 As Cheminova’s new President & CEO, I am pleased to welcome readers to our third CSR report in which we can report progress in several areas.
The food crisis which in 2008 resulted in very high prices for cereals and other crops has revealed that the importance of having sufficient agricultural production can hardly be overstated. Cheminova’s mission underlines our contribution to ensuring the necessary food supplies for the world’s population.
Our work is not without its challenges and dilemmas, but it is vital for us that our activities are assessed in a long-term perspective and are sustainable in terms of both business and society at large. Among other things, this means that we have decided on an ambitious phase-out plan for class 1 products to which we have more than adhered. In 2008, we phased out methyl parathion in Cuba and methamidophos in Colombia earlier than originally promised, and in India we have been able to replace sales of phorate with a far safer insecticide one year earlier than stated in the phase-out plan.
The activities in 2008 largely focused on integrating the CSR work and the accompanying val-ues in Cheminova’s new global organisation. It is important for us that the right approach pervades the entire organisation. At global management level we have therefore discussed and adopted modernised mission and vision statements, and clear corporate values which will be rolled out during 2009 to all employees in the entire organisation. Similarly, we have adopted rules for documenting and reporting CSR activities in 2009 and beyond.
The specific results and the new targets relating to production, product stewardship, HR etc. are described in the report.
In this year’s report, we have, by means of tables, compared our reporting with the internationally recognised GRI index. Moreover, in the course of 2009 we will decide on the extent to which we want to become affiliated to an international CSR standard.
During the year, we have noticed a growing level of interest in CSR generally and in our report in particular. The dialogue with various interested parties has taught us a lot and inspired us to continue the work and, in 2009, to also consider and decide on the shape of future CSR reporting to make it more interesting for readers.
It is the wish of my colleagues and myself that the CSR report be well received, and that it forms the basis for further positive dialogue.
Kurt Pedersen Kaalund
President & CEO
Cheminova A/S
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