From product design to packaging production, we adopt a circular economy approach to minimize our environmental impact. We are also leaders in measuring product impacts on the environment through our internal Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) competency, governed by an internationally recognized set of ISO standards.
Circular product innovations
For new seeds, crop protection active ingredients, and biologicals, we have established thresholds for each Sustainable Innovation criterion and an expectation that each new innovation has at least one notable sustainability advantage across the categories.
We are upholding our commitment that 100% of newly developed Corteva solutions in our pipeline meet at least one of our Sustainable Innovation Criteria in 2025. Within crop protection, 90% of new solutions demonstrate an SDG 12-aligned sustainability advantage, based on the following thresholds:
- Reduce use rate, reduce waste, and improve product application efficiency
- Use sustainably sourced renewable inputs
- Formulation innovation resulting in better hazard classifications, using safer materials in finished products
Complementary solutions to a farmer’s fertilizer needs
Nitrogen is a vital macronutrient, essential for synthesizing proteins, DNA, and chlorophyll.
This directly fuels vigorous plant growth, photosynthesis, and high crop yields in agriculture.
Our complementary solutions
Optinyte™ nitrogen stabilizer technology reduces denitrification, reducing the escape of GHG into the atmosphere.
Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient for plants, vital for energy transfer (ATP), root development, and genetic materials (DNA/RNA), leading to better yield and crop maturity.
Our complementary solutions
Omsugo™ P, a family of microbial products designed to solubilize phosphorus and promote plant root growth, helping convert inorganic and insoluble phosphorus into forms plants can access more easily, ultimately improving phosphorus use efficiency.
Potassium is vital in agriculture for enzyme activation, water regulation, and nutrient transport, boosting crop quality, yield, and disease resistance.
Our complementary solutions
Sosdia™ Stress, an abiotic stress mitigator, helps reduce yield loss associated with environmentally stressful conditions. Use Sosdia Stress Plus on specialty crops like tomatoes, leafy greens, almonds and more when abiotic stress conditions – such as drought, heat and ultraviolet light – are high.
Circular packaging innovations
Our circular packaging strategy is three-fold:
Package rationalization and design optimization
Industry collection and recycling
Sustainable material and technology innovation
Plastics management is embedded in our overall strategic approach, ensuring both operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. Through a comprehensive assessment of plastic use across our value chain, we have identified key areas where plastics play a critical role and where we can implement meaningful reductions to minimize environmental impact. The focus of this exercise spans from product formulation to the final stages of packaging, highlighting areas for improvement and innovation in plastic usage.
At the forefront of our efforts is the integration of a circular economy model in our packaging practices. In 2022, we conducted a comprehensive global packaging component gap assessment. The findings from this assessment have been instrumental in developing a global roadmap and action plan into 2025. These initiatives are centered around increasing the recyclability and reusability of packaging materials. Key strategies include transitioning to mono-material components for easier recycling, optimizing the efficiency and performance of packaging materials, and substituting virgin plastics with recycled alternatives.
Circular packaging innovations, regional highlights
Across regions, we are updating the packaging used to deliver our products to customers, reducing plastic use, increasing recycled content where feasible, and improving end of life outcomes.
Latin America: redesigned our 1L round HDPE (High-density polyethylene) bottle (27% weight reduction) and introduced 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in select 5L, 10L and 20L rectangular HDPE containers, eliminating the use of approximately 300 tons of virgin plastic per year.
Asia Pacific: downgauged our 0.5L and 1L round bottles in COEX (Co-extruded multi-layer packaging), reducing plastic use by 16 tons per year.
North America: replaced a 440 ml polypropylene plastic measuring device with carton board, eliminating 14 tons of plastic packaging material per year.
Europe, Middle East, and Africa: redesigned our round PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) container portfolio (1L, 0.5L, 0.25L) to reduce packaging weight by 6%, eliminating 6 tons per year from the market.
We maintain a vigilant focus on the broader impacts of our plastic use, particularly in relation to environmental and community health.
Our global packaging council and regional teams are tasked with making sustainable packaging decisions. They play a pivotal role in driving us toward more responsible plastic management, emphasizing both environmental protection and community welfare. This commitment extends to participating in global recycling and collection schemes, such as the Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) in the United States.
Adhering to extended producer responsibility principles, we manage the environmental impacts of our products throughout their lifecycle, including packaging.
This comprehensive approach mitigates any financial or strategic risks associated with plastic use. We are actively engaged in finding sustainable alternatives to plastics, reducing our dependence on them and promoting environmentally friendly options.
Through these efforts, we are not just minimizing our environmental impact, but also setting a benchmark in sustainable practices within the agricultural sector.
Our proactive and comprehensive approach to plastic management underlines our commitment to safeguarding the planet and ensuring the welfare of future generations.
Measuring circularity
We have established an internal LCA competency: a science-based, holistic approach to quantifying environmental impacts across the value chain of a product or process. Industry, academia, and government agencies have applied LCA for many purposes over the years.
Impacts are considered across the full value chain, including raw material production and delivery, direct operations, use, and end-of-life scenarios. Our internal LCA team will continue to partner with external consultants and stakeholders to provide the analysis and insights needed to further quantify the environmental impact of our sustainably differentiated products.
Corteva is using Life Cycle Assessment to:
Provide subject matter expertise and guidance for leadership
Understand the environmental footprint of select products
Communicate with key stakeholders