1. You’re passionate about creating a culture of belonging at Corteva. What does that mean to you?

To me, belonging means bringing your full self to work and feeling that you are in an environment where you are valued for your unique qualities and contributions. Creating this culture is rooted in making sure that our employees feel heard and empowered to contribute to their fullest potential and thrive every day.

2. How will creating a culture of belonging support Corteva’s business objectives?

Our business strategy depends on providing innovative solutions to serve the needs of our customers and our ability to do that stems from leveraging the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and insights of our employees. That is how we gain a deeper understanding of our customers, our competitors, and the cultural dynamics of the markets in which we do business. When our employees feel empowered to contribute fully every day, they are better equipped to provide those solutions for our customers.

3. You’ve been involved in diversity-related initiatives for some time. What are some of your learnings?

The first thing I’ve learned is “progress over perfection.” This was certainly something we considered when we developed our ID&E goals for Corteva. We want to accelerate our progress, learn as we go, and then set our sights even higher. It’s about having a growth mindset and taking every opportunity to learn and improve.

When it comes to diversity initiatives, another thing I’ve learned is that leader involvement is essential in driving progress – and not just at the senior level. At Corteva, every leader in the company is expected to have a performance goal focused around advancing ID&E, which is formally submitted through our performance management process.

4. Tell us a little more about the listening sessions Corteva has held. How have those been valuable?

During the latter half of 2020, our executive and senior leadership teams hosted a number of listening sessions with our colleagues to hear about their workplace experiences and seek their feedback on barriers preventing substantive change.

The stories our colleagues shared were incredibly compelling. Some were painful because they highlighted actions and behaviors that are completely at odds with how we want to operate as Corteva. Others, however, were hopeful, as they highlighted individuals who challenged the status quo and did the right thing – a great reminder to all of us that there are so many ways we can all Stand Tall right now – by leaning in and setting the example, by calling out inappropriate behavior, and by embracing those whose backgrounds are different from our own.

We took the perspectives and insights gained from these sessions and used them to enhance our ID&E strategy and identify concrete actions to help us become a more inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace. Leaders within Corteva have hosted additional listening sessions since that time and will continue to do so moving forward, and we expect this will lead to continuous action.

5. You’ve talked about being a “work in progress” when it comes to ID&E. Can you expand on what you mean by that?

I believe that we are all works in progress when it comes to ID&E. None of us is perfect. No company or organization is perfect. We are all walking this journey together and learning as we go. It’s about acting with intention and truly seeking to understand and grow. At Corteva, we are committed to accelerating our progress and applying what we learn along the way.