It’s been said that sustainability is a journey, that you don’t suddenly wake up one day achieving your end goals. It takes time, effort, and resources to get to where you are going.
This viewpoint is no different for trade associations, and The Fertilizer Institute has been on a journey since 2014 to advance sustainability within the fertilizer industry. In 2015, TFI began the process to document and track progress on industry-wide metrics. In 2020, TFI released the fifth State of the Fertilizer Industry Report, which has proven invaluable to TFI and the industry as we work to achieve desired policy outcomes.
With five years under our belt, we felt it was time to hit the pause button and assess where we are on this journey of sustainability. Are we meeting the industry’s needs? How can TFI better support advancing sustainable plant production and use? And where do we see the industry in the next five years?
Those questions led us to realize that our data collection and reporting efforts weren’t going to get us to where we want to go. The spectrum of the sustainability journey looks different for our diverse membership base. While some companies are well on their way, others are trying to figure out how to get started. And, sustainability perspectives vary based on where a company is positioned in the supply chain. Education, networking and input on resources from our members are key to advancing sustainable plant nutrition.
So, starting in the fall of 2020, TFI will stand up a new Sustainability Committee with a mission to advance sustainable plant nutrition to reduce the environmental footprint, build economic and reputational health, and support public policy outcomes for nutrient production and use.
While we are looking for members to sign up to join the committee, we intend to start with a dialogue as we want to hear from you. On October 22, 2020, we will host a virtual town hall forum. Attendees will hear from a spectrum of members about their sustainability journey – from members who are just starting out to those with years of experience. Your insights and questions are welcomed and encouraged! The town hall is open to employees from TFI member companies; you can register for this event here.
Attendance is not required to participate on the committee. If you are interested in committee participation, please fill out this form and we will add you to the list.
As TFI takes the next step on our sustainability journey, we hope you will join us for the ride!
Please note that participation in the Town Hall and on the committee is restricted to employees of TFI member companies. To register for the Town Hall, you will need to log-in to TFI’s website. Please go to tfi.org/user/signin to sign in or create an account.
