UN SDGs at the core of our business

Yara believes the private sector has a great responsibility to help deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The adoption of the SDGs in 2015 coincided with Yara’s first materiality assessment. We had already oriented our strategy towards creating shared value, and the SDGs were a natural benchmark for identifying societal impact. Since then, sustainability has been embedded and integrated into Yara’s strategy.

We firmly believe that our knowledge and purpose give us a competitive advantage in a market that values sustainable development. While we see all 17 SDGs as relevant to Yara, we have highlighted below the ones where we believe we have the greatest potential to enhance positive and mitigate negative impacts on society.

Explore relevance, metrics and initiatives for these SDGs by interacting with the table below.

SDG 2 icon Zero hunger

Relevance to Yara

We envision a world without hunger. This can be supported by sustainable intensification of agriculture, as well as the development of fairer and more resilient food systems.

Metrics

  • Digitized hectares
  • Finished fertilizer production

Initiatives

SDG 5 Icon Gender equality

Relevance to Yara

Almost half of all farmers globally are women, many of whom face gender-specific obstacles to access to land and resources. The chemical industry has traditionally been dominated by men.

Metrics

  • Female senior managers
  • D&I index
  • Gender balance
  • Gender pay gap
  • Parental leave

Initiatives

SDG 6 Icon Clean water and sanitation

Relevance to Yara

Agriculture accounts for 70 percent of freshwater use worldwide (FAO, 2017). Greater food demand, driven by a rising world population, will put further strain on water resources. Yara also has impact on water resources around production sites.

Metrics

  • Digitized hectares
  • Water withdrawal, discharges and consumption
  • Water withdrawal in water-stressed areas
  • Environmental compliance

Initiatives

SDG 7 Icon Affordable and clean energy

Relevance to Yara

Yara is part of an energy-intensive industry, taking steps to decarbonize energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. Yara is dependent on partnerships and incentives schemes to make this happen. 

Metrics

  • Energy consumption and intensity
  • Renewable energy use

Initiatives

SDG 8 Icon Decent work and economic growth

Relevance to Yara

Yara operates in 60 countries around the world and works to be an attractive employer that ensures decent work, fair pay, and benefits in all of these. Yara also has an important role to play in ensuring that agriculture provides sufficient financial reward for farmers and rural communities.

Metrics

  • Injury rate
  • Engagement index
  • D&I index
  • Job appraisals
  • Employee training
  • Female senior managers
  • Gender balance
  • Ethics training
  • Notifications of misconduct
  • Grievances reported
  • Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements

Initiatives

SDG 9 Icon Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Relevance to Yara

Yara is part of a resource and energy-intensive sector where upgrading of infrastructure and retrofitting of industries are key. Enhancing scientific research and upgrading technological capabilities are important strategies in this context. Yara also has a part to play in ensuring access to services for farmers.

Metrics

  • Ammonia production
  • Investments
  • R&D spending

Initiatives

SDG 10 Icon Reduced inequalities

Relevance to Yara

A diverse and inclusive work environment in which employees feel valued for their unique contributions and feel safe to speak up benefits our business and innovation and supports social and economic equality. Sustaining income and livelihoods for farmers is also a key impact.

Metrics

  • D&I index
  • Female senior managers
  • Value generation and distribution
  • Country-by-country tax report

Initiatives

SDG 12 Icon Responsible consumption and production

Relevance to Yara

We have more mouths to feed, limited land to farm, and fewer resources to draw upon, which makes it critical to develop more sustainable consumption and production pattern.

Metrics

  • GHG emissions and intensity
  • Energy consumption and intensity
  • Water withdrawal and consumption
  • Waste handling
  • Supplier sustainability rating and performance
  • Product stewardship certification

Initiatives

SDG 13 Icon Climate action

Relevance to Yara

Climate change is the paramount global challenge we are facing and a serious threat to agricultural productivity in many parts of the world. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the key action to minimize the consequences, while adaptation and risk assessments are also needed to secure assets and food production. Our solutions play an important role in mitigating emissions and improving crop resilience to climate stress.

Metrics

  • GHG emissions and intensity
  • Energy consumption and intensity
  • Supplier sustainability rating and performance
  • Digitized hectares

Initiatives

SDG 14 Icon Life below water

Relevance to Yara

Use of fertilizer – of both mineral and organic origin – comes with a risk of runoff, leaching, or volatilization, which can cause eutrophication of waterways, or even dead zones in lakes or coastal waters. Yara-operated production sites also impact waterways in their vicinity.

Metrics

  • Water withdrawal, discharges and consumption
  • Water withdrawal in water-stressed areas
  • Environmental compliance
  • Supplier sustainability rating and performance
  • Digitized hectares

Initiatives

SDG 15 Icon Life on land

Relevance to Yara

Industrial processes, extraction of their input factors, and application of Yara’s end products – fertilizers as well as industrial products – impact on terrestrial ecosystems.

Metrics

  • Water withdrawal, discharges and consumption
  • Water withdrawal in water-stressed areas
  • Environmental compliance
  • Supplier sustainability rating and performance
  • Digitized hectares

Initiatives

SDG 17 Icon Partnerships for the goals

Relevance to Yara

We are aware of our contributions – and limitations. We cannot solve global challenges in isolation and strongly advocate more cross-sectoral and innovative partnerships.

For Yara's contributions to goal 17, please refer to the Strategic Engagement section in our 2023 Integrated report.