The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO) — ESG & Values Scores

Environment story

Cooper Companies has not disclosed comprehensive Scope 1, 2, or 3 GHG emissions in the provided filings. The company acknowledges broad environmental regulation exposure and notes evolving ESG disclosure requirements (EU CSRD, California carbon reporting, SEC climate rules), but provides no baseline emissions data, reduction targets, or net-zero commitments. Risk factors identify environmental compliance costs and potential contamination liability at manufacturing sites, but no affirmative decarbonization initiatives or renewable energy commitments are documented. Absence of disclosed Scope 3 emissions (particularly material for a global medical device manufacturer with significant supply chains) and missing net-zero target trigger substantial deductions under the rubric.

Criticisms on file

Manufacturing facility contamination risk and hazardous-material handling. Risk Factors disclose exposure to claims regarding environmental matters and potential for material costs/liabilities in connection with discovery of contamination at facilities or offsite disposal locations.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: Environmental matters.
No disclosed Scope 3 emissions despite significant global operations and supply-chain footprint. Medical device manufacturing typically includes substantial product-use emissions (e.g., contact lens manufacturing and distribution).
Source: COO_10k.txt - No ESG or sustainability disclosures provided in 10-K or proxy filings.

Disclosed initiatives

Environmental Compliance Framework

Company acknowledges subject to U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign environmental laws covering air/water discharges, hazardous substance handling, and occupational safety. Ongoing expenditures for compliance with evolving EU regulations (REACH, RoHS Directive) and state-level requirements noted.

Reactive compliance posture; no proactive decarbonization infrastructure disclosed.
Product Redesign for Regulatory Alignment

10-K notes potential need to re-design certain products to ensure compliance with EU MDR/IVDR and similar hazardous-substance regulations in Japan, China, and U.S. states.

Social story

Cooper Companies reports strong governance infrastructure (independent board, diverse committee composition) but limited disclosure on CEO-to-worker pay ratio, workforce diversity metrics, or union relations. Proxy statement shows 78% board diversity (gender/ethnicity combined) and executive compensation is performance-linked (93% of CEO target tied to financial/shareholder outcomes). However, no formal diversity disclosure for executive leadership or workforce is provided. No documented union-suppression activities or major strikes are disclosed in the source materials, but employee retention challenges are acknowledged in risk factors (labor shortages, inflation-driven turnover). Supply-chain labor and human-rights audits are not disclosed. The company operates global manufacturing (Costa Rica, Hungary, Puerto Rico, UK, US) with no disclosed labor-practice monitoring or modern slavery statement.

Criticisms on file

Labor market challenges and workforce retention pressures. Company reports 'increasing challenges in building and retaining our workforce in certain markets, where pressure from inflation and competition have exacerbated turnover and retention trends. Labor shortages and competition for qualified personnel could cause disruptions in our business operations.'
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: 'If we do not retain our key personnel and attract and retain other highly skilled employees, our business could suffer.'
No disclosed modern slavery statement, forced-labor policy, or supply-chain human-rights audit. Global manufacturing footprint in countries including Costa Rica and emerging markets (China, India, Brazil) without documented labor-practice monitoring.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Manufacturing and distribution sites listed; no supply-chain labor or human-rights disclosures provided.
Fertility and reproductive services regulatory risk. CooperSurgical offers donor gametes (sperm/egg), fertility cryopreservation, and contraception. Post-Roe environment creates uncertain regulatory landscape for access to reproductive services and products, potentially affecting workforce and customer demographics.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: 'new and emerging laws may be interpreted to limit access to contraceptive technologies or cryostorage services, which could adversely affect certain aspects of CooperSurgical's business.'

Disclosed initiatives

Executive Compensation Performance Alignment

Fiscal 2025 compensation for Named Executive Officers tied 85% to quantitative financial metrics (revenue, non-GAAP EPS, free cash flow, operating income) and 15% to non-financial strategic/operational goals. CEO (Albert White) has 93% of target compensation tied to financial/shareholder outcomes; performance-based stock units (PSUs) represent 50% of equity awards with three-year vesting on performance achievement.

Strong pay-for-performance culture; no guaranteed bonuses. However, no disclosed linkage to ESG or human-capital metrics.
Board Diversity and Refreshment

Eight of nine continuing directors have served less than ten years. Board includes 3 women (33%), 1 Hispanic director (Dr. Maria Rivas). All committee members are independent. Board conducts annual self-evaluations and third-party administrator review.

Demonstrated commitment to board refreshment; gender and ethnic diversity above 30% threshold for board but not disclosed for executive leadership.
Key Personnel Retention

OCC oversees succession planning for CEO and executive officers on annual basis. Robust stock ownership guidelines for executives. Company acknowledges importance of recruiting, developing, and retaining highly skilled personnel in competitive markets.

Structured succession planning; labor-market challenges acknowledged but no targeted retention initiatives or wage-competitiveness disclosure.

