  | Lost Workdays Injuries  | Fatalities  | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employees  | 3,918,081 | 0.31 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
Contractors  | 1,485,977 | 0.40 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 5,404,058 | 0.33 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
2023 Performance vs. Targets
2023 Target  | 2023 Performance  | 2024 Target  | |
---|---|---|---|
Personal Safety | TIR </= 0.28  | 0.33 | TIR </= 0.19 |
Contractors  | 3 Tier 1 PSE  | 0.11 | 0 Tier 1 PSE  |
Our view on corruption and bribery is simple: We do not tolerate bribery in any form; by our employees or those working on our behalf. We recognize that corruption is not only against the law, but it also harms the local communities affected by it. We live our values by preventing bribery and corruption, even if doing so costs us a business opportunity. No amount of profit is worth sacrificing our values.
We require our administrative workforce (approximately 1,200 employees) to complete two online compliance training modules each quarter. Employees susceptible to increased compliance risks due to interactions with certain businesses and people outside of Kraton also receive virtual or in-person training.
In 2023, we continued to increase our focus on the global compliance training offered to the Commercial, Research and Development (R&D), Human Resources, Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Finance business functions. We also communicated compliance information related to gifts and entertainment through the Kraton intranet site, which is available to all employees.
Kraton’s external website houses policies and codes of conduct currently available to third parties. In 2023, Kraton continued with focused screening procedures relating to the Ukraine and Russia sanctions in place.

Kraton’s Information Security team is dedicated to ensuring the confidentiality and security of all proprietary and confidential information of both Kraton and our third-party trading partners through our Information Security Program. Our comprehensive approach includes administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that are regularly evaluated by external security service providers.
We use the US Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber Security Framework (CSF) to assess our current cyber capabilities and maturity levels. Our full-service Security Information and Events Monitoring (SIEM) system, which has been in place since 2019, is monitored by a third-party provider. We have implemented various enhancements to strengthen our security measures, including updating our email filtering system to detect spoofing and malware attachments, increasing our password policy to 12 characters, and implementing Plant IT segmentation to restrict access to manufacturing facility and lab assets.
Kraton also recognizes the importance of data privacy. We have implemented a data privacy program to protect sensitive data belonging to our employees, customers, and suppliers. We conduct regular information management and security risk assessments to mitigate risks. We have implemented a robust information management response procedure to address data privacy concerns. Furthermore, to ensure that all employees remain vigilant about data privacy and other security issues, we provide quarterly e-learning courses covering topics such as social media use, social engineering red flags, and password trivia games.