American Vanguard’s Commitment to ESG: Sustainable Agriculture

2023 Corporate Sustainability Report

With this 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, we reemphasize our commitment to Sustainable Agriculture and the three pillars of climate equity, environmental equity, and food equity.
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At the center of our Environmental, Social Responsibility and Governance commitment (ESG) is the principle of Sustainable Agriculture. While this concept has been used by many to mean many things, we have given it a very clear meaning. In our parlance, Sustainable Agriculture is broad enough to encompass a comprehensive ESG program, but clear enough to give us direction in our outlook and purpose in our activities. 

Under the umbrella of Sustainable Agriculture, we are committed to operating our business with a sense of mindfulness – toward the climate, toward the environment and toward the good of humans and other species. We consider ourselves to be part of a broader mission – one of ensuring that people can rely upon a stable, affordable food supply both now and in the future. It is a privilege to be part of that mission. With that privilege comes responsibility, and we take that responsibility seriously.  

All people should be able to rely on a stable, affordable food supply both now and into the future. We are committed to meeting that need upon a foundation of social responsibility and equity. In that vein, we believe that sustainable agriculture must include these principles:

Climate Equity

We are committed to making enterprise-wide, progressive and measurable efforts toward helping to arrest the trend of global warming. In making decisions, taking actions and conducting our operations we are mindful of climate equity, which holds that climate change has three primary effects – generational, regional and individual. To that end, we believe that reducing our carbon footprint and, through our products and services, enabling others to do so will advance climate equity consistent with the two-degree warmer world as per the Paris Agreement. We advance this commitment on multiple fronts. For instance, our GreenSolutions platform now offers well over 100 products.
See Our Climate Change Commitment

Environmental Equity

We recognize our activities can affect the environment generationally, regionally, and individually. Therefore, we’re committed to environmental equity. We seek to conserve finite resources such as water, land, and energy while protecting the environment and enhancing biodiversity. We've invested in precision ag technology that enables farmers to manage, optimize, and trace crop and soil inputs and use only what is needed, precisely where it is needed. We’ve been at the forefront of user-friendly closed delivery systems – from Lock ‘n Load® to SmartBox® to SIMPAS SmartCartridge® Containers – to minimize exposure and maximize safety for loaders and applicators. And we offer our distribution channel product stewardship workshops and technical guidance throughout the adaptation of climate-smart solutions.
See Our 2023 Sustainability Report

Food Equity

Implicit in our commitment to sustainable agriculture is food equity, which has three aspects. First, food security – we believe it is essential to ensure the ag industry’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness. We invest in eco-friendly solutions that promote long-term soil and precision application and MRV technology, like SIMPAS and Ultimus, that give growers the best tools to ensure their operations are viable today and tomorrow. Second, food availability – ensuring food gets from field to table. As we saw in the pandemic, the supply chain for food can be broken, and those who suffer most are often farthest from the fields. We support farm-to-field efforts and programs to reduce food waste. Third, food affordability for all, including the impoverished. We give farmers effective tools, including precision application equipment, that optimize their costs, boost their yield, and enable them to produce and market food at reasonable prices.

Social Responsibility

Our discussion of Sustainable Agriculture would not be complete without mention of our commitment to social responsibility. This concept is inherent in all forms of equity, be they climate, environmental or food related. However, social responsibility gives us pause to consider factors of a more fundamental nature, such as human rights. Our Human Rights Policy (see below) details our essential belief that we respect and support human rights, both within and without our operations. We believe it is fundamental to our corporate responsibility and, indeed, to our humanity that we recognize, respect, and nurture the freedom and dignity of all persons. Partnering with our global suppliers is critical to ensure our success with sustainably operating our company now and into the future. Our Supplier Code of Conduct extends our commitment to safe and environmentally responsible operations and the highest level of ethical treatment of employees, communities, and others.
See Our Human Rights Policy