Why Colgate-Palmolive moves talent across borders to develop leaders

As workers map out 2026 travel plans and debate how to stretch their PTO, thousands of Colgate-Palmolive employees do not have to choose. International travel is part of the job.

The $68 billion consumer products giant is deliberately rotating employees through global assignments to strengthen its culture and surface new ideas. With a 220-year history and operations in more than 100 countries, Colgate’s global footprint is reflected in its workforce. Today, one in 12 salaried and clerical employees has worked in two or more countries, and half of senior leaders have held roles across multiple international locations.

That mobility plays a central role in shaping Colgate’s leadership pipeline, says Sally Massey, the company’s chief human resources officer. One-third of the company’s division and country-hub leaders now work outside their home countries, reinforcing Colgate’s belief that global mobility is a prerequisite for senior leadership.

International rotations are designed to expose employees to how Colgate actually operates in different markets, from decision-making processes to consumer strategy. The goal, Massey says, is to develop leaders who understand the business through a broader lens than a single region.

Massey is herself a product of that strategy. Over her 26-year tenure, she has worked across North America, Latin America, and Europe, beginning with a 12-month development program that kept her constantly on the move. The payoff, she says, is mutual. Employees gain broader perspectives and deeper market insight, while Colgate builds more agile leaders who can navigate today’s complex global economy and draw on diverse viewpoints that fuel growth.

By rotating employees across regions, functions, and roles, Colgate aims to avoid developing leaders with narrow, single-market expertise. Leaders who have worked in multiple markets, Massey says, are better equipped to balance competing consumer needs and make decisions at a global scale.

Emma BurleighReporter, [email protected]

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

The U.K. government is rolling out free AI training courses to help adults use the technology at work, including prompting chatbots and automating routine tasks. BBC

BlackRock is using profit sharing from private-market funds to retain senior executives, a move that could deliver a significant financial windfall to top leaders. Fortune

Pfizer’s CEO said he used “emotional blackmail” to push teams to develop and deliver COVID-19 vaccines under extreme time pressure. Fortune

Watercooler

Everything you need to know from Fortune.

RTO overflow. Companies that forced office returns, including Amazon and JPMorgan, are now relying on coworking space to house overflow staff. —Jacqueline Munis

Tech tests. LinkedIn is partnering with AI firms to let users display verified AI skills as employers hunt for tech-fluent talent. —Nick Lichtenberg

Stack the odds. Citigroup is rolling out mandatory AI training for 175,000 employees as the technology reshapes work. —Emma Burleigh