Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) — ESG & Values Scores

Environment story

Ingredion demonstrates moderate environmental performance with significant gaps in emissions transparency and climate commitments. The company discloses material climate risks (water scarcity, commodity volatility, extreme weather impacts on agricultural inputs) but lacks quantified Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data in available filings. No disclosed net-zero target year or binding decarbonization roadmap identified. The company acknowledges regulatory compliance obligations under California climate reporting and EU CSRD but frames these as cost burdens rather than strategic opportunities. No verified investments in physical decarbonization infrastructure (renewable energy, process electrification) are documented. Water availability and agricultural supply-chain risks are recognized but not systematically mitigated. Overall assessment: compliance-focused rather than leadership-oriented environmental strategy.

Criticisms on file

Undisclosed Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions; no net-zero target year disclosed in 10-K filing
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors and MD&A sections
Climate change risk acknowledged as material to operations (water scarcity, drought, extreme weather impacts on corn and specialty grain supply), but no quantified mitigation investments documented
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'Global climate change and legal, regulatory, or market measures to address climate change, may negatively affect our business'
Heavy reliance on agricultural commodities (corn, specialty grains, potatoes, tapioca, rice, stevia) with acknowledged supply-chain vulnerability to climate events; no supply-chain decarbonization program disclosed
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'if such climate change impacts negatively affect agricultural productivity...'

Disclosed initiatives

Sustainability Reporting Compliance

Company acknowledges obligations under California climate-related reporting statutes and EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Expects to incur substantial costs for disclosures and internal controls for sustainability reporting.

Administrative/compliance-driven; no operational decarbonization impact documented
Energy Cost Management

Energy (primarily natural gas, electricity, coal, fuel oil, wood, biomass) represented approximately 9% of finished product costs in 2025. Company uses multiple energy sources but no renewable energy transition targets disclosed.

Minimal; cost optimization rather than decarbonization focus

Social story

Ingredion demonstrates adequate social performance with transparent disclosure of labor relations and diversity challenges. CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio not disclosed but company acknowledges competitive labor market pressures and talent retention challenges. One documented union strike (Cedar Rapids facility, September 2022–January 2023, ~103 employees) within past 24 months, with collective bargaining agreement expiring August 1, 2026. Leadership diversity metrics not disclosed; no DEI program details provided. Supply-chain labor risks acknowledged (Pakistan business, agricultural commodity sourcing) but no third-party audits or human-rights assessments documented. Employee turnover and plant safety data not disclosed. Positive: company recognizes labor-market competition and acknowledges succession-planning risks; neutral stance toward unionization implied (no anti-union litigation disclosed).

Criticisms on file

Cedar Rapids facility strike, September 2022–January 2023, involving approximately 103 unionized employees; collective bargaining agreement expires August 1, 2026
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'The collective bargaining agreement that we have at our Cedar Rapids, Iowa facility, which experienced a strike from September 2022 to January 2023 involving approximately 103 employees'
CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio not disclosed; leadership diversity (gender, race) metrics not disclosed in filing
Source: INGR 10-K 2025 — no Executive Compensation table or DEI disclosures found in provided sections
Pakistan business subject to capital controls restricting dividend repatriation and transfer of consideration payments; labor rights and supply-chain audits not disclosed
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'Country capital controls, such as those imposed in Pakistan and Argentina...'

Disclosed initiatives

Labor Relations Management

Company maintains collective bargaining agreements with unionized employees. Acknowledges competition for talent and succession-planning challenges. No documented anti-union activities; neutral stance implied.

Maintains industrial peace; Cedar Rapids strike (2022–2023) resolved without documented labor violations
Talent Attraction and Retention

Company acknowledges intensive competition for hiring and retaining personnel in ingredient solutions industry, particularly those with expertise. Faces competition from larger companies with greater resources.

Mitigating factor for employee engagement; no quantified turnover or compensation data disclosed

Governance story

Ingredion demonstrates solid governance with balanced board structure, absence of dual-class share structures, and standard antitrust/regulatory compliance. Board independence percentage not disclosed but no supermajority founder voting or dual-class voting structures identified. No active antitrust, consumer-safety, or financial-fraud proceedings disclosed. Lobbying expenditures and political contributions not quantified in 10-K filing; no evidence of anti-climate or consumer-protection deregulation lobbying. Company faced material weakness in internal controls over IT access (remediated in 2021); current controls appear adequate. Cybersecurity and AI governance risks acknowledged but not systematically addressed in governance framework. Shareholder litigation risk over climate disclosures and AI-related decision-making identified but not litigated as of filing date.

Criticisms on file

Board independence percentage not disclosed in 10-K filing; cannot verify compliance with >75% threshold
Source: INGR 10-K 2025 — Board composition data not provided in supplied sections
Lobbying expenditures and PAC contributions not quantified; no disclosure of stance on climate regulation, environmental deregulation, or consumer-protection policy
Source: INGR 10-K 2025 — no lobbying or political-contribution disclosures in provided sections
Cybersecurity incidents and data breaches possible but no disclosed incidents or litigation as of filing date. Company states: 'We have been subjected in the past, and may be subjected in the future, to incidents including phishing...'
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: Risks related to AI, Data, and IT Systems
Material weakness in IT controls (user access over certain systems) reported and remediated in fiscal 2021; current control environment not independently audited for governance effectiveness
Source: INGR 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'we previously reported a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting...fully remediated in fiscal 2021'

Disclosed initiatives

Internal Control Remediation

Company reported and fully remediated material weakness in internal control over financial reporting in fiscal 2021 related to ineffective IT controls over user access to certain systems. Current controls assessed as adequate.

Demonstrates governance accountability and remediation discipline
Cybersecurity Governance

Company acknowledges increasing cybersecurity and data-privacy regulatory requirements, including tighter incident reporting timelines and increased enforcement. Uses third-party vendors for periodic security assessments.

Proactive risk monitoring; no quantified investment or board-level cybersecurity committee disclosed
AI Governance Framework

Company acknowledges increasing use of AI/machine learning for innovation, manufacturing, supply-chain planning, and administrative functions. Recognizes regulatory divergence across jurisdictions and reputational risks from misleading public statements about AI use.

Governance awareness present; no formal AI ethics board, audit, or transparency policy disclosed

These are Missionomics' own editorial scores — directional signals built from disclosed facts under a published method, not certifications or definitive ratings of Ingredion Incorporated. 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 Ingredion Incorporated in the app for interactive charts and portfolio building.

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