Fixed Compensation & Annual Salary Review
INTRODUCTION
Syensqo Rewards is a set of principles and practices we apply to ensure the Group is able to attract, develop, retain and motivate its talents. Syensqo Rewards is aligned with the Group's structure, organizational needs, priorities and market in different countries and it's based on the common practices in the industry.
These are the key principles and elements that we refer to as "rewards":
The mix of these 3 elements will change and evolve over time following both career advancements and market developments. We are committed to keep it up to date and relevant to employees and their needs!
As a general principle, the higher a job level, the more complex and results driven the rewards package will become, with more emphasis on variable pay and long term commitments.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF SYENSQO REWARDS
The Syensqo Rewards framework is built to support the Group’s long term business strategy and is based on and supported by 8 guiding principles:
The guiding principles of Syensqo Rewards are a set of key considerations applied when any compensation and benefits related decision is taken by managers and leaders as well at all times when any existing or new program or process is being created, reviewed or improved.
The consistent application of these principles enables Syensqo to reward employees for their contribution to the achievement of the Group's mission, goals and objectives in a way that is compatible with the company culture, thus helping to build employee engagement.
The employee's personal rewards package
Each employee's personal rewards package is built considering the level of accountability, complexity, know-how and scope of his/her role in the organization.
A) Rewards for locally graded positions
When the role of an employee is mainly focused on the achievement of local results, either on a site or at the team level, the role is locally graded and is rewarded considering local practices, bargaining agreements and other legal requirements.
B) Rewards for globally graded positions
When the scope of the role expands to multiple sites or has a more direct impact on the GBU or Function, then the job is graded according to the Syensqo global grading structure and the rewards package is aligned to the performance of the GBU/Function or the entire Group. Global reward programs then become a dominant part of the rewards package, while remaining competitive on the local market and compliant with legal requirements of the country.
For more information on Variable Compensation - click here.
For more information of Syensqo's Benefits Plans & Programs - click here.
FIXED COMPENSATION
Base Salary
The base salary depends on many factors including but not limited to the size, scope and impact of the employee's position (organizational design elements), the market value of the role (local market pay practices), and the employee individual performance and contribution while in that role.
To make sure that the salary remains attractive and competitive it is compared to the latest market studies results and reviewed regularly (at least once a year as part of the performance evaluation process).
Compa-Ratio
In order to ensure the competitiveness of the rewards package on the market, the compa-ratio value is used.
Compa-ratio is a ratio between the salary of the Employee and the midpoint of salary pay range of the specific grade expressed as a percent.
While our overall rewards positioning to market is set to be at market median, the compa-ratio for each employee can vary within compa-ratio zones.
As a reflection of the diversity of our talents, their background, and contribution, we expect pay of our employees to be evenly distributed across the entire pay range and in exceptional instances (like unique skills, talent scarcity or regional pay differences) it can even be above or below the pay structure minimum or maximum.
Allowances
Perquisites
WHAT IS AN ANNUAL SALARY REVIEW?
Annual salary review is part of the Compensation campaign (usually in March/April of each year) salaries are being reviewed by the Line managers for alignment with pay for performance, internal pay fairness and external market competitiveness.
During Compensation Campaign Line managers recommend salary increases for direct reports within allocated Total Merit Budget, review calculation of variable compensation as in STI or SIP on the basis of Group and Employee results and communicate Compensation Statement to the direct reports.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
The process for carrying out the annual salary review includes using the EasyComp tool.
EasyComp is part of the SuccessFactors system that is available to all Line Managers, Business and Site HRs.
Please follow the links below or the Useful links from the right hand of this page:
AS A MANAGER - HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION ON COMPENSATION RESULTS?
Compensation discussion is one of the most important discussions between line manager and employee, so it’s pivotal to have it transparent, meaningful and encouraging, with a clear reference on employees contribution for previous year, which reflects in his/her salary increase and bonus payout.
USEFUL TIPS:
- Plan sufficient time for the conversation to ensure that employees have the opportunity to ask any questions/express any concerns they may have.
- Be aware of how the STI or SIP was calculated and how it relates to the person’s, entity’s and Group’s performance and explain how it is linked to the payout percentage. Be specific about the contribution the employee made during the year.
- Be prepared to explain the reasons behind the salary review process and general principles that apply to all Reward programs in Syensqo (that can be performance related and/or not related to performance such as internal/external equity). Explain how the decision was made so that the employee understands you’re being fair. Feel free to use the Manager's Guide - Compensation Campaign 2026.
- If a salary increase is applicable, make sure to communicate not only the percentage, but also the amount in the employee’s local currency.
- Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers on the spot; make notes and make sure to follow up after discussing with your manager and/or HR.
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