Conversation about ESG continues to increase in volume as these three letters bleed into many facets of life. An acronym for “environmental, social and governance,” the idiom was coined in a 2004 report by the United Nations titled Who Cares Wins. This slightly fluid term delineates the notion that people in any given business sector need to show their work when it comes to taking care of the planet, treating people well and operating in a sustainable, that is, socially acceptable, fashion.

In the fall of last year, BASF VP of public affairs Julia Hamal told a crowded room of ag industry professionals something they already knew, namely that Canada’s sector is envied around the world. As Hamal spoke to the room at the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s Public Trust Summit, she was quick to add that Canada is not speaking as loudly as it could about its greatest qualities, such as its progressive regulatory environment.