Syngenta has today publicly announced the appointment of Alexandra Brand, previously Regional Director for Europe, Africa and Middle East, to the new position of Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). As CSO, Brand will report directly to CEO Erik Fyrwald.

Alexandra Brand will lead the newly created Business Sustainability Group to evolve existing sustainability initiatives including The Good Growth Plan and to drive forward the company’s sustainability agenda. The group aligns the company’s Regulatory Affairs, Sustainability and Stewardship, External Affairs and Communications activities.

In making the announcement, Syngenta CEO Erik Fyrwald said: “We are already playing an important role in helping to feed the world and we want to do more as we go forward. To do this we need to have sensible discussions with governments, NGOs, academics and the food chain on the regulatory, policy and societal challenges and opportunities our industry faces. We have made real progress and we want to build on this with new and different conversations about what more sustainable agriculture will mean in the future.

“We want to help further shape agriculture and its place in society - the position of CSO will be central in leading this. Alexandra has a real passion for helping farmers to become more productive while managing the impacts of climate change and having to produce more with less”, said Mr. Fyrwald.

Alexandra Brand said: “The technology we bring to farmers can help them safely feed the world and take care of our planet – this includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and soil conservation. We also play a key role in helping to preserve biodiversity and precision technology will be important in all of these areas.”

I’m really excited by the opportunity to drive further change in our company and in our industry.  We are looking to create new partnerships and work together with groups we might not have worked with in the past.  We will build on the significant achievements of The Good Growth Plan, with even greater transparency and commitment from Syngenta to further improve the sustainability of global agriculture.”