Governance story

Cooper Companies demonstrates robust governance structures: 89% board independence (8 of 9 directors independent), single-class share structure with one-share-one-vote, majority-voting standard for director elections, and no poison pill. All three board committees (Audit, Corporate Governance & Nominating, Organization & Compensation) are entirely independent. Board maintains active risk oversight including AI governance and information security. However, no explicit anti-lobbying stance is disclosed, and the company acknowledges risk exposure to extensive federal/state/foreign regulatory requirements across medical devices, genetic testing, and HCT/P products. Multiple regulatory challenges flagged (FDA LDT enforcement, EU MDR/IVDR transition, Brexit UK MHRA alignment) create compliance burden. No disclosed lobbying expenditures targeting environmental or consumer-protection deregulation. Antitrust or material regulatory fines are not disclosed in 2025 filings, though historical IT control weaknesses (material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting related to CooperSurgical IT general controls, remediated as of October 31, 2025) indicate prior governance lapses.

Criticisms on file

Material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting (fiscal 2024). Company identified material weakness in IT general controls for CooperSurgical U.S. operations related to ERP system implementation, insufficient personnel, inadequate training, and ineffective change-management/segregation-of-duties controls. Remediation steps implemented; weakness deemed remediated as of October 31, 2025.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Item 9A: 'during fiscal 2024, management concluded our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of October 31, 2024 due to a material weakness in IT general controls for the CooperSurgical operations.'
Regulatory compliance burden and enforcement risk. Company faces extensive regulatory requirements from FDA, FTC, state authorities, and international bodies (EU MDR/IVDR, UK MHRA, CLIA, HFEA) with substantial penalties for non-compliance including warning letters, fines, injunctions, product recalls, and facility closure. Recent material weakness demonstrates prior control failures.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: 'Our failure to comply with FDA regulations could lead to the imposition of administrative or judicial sanctions, including injunctions, fines, warning letters, suspensions or the loss of regulatory clearances or approvals, product recalls, termination of distribution or product seizures.'
Intellectual property litigation history. CooperVision previously faced significant patent litigation over silicone hydrogel contact lens products. Company notes ongoing risk of infringement claims that could be costly to defend and could require redesign, licensing, or cessation of product sales.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: 'CooperVision in the past faced significant patent litigation over its silicone hydrogel contact lens products.'
Cybersecurity and data breach vulnerability. Company acknowledges frequent attempted cybersecurity attacks and potential for data loss, system disruptions, and reputational harm. Material IT control weaknesses (recently remediated) heighten risk of undetected breaches. Cyber liability insurance maintained but may be insufficient.
Source: COO_10k.txt - Risk Factors: 'Like many other companies, we experience attempted cybersecurity actions on a frequent basis, and the frequency of such attempts could increase in the future.'

Disclosed initiatives

Board Independence and Committee Structure

89% board independence. Three standing committees (Audit, Corporate Governance & Nominating, Organization & Compensation), all entirely independent. Board meets 6 times annually; non-employee directors hold executive sessions. Each director attended at least 75% of meetings in fiscal 2025. Directors are not permitted to serve on more than three other public company boards while on Cooper board.

Exceeds Nasdaq requirement (>75% independence); robust committee oversight of audit, governance, and compensation.
Board Risk Oversight and AI Governance

Board maintains responsibility for enterprise risk management including AI governance, information security, and cybersecurity oversight. Audit Committee specifically oversees enterprise risk management and information security programs. Board recognizes importance of appropriate risk oversight and maintains culture of risk management.

Proactive governance structure for emerging technology risks. Material weakness remediation documented for IT controls.
Annual Board Self-Evaluations

Board and each committee conduct annual self-evaluations. Fiscal 2025 utilized third-party provider to administer questionnaire covering strategy, risk, succession, mission/values, ethics, board composition, and effectiveness. Aggregated results provided with statistical analysis and heat maps.

Structured continuous-improvement process; external validation of governance practices.
Executive Compensation Governance and Clawback Policy

Organization & Compensation Committee (OCC) entirely independent. Executive compensation policies include 'double trigger' change-of-control requirements, compensation recovery ('clawback') policy for incentive compensation, robust stock ownership guidelines, and prohibition on hedging/speculative transactions. OCC retains discretion to reduce incentive awards.

Strong governance of pay-for-performance; alignment with long-term shareholder interests.
Conflict-of-Interest and Related-Party Transaction Review

Audit Committee reviews and approves/ratifies all related-party transactions per written policy. Company legal team monitors relationships and transactions. No related-party transactions requiring disclosure were identified during fiscal 2025.

Proactive conflict-management; compliance with SEC-related-party disclosure rules.

These are Missionomics' own editorial scores — directional signals built from disclosed facts under a published method, not certifications or definitive ratings of The Cooper Companies, Inc.. Coverage and confidence vary by data point, and figures can lag real-world changes. Read the full Methodology for sourcing, scoring, and correction details — or open The Cooper Companies, Inc. in the app for interactive charts and portfolio building.

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