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Sustainability Champions

Sustainability Champions commit themselves to developing solutions that advance the three-pronged goal of helping farmers succeed, protecting the environment and assuring society that we are focused on meeting their needs for the long term.

Sustainability Champion Stories

Within Syngenta, there are countless people committed to advancing growers’ success. These Sustainability Champions are just a few examples of these proactive and dedicated individuals.

Headshot of Starla Hicks

Starla Hicks

Digital Agriculture and Sustainable Solutions Commercial Lead

Sustainability Priority 1 – Higher Yields, Lower Impact

For Starla, the journey to sustainability began in the fields of western Kentucky, where she first learned the rhythms of corn, beans, wheat, and tobacco. Today, as Commercial Lead for the Digital and Sustainable Solutions (DASS) at Syngenta, Starla’s perspective has grown as diverse as the crops she now supports-from the rolling hills of Kentucky to farms across the country adopting new digital tools.

Starla’s career has been marked by a deep commitment to supporting others, both as a customer support specialist and a training lead, and now as Commercial Lead for the DASS team. Her passion for helping others navigate change is evident in her motto: “I want to be a cheerleader and support system for others, whether that’s my team or the growers we serve,” she says.

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Headshot of Jacob Hall

Jacob Hall

AgriEdge Specialist

Sustainability Priority 2 – Regenerate Soil and Nature

Jacob Hall’s journey in agriculture has been shaped by a lifelong curiosity for how things grow and a commitment to the people who make it all possible. Raised in a small farming community in Central Florida, Jacob’s earliest lessons came from working on his grandfather’s citrus groves, where he learned the importance of stewardship and adaptability - values that continue to guide his work today as an AgriEdge Specialist.

Now in his 16th year at Syngenta, Jacob has become a trusted resource for Michigan’s growers, drawing on a career that has spanned sales, operations, and his current role where he provides technical expertise and recommendations to growers. During this time, he has been instrumental in the growth of a sustainability project with a leading cereal manufacturer, which began nearly a decade ago with just a handful of winter wheat growers and has since expanded to include around 30 participants in Eastern Michigan. By helping growers in the program transition from older technologies to Cropwise™ Financials and Cropwise Sustainability digital farming platforms, Jacob has driven the mission of regenerating soil and nature through digital and product solutions and empowering farmers to share their stories with the value chain and beyond.

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Headshot of Tyler Young

Tyler Young

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Generalist

Sustainability Priority 3 – Improving Rural Prosperity

Tyler’s approach to sustainability begins with a belief: real progress happens when every voice and perspective is valued. As Syngenta’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) Generalist for North America, Tyler has spent the past three years championing the idea that a sustainable future is one built on both environmental stewardship and the strength of diverse communities.

In his role, Tyler supports and coordinates Syngenta’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs), curates learning opportunities around identity-based observances, and fosters partnerships with organizations supporting diverse audiences in agriculture. Through these efforts, he brings Syngenta’s Sustainability Priorities of improving rural prosperity and sustainable operations to life. “Our partnerships and BRGs help us connect with smallholders and historically underrepresented farmer groups, who are often most affected by climate-related challenges,” Tyler explains. “Our strategies align to show how we each can take ownership of maintaining these values.”

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Headshot of Shanique Grant

Shanique Grant

Product Safety Portfolio Lead NA

Sustainability Priority 4 – Building Sustainable Operations

Growing up in a rural community in Jamaica where the family business was coffee farming, Shanique’s history and connection to agriculture runs deep. “Agriculture is part of my DNA,” she says, a truth that has shaped her journey and fueled her passion for making a difference. Lessons learned during these formative years taught her respect for the land and how to think ahead for the next season, principles that continue to guide her approach to both business and life.

Shanique’s career with Syngenta began immediately after graduate school, when she joined as a technical expert in Product Safety, specializing in environmental fate modeling. For eight years, she immersed herself in the science of ensuring that Syngenta’s products not only met regulatory standards but protected the environment for future generations. Afterward, Shanique embraced a new role as Risk and Sustainability Manager for North America – a position that enabled her to work closely with teams at major sites like St. Gabriel, Louisiana, and Omaha, Nebraska, to drive their carbon emissions reduction strategies.

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