BASF supports Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program in Australia

• BASF supports National Farmers’ Federation to drive gender diversity in the agriculture industry
• Program identifies and develops female talent, targeting better representation of women in key decision-making roles

Melbourne, Australia – April 4, 2019 – BASF will support the National Farmers’ Federation’s (NFF) 2019 Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program – an industry commitment to developing more women into key-decision making roles in the industry. The program is designed to support women in agriculture, with an ambition to shape the future of Australia’s food and fibre industry.

The Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program provides applicants with a six-month, one-on-one mentorship and the opportunity to be a part of a network of female agriculture leaders. BASF is supporting the Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program by providing a financial contribution to help fund the program. Additionally, a senior leader within BASF will provide mentorship to the participants.

“The success of last year’s program demonstrated the appetite for women to pursue industry leadership,” said Fiona Simson, NFF President, who is the Federation’s first female president.

“Women have been the pillar of Australia’s food and fibre production since farming began in this country. Over generations, in line with societal change, women have forged careers in all agriculture-related fields from agronomy and education to finance and marketing.

“However, in the senior executive and board level ranks of many of the organizations I observe, there remains a lack of female voices.

“In fact, women comprise 41% of the agricultural workforce but only 18% of management roles and 2.3% of CEO positions.”

Ms Simson said injecting the perspectives of females to the forums where strategic decisions were made was vital to the future growth of the industry.

“Diversity of gender represents a diversity of thoughts and perspectives. The NFF sees increasing the representation of women as key to achieving agriculture’s potential including reaching $100 billion in farm gate output by 2030.

“That’s why we have included a target to double the number of women in agricultural management roles in our 2030 Roadmap,” added Simson.

“We’re thrilled to be involved in the opportunities that the Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program will create for women in leadership roles in our industry. BASF has made a commitment to embed diversity and inclusion into our culture and we hope to see better representation of women in key decision-making roles and on our leadership team,” said Gavin Jackson, Head of Agricultural Solutions at BASF Australia and New Zealand. “We are committed to implementing initiatives that bring new ways of thinking to drive achievement among both women and men in the industry. This program will support our industry to lead this mindset change in order to make progress.”

Over the course of six months, program participants will work with a specially matched mentor to develop the skills and networks they need to realize their leadership ambitions.

Successful 2019 applicants will also take part in a two-day Canberra leadership retreat during May, and graduate in October as part of the NFF’s 40th Anniversary celebrations.

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2018, our division generated sales of €6.2 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF in Australia and New Zealand

BASF serves key industries in the agriculture, coatings, construction, manufacturing and mining sectors, and posted sales of about €432 million in Australia and New Zealand in 2018. As of the end of 2018, the company had 552 employees and operated 12 production sites across agricultural solutions, performance products and functional materials and solutions. BASF has been active in Australia for more than 90 years, and for about 60 years in New Zealand. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/au.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.