Growing Sustainability: A Q&A With Chuck Magro

I founded Terramera to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture. But we’re not the only company striving to change the world. In “The Core Question” I’ll be sharing my learnings and talking to purpose-driven leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers about some of the most important questions we’re facing today. My goal is to start a conversation, so please read, comment and subscribe! First up…

Chuck Magro’s leadership, clarity and vision for building a carbon economy that pays farmers for their environmental efforts are an inspiration to me. Chuck is the President and CEO of Nutrien, the world's largest provider of crop inputs and services including potash, nitrogen and phosphate products. We share a belief in the transformative potential of ag-tech and a passion for wanting to help feed the planet in a better way, so I was honoured when Chuck agreed to share what he's learned from leading a values-driven company in this sector. Here’s what he had to say:  

1. Can you sum up your career philosophy in 7 words or less? Be real and work hard.
2. What do you think is the most under-rated skill for leaders? Having a sense of humor! It doesn’t have to be business 100% of the time. While it’s important to be focused, there is also a need to show a sense of humor every now and then. 
3. How is your company (actually) making the world a better place? At Nutrien, our purpose is to grow the world from the ground up, which guides every decision we make and every action we take. Feeding a growing population while making our planet a better place is the aspirational outcome of that purpose. We’re at the start of the food system, so what we do impacts every stakeholder across our value chain, and we take that role very seriously.
4. What’s one radical new idea you/your company has brought to the table? In November last year, we announced an ambitious, end-to-end carbon program that focuses on incentivizing farmers to adopt agronomic practices proven to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program will generate high-quality carbon credits at scale, while supporting a modern system for the carbon economy. While similar programs may still rely on broad estimates of carbon improvements over many acres, ours will be backed by science and data. We’ll work with growers using advanced digital tools — including the Nutrien Ag Solutions Digital Hub and tech already in place on tractors and drones — to measure not just how well the crops perform, but how much carbon can be returned to the soil on each specific acre.
5. Fertilizer and mining aren’t often associated with sustainability. What have the biggest challenges been for you in shifting your industry’s values? It’s no longer good enough to be solely focused on food security, we also need to prioritize sustainability, and now is the time to act. The industry is making significant progress in this area, investing in technology and solutions to make our operations more sustainable and reduce our GHG emissions. We recognize that the ag sector is a big contributor to GHG emissions today — roughly 15% globally — but because of the advancements we’ve made in agriculture over time, we are in a much better position today than we might have been. What’s exciting is that we are at the starting line of the next wave of transformation for the agriculture industry. 
6. In agriculture, relationships are crucial. What are two qualities that are essential to building strong relationships with customers? Our core values guide our everyday behaviors and actions that support our purpose. Our two core values at Nutrien are safety and integrity – and those values have served us incredibly well as we build strong relationships with all our stakeholders.
7. As a leader, what are two activities or routines essential to your personal well-being that you can’t do without? I’m out of bed very early every day. I like having this time to myself, to reflect, to strategize and to journal. This time is precious for me – it helps to clear my head and sets me up for a successful day. I also exercise regularly. I find fitness is a great way to get your body moving, which in turn gets your brain moving.
8. What’s one way you’ve grown in the last year, either personally or professionally, that you’re proud of? In the last year I’ve learned there is no replacement for being visible and present. Sometimes just being present and listening is everything.
9. What’s the leadership advice you wish you had gotten 10 years ago? Becoming a strong leader takes time, work, and humility.
10. What idea or tech in your industry will have the biggest impact in the next few years? Many don’t see agriculture as a tech-centric industry, but it is. We’ve come a long way over the past several years to center our approach around enabling growers to digitize the farm and automate a lot of our operations through technology. One example is our Digital Hub — a one-stop-shop that provides growers with agronomic information, precision ag tools, weather data and an array of business services. We see huge potential for similar data-harnessing and synergy-building technologies across the ag value chain, that can greatly improve efficiency across our industry and help us be more productive, profitable and sustainable. We’re committed to partnering with growers and stakeholders globally to continue to measure and build on our impact.

I want to thank Chuck for his time, wisdom and leadership. My key takeaway: making sure our actions are aligned with our values can lead to more time for mindful progress. This last year highlighted that simply being present and really listening to those around you can be a superpower. Find out more about Chuck’s work and Nutrien here. 

The Root: My Quick Tips For Staying Grounded 

From meditation app subscriptions to lunchtime Zoom yoga sessions, wellness perks are being embraced by companies during the crisis — my business included. To be clear, I think all of these efforts are important (and I’m a firm believer in meditation, myself).

But don’t forget about building resilience, too. Redouble your focus on building resilience and you set yourself up to face the challenges ahead and — more importantly — to thrive while doing so. 

The good news is resilience is innate in all of us. But like a muscle, we need to use it to make it stronger. Too much external stress can be detrimental, but over time, learning what we’re capable of overcoming is fortifying.

How can companies help build resilience muscles? Rewarding teammates who show perseverance, being transparent about setbacks and triumphs, and ensuring colleagues have time and space to reset and recover are all critical tools. But I’d love to hear from you: how are you helping build resilience in yourself and others?

Additional Nutrients: What I’ve Been Reading

• Is it worth tracking your carbon footprint? Capture app helps users measure their own carbon footprint.
• Canadian farmers are getting on board with regenerative agriculture. Now it’s time to raise customer awareness.
• Leading by example. Costa Rica wants an international agreement to halt biodiversity loss.

Thanks again so much to Chuck Magro for sharing his insights on leading a values-driven company — and thanks to you for reading along. If you found The Core Question interesting, please subscribe and follow me on Linkedin ... or, better yet, share it with somebody you know!