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Responsibility to society"The private sector can, and must, contribute to economic development and value creation in the developing world - not for philanthropic reasons, but because the private sector is correctly defined as having a vital role to play in economic development."
Yara believes that being a good corporate citizen benefits all of its stakeholders - the myriad people touched by how we do business - and that a responsible company is a successful company.
Yara’s origins stem from the beginning of 'modern agriculture’. Founded in 1905 on the strength of the breakthrough Birkeland-Eyde process, which harnessed Norway's large hydroelectric resources to engineer the first direct nitrogen fixation from the air to produce mineral fertilizers, the company grew by building entire communities for its workers as it built its business.
This philosophy of making a positive societal impact wherever we have a presence persists today, and is an integral part of how we do business. Yara means jobs, educational opportunities, and economic value and growth to local communities.
Other pilot projects include Yara's Literacy Program in Guatemala, which has become a centerpiece of Yara's CSR program there. Yara’s Tsunami Rebuilding Fund has provided financial and practical support to the areas hit by the tsunami disaster in Asia in 2004.
Efforts in Africa Yara is the only global fertilizer player with a presence in Africa and we have been involved in the development of the continent's agriculture for 25 years. As part of our centennial celebrations in 2005 we launched a series of initiatives promoting sustainable development.
With increasingly efficient agricultural methods, it is a tragic paradox that millions of people, particularly in Africa south of the Sahara, still suffer from malnutrition and hunger. Yara was the first company to respond to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s call for action in Africa.
Our commitment in Africa encompasses three interrelated projects: The Yara Foundation and Prize, The Yara Village Project and The Yara Smallhold Farmers Project. Each project links to measures proposed in the UN Millennium Hunger Task Force action plan – free school meals, developing local agriculture and markets, and supporting local initiatives to realize an African green revolution
Efforts for change The inaugural Oslo Conference in 2006 introduced a new forum to monitor the progress in African agriculture, and in particular how public-private partnerships can be forged to bring positive change to the continent.
In early 2006 Yara joined the UN Global Compact, another commitment to sustainable corporate practices in vital areas such as human rights, labour rights, protection of the environment and fighting corruption - around the world.
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