In my experience, CHEP—part of Brambles—has been one of the most toxic work environments I’ve ever seen. The culture is suffocating, driven by politics, favoritism, and an astonishing number of underqualified people who somehow end up in positions of influence.
The so-called “support” functions—Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Ethics and Compliance—operate more like window dressing than real governance. Their decisions are often inconsistent, selective, and heavily influenced by who someone is rather than what is right or ethical.
Every year, like clockwork, thousands of employees are made redundant right around the Christmas period, a time when people are most vulnerable. The impact on families and livelihoods seems to matter far less than polishing the brand image or protecting the pay-checks of those at the top.
From my perspective, CHEP cares far more about optics than integrity, and far more about internal politics than the people who actually keep the company running.
