How does your company give back to the communities and farmers who welcome the chance to grow crops for you?

Expert response from Aimee Hood

Regulatory Science Communications Lead, Bayer Crop Science

Tuesday, 27/08/2013 14:32

All of us at Monsanto are very active and proud in supporting the communities where we operate and where our farmer customers live. In 2012, Monsanto Company and Monsanto Fund―our philanthropic arm―collectively provided more than $32.2 million across the globe. Additionally, more than 4,600 employees logged more than 54,000 volunteer hours in the Americas alone.

Following are a few additional details and examples of our efforts:

• Monsanto Fund is focused on one goal: strengthening farming communities and the communities where our employees live and work. In 2012, Monsanto Fund distributed more than $18.5 million in grants and through the America’s Farmers programs. These grants provided basic education support designed to improve education in farming communities around the world, including supporting schools, libraries, science centers, farmer training programs and academic programs that enrich or supplement school programs. The grants also helped meet critical needs in communities by supporting nonprofit organizations that help with things such as food security, sanitation, access to clean water, public safety and various other local needs.
• America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education is one program sponsored by the Monsanto Fund to help farmers positively impact their communities by supporting local school districts. The program gives farmers the opportunity to nominate a rural public school district in their community to compete for a merit-based grant of either $10,000 or $25,000 to enhance education in the areas of math and/or science. In 2012, the program was available in 1,245 counties in 39 states, and 176 grants totaling $2.3 million were given to rural school districts.
• America’s Farmers Grow Communities, also sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, allows farmers to enter to win a $2,500 donation for their favorite community nonprofit organization, such as 4-H, FFA, schools, fire departments and other civic groups. One winner will be selected in each of 1,271 eligible counties in 39 states.
• Another program we sponsor is Invest an Acre, through which farmers can donate a portion of the crop they deliver to their elevator to Invest an Acre, and Monsanto matches each farmer’s donation dollar for dollar. This program is specifically geared toward helping the nearly 15 percent of all rural U.S. households which regularly go without food (3 million households).

In 2012, through the Monsantogether volunteer program, 4,651 employees logged 54,057 volunteer hours for 560 organizations in the Americas and generated $237,000 in volunteer service grants from the company. Our U.S. sites also joined forces in a U.S. Rural Hunger campaign (between Novembe 2012 and February 2013), in conjunction with Invest an Acre, to provide volunteer hours in local food banks and soup kitchens across the country. A total of 96 Monsanto sites participated across 20 states―all working toward a common cause to help fight rural hunger. This is a tremendous testament to the giving nature of our employees; 965 employees volunteered their time in this effort.

Expert response from David Sousa

Public Affairs Manager, Dow AgroSciences

Tuesday, 27/08/2013 14:31

Corporate Citizenship is critical to how Dow interprets and responds to external sustainability and responsibility expectations. Dow AgroSciences, the Dow Chemical Company and the Dow Chemical Company Foundation provide charitable gifts to eligible non-profit organizations in the communities where Dow operates that contribute to community success, support sustainability, foster science in society and stimulate innovation. Established in 1979, the Dow Chemical Foundation contributes to a more sustainable world by supporting charitable initiatives focused on community success, science education and environmental stewardship. The foundation is a separately governed, private foundation designed to carry out the charitable efforts of Dow and is the primary funding source for Dow charitable donations. In 2012, the donations of the Dow Chemical Company Foundation totaled $22.1 million globally.

One example of our commitment to being a good corporate citizen is our 30-year relationship with Habitat for Humanity. Dow and Habitat for Humanity recognize that affordable housing is one of the world's most pressing challenges, and together have been building great homes and changing lives together since 1983. Dow was Habitat's first corporate partner, and during the past three decades, Dow has sponsored and provided volunteers to build 39,000 homes in 24 countries on six continents. To celebrate our 30-year relationship with Habitat for Humanity International, we are building homes in 30 communities around the globe this year—sponsoring 191 new homes and 182 revitalizations—and serving 373 deserving families. 

In 2013, Dow AgroSciences launched an employee-led, long-term effort to find sustainable solutions to address hunger. Working in collaboration with international food security organizations, we are sharing our agricultural know-how, technologies and resources to help small land-holder farmers, families and children develop and maintain adequate food supplies.

Dow and our employees consistently support natural-disaster relief efforts as well. For example, in the wake of the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, Dow provided $500,000 to a multifaceted Hurricane Sandy response plan. Dow donated another $500,000 to the Thai Red Cross Society in 2012 to building two new ultra-filtration and reverse-osmosis water purification mobile units using Dow technology to help the Thai Red Cross provide clean water to flood-affected communities. And in 2010, Dow contributed $500,000 to the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, facilitated by the American Red Cross, to assist in emergency relief and rescue operations. These are just a few examples of Dow's commitment to serving the needs of the communities in which we serve.

In 2012, Dow received the Angel of the Year award for our outstanding service to cancer patients from the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a charitable organization dedicated to helping cancer patients and their care givers access the best possible treatment. Dow has partnered with CAN for nearly 30 years, flying more than 6,000 flights that have helped patients with catastrophic illness and costly medical bills reach the specific treatment center needed for their particular type of cancer.

In support of our sustainability goals, we committed $10 million over five years to The Nature Conservancy to advance the incorporation of the value of nature into business, and to take action to protect the earth's natural systems and the services they provide people, for the benefit of business and society. Launched in 2011, this collaboration is generating tangible results.

And, in 2011, Dow committed $25 million per year for 10 years to advance research and development in 11 leading U.S. universities, as well as to support the development of the 21st-century workforce. Alongside this unique commitment to advanced research in leading universities, Dow has established a long-standing commitment to the enhancement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels, encouraging students to pursue careers in science and promoting teacher development.

For more information, visit our website and take a look at our sustainability goals.

Expert response from Wendelyn Jones

Director of Global Policy and Scientific Affairs, DuPont Pioneer

Tuesday, 27/08/2013 14:30

At DuPont Pioneer, we are proud to give back to our communities. It's important to us to invest in the many neighborhoods around the globe where our customers and employees live and work. Among other commitments, we provide volunteer resources and financial contributions to help improve farmer safety, young-farmer opportunities, food quality and access, and education at all levels. For example, we contributed important sorghum research in Africa to increase the amount and stability of pro-vitamin A, iron and zinc, and also to improve protein digestibility. This is important, considering nearly 300 million people there depend on sorghum as a staple crop and do not have access to another option that provides the essential nutrients that sorghum lacks. Closer to home, we recently awarded grants to fire departments in Iowa farming communities for the purchase of grain bin rescue equipment. Grain bins pose a significant safety risk on the farm and because safety is a DuPont Core Value, it was a natural fit for us to contribute in this way. Additionally, DuPont Pioneer and its employees contribute donations and countless volunteer hours to United Way's annual Week of Action. We also provide ongoing opportunities for our employees to give blood, mentor students, contribute to food banks or help out with local charity events.

Expert response from Paul Minehart

Head, Corporate Communications North America, Syngenta Corporation

Tuesday, 27/08/2013 14:30

At Syngenta, our focus is on helping feed the growing world population by helping farmers around the globe grow more from less—­less land, water, fossil fuel, carbon release and other impacts to the environment and people. Check it out here. Many of our 27,000 employees volunteer, and the company funds mainly conservation, agricultural education and related efforts around the world. Also, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture works in developing countries and emerging markets to help small farmers both feed their families and contribute to global food security. We do this by extending science-based know-how, facilitating access to quality inputs and linking small holders to markets in profitable ways. This adds value for rural communities and sustainably improves food security.