Knowles Corporation (KN) — ESG & Values Scores

Environment story

Knowles has not disclosed comprehensive Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions data, net-zero targets, or renewable energy percentages in the 10-K filing. The company references an Environmental, Health & Safety Policy and a 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report (not provided in source documents), but quantitative climate commitments and decarbonization infrastructure investments are absent from the regulatory filing. Without verified emissions baselines, mitigation trajectories, or credible net-zero timelines, environmental scoring reflects substantial uncertainty and undisclosure penalties.

Criticisms on file

Undisclosed Scope 1 & 2 emissions; no verifiable renewable energy percentage reported.
Source: KN 10-K 2025 filing; Environmental sections lack quantitative carbon/energy data
No net-zero target year disclosed; net-zero commitment credibility cannot be assessed.
Source: KN 10-K 2025 filing; Human Capital & Sustainability sections silent on climate targets
Scope 3 emissions (supply chain, product use) not disclosed; rising emissions risk unquantified.
Source: KN 10-K 2025 filing; product-use and supply-chain carbon footprint absent

Disclosed initiatives

Environmental, Health & Safety Policy

Company maintains EHS policy with employee training on injury prevention, regular EHS performance indicator reviews, and corrective action protocols across global facilities.
Corporate Sustainability Report (2025)

Published sustainability report referenced on company website; detailed contents not disclosed in 10-K filing.

Social story

Knowles demonstrates moderate social performance with stated commitments to pay-for-performance compensation, STEM diversity sponsorships (e.g., University of Illinois Women in Engineering), and workplace safety. However, CEO-to-worker pay ratio and formal leadership diversity metrics (executive/board % women and URG) are undisclosed. No evidence of union suppression or major strikes within 24 months is apparent from the 10-K. Supply-chain human-rights audits (cobalt, lithium, forced labor) are not disclosed. Community investment ($10k annual PEAK pledge) is modest relative to scale. Overall, social audit reveals moderate transparency gaps and limited quantitative diversity/compensation disclosure.

Criticisms on file

CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio not disclosed in 10-K filing.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Human Capital Management section lacks pay equity disclosure
Leadership diversity (% women, % underrepresented groups in executive/board roles) not quantified.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Diversity data absent from Human Capital section
Supply-chain human-rights audits, modern slavery statement, or conflict-minerals policy not disclosed.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Supply chain ethics section absent
Employee turnover rate not disclosed.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Workforce retention metrics absent

Disclosed initiatives

Women in STEM Sponsorship

Knowles sponsors University of Illinois at Chicago Women in Engineering Summer Program, provides academic scholarships, summer internships, mentorship, and full-time employment pathways for women engineering students.

Ongoing pipeline development for women in technical roles; perennial program sponsor.
PEAK (Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids) Support

Knowles pledges $10,000 annually to fund one Chicago-based PEAK student's high-quality high school education.

Community investment in underserved student populations; modest annual commitment.
Competitive Total Rewards Program

Company offers base pay, short- and long-term incentive plans, healthcare, retirement, paid time off, family leave, and employee assistance programs aligned with pay-for-performance philosophy.

Competitive compensation structure; no detailed CEO-to-median ratio or equity disparity data disclosed.
Learning & Development

Tuition reimbursement, education assistance, technical training, leadership development, succession planning, mentorship, and coaching programs.

Employee skill advancement and career progression; structured talent development.

Governance story

Knowles exhibits moderate governance transparency with stated antitakeover provisions, Board committee oversight of human capital and compensation, and cybersecurity risk management protocols. However, critical governance metrics—board independence percentage, share-class structure (single vs. dual-class), annual lobbying expenditures, and detailed antitrust/regulatory-fine history—are absent or undisclosed in the 10-K. The company reports prior shareholder activism and acknowledges activist-risk vulnerabilities. No evidence of active anti-climate lobbying or explicit antitrust litigation is disclosed, but the absence of governance data limits confidence in independence and ethical alignment assessments.

Criticisms on file

Board independence percentage not disclosed in 10-K.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Board composition and independence data absent
Annual lobbying expenditures not disclosed; lobbying stance on environmental or consumer-protection regulation unknown.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Political activity and lobbying sections absent
Prior shareholder activism acknowledged; company exposed to future activist risk and potential proxy contests.
Source: KN 10-K 2025, Item 1A Risk Factors: 'In the past, the Company has been the subject of shareholder activism'
No antitrust, SEC consent decrees, or major regulatory fines disclosed in current 10-K; historical liability unknown.
Source: KN 10-K 2025; Regulatory proceedings section not detailed

Disclosed initiatives

Board Oversight of Human Capital & Compensation

Compensation Committee oversees human capital strategy and executive/employee compensation alignment with Board oversight.

Formal governance structure for pay equity and talent management; details on independence not disclosed.
Cybersecurity Risk Management Program

Dedicated cybersecurity program with defensive-in-depth strategy, employee training, systems monitoring, penetration testing, antivirus maintenance, and business continuity planning.

Proactive risk mitigation for data security; no breaches disclosed in 10-K.
Code of Business Conduct & Corporate Governance Policies

Company maintains published Code of Business Conduct, Board committee charters, and governance policies accessible on Investor Relations website.

Transparency in governance framework; adherence and enforcement mechanisms not detailed in 10-K.

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

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