b"Do You Know the Importance of SIMON WATTProfessional Identity? Heres WhyCHIEF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION OFFICER, ACTIVATE AG LABSYou Should simon@activateaglabs.comwww.activateaglabs.com/ACCORDING TO PSYCHOLO- ing with a company that recently GISTS,professional identity isbecame part of DLF. That takes defined as the attitudes, values,some adjustment, and its a processMicro Plastic Free is Just the Startknowledge, beliefs and skills sharedwe actively work through bywith others within a professionalLaying out a roadmap to help setFOR THE SEEDtreatment industry, microplastic free group. It serves an important role inus up for success. Half the leader- is now, but its just the first step. mental health and the success of anship team at DLF North America isAlready, legislators in Europe have banned micro-organization. new within the past couple of years.plastics. While Europe leads, the world is looking to Being a part of the DLF teamThat means a huge percentage offollow: Im getting questions about microplastic free for the past 18 months has madeour workforce is actively develop- products and formulations from Australia, Asia and me realize that how we view ouring a new identity within DLF as aelsewhere. I expect to soon gain traction in the U.S. job and the organization we workcompany. There exist some impor- too, since the U.S. generally shadows European legisla-with is an important part of who wetant questions that help guide ontion within two to three years. are. Our professional identity playsour journey to seeing ourselves asAs we work towards microplastic free, I see two addi-a crucial role in mental health andambassadors of the DLF brand.tional sustainability priorities for ourcompany and the professional success.Common questions our Northlarger seed treatment industry. First, we need to move At DLF North America, the issueAmerican team is faced with include: towards using ingredients and producing products that of professional/work identity is anWhat defines DLF Northare biodegradable in soil. Rather than formulating with important one; DLF is a companyAmerica when compared tosynthetics, we should be using ingredients that quickly that is really focused on its people,other parts of DLFs globalbreak down to their component elements or, where pos-especially right now that we haveoperations? sible, break down to soil health amendments. gone through a global rebranding. What are our pathways toSecond, we need to ensure all of the ingredi-Heres why and how DLF ismarket? ent parts are sustainably sourced from renewable using its recent rebranding as an What values served us well inresources, as per the recommendation from the Unitedopportunity to help its employeesour legacy companies that canNations Sustainable Development Goals. cultivate healthy identities at workhelp make DLF an even betterCurrently, many of the polymers used in seed treat-and in life. company? ments are petrochemically based. Our companys goal We let everyone progress atWe constantly remind ourselvesis to move towards newer generation products derived their own pace. We respect howthat nobody knows everything; wefrom plant-based, microbial or other cultivatable/cre-people arrived here and wereall have something to contribute.atable sources that can be generated in a sustainable bringing them on the DLF journeyEighteen months ago, I didn't knowfashion. together, never forgetting that theyhow a grass seed was developed.Already, weve identified a number of products may have spent 30 years work- Ive learned a lot in a short time, andthat fit these requirements. Some of it is new chem-constant learning is something weistry were just beginning to work with; others are all have in common at DLF Northso-called outdated chemistries that were looking America. As the pace of changeto improve. There remains significant work ahead. To increases, we all have more to learn,have a chance in the marketplace, naturally, renew-and a learning mindset will only helpably derived formulations must work as effectively as us thrive as we move into the future. a conventional formulation it replaces and be produc-ible and marketable at a similar price point. Thatll be a challenge, but one I know our industry can overcome. Ive had several customers tell me these goals sound important, valuable, exciting and daunting. Dont worry! Our goal as a company is to meet sustain-LINDSAY WATT ability targets, thereby protecting our customers from VICE-PRESIDENT HUMANfuture regulatory risk, without customers having to RESOURCES, NORTH AMERICA bear additional cost or any efficacy downside. Can we lindsay.watt@dlfna.com get there? Given the huge strides forward my team has@DLFUSA/@DLFCANdlfna.com already achieved, I say with confidence: Absolutely! JANUARY 2023 SEEDWORLD.COM /27"