ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, US — CHS Inc., the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States, released its 2022 CHS Sustainability Report on Dec. 15, describing the company’s approach to sustainability while highlighting its initiatives to build “a foundational commitment to communities and the environment.”

“CHS is integrating sustainability into our core businesses and creating opportunities for owners and customers,” said Jay Debertin, president and chief executive officer. “In 2022, we added dedicated leaders and support resources and formalized our sustainability business function. We also focused on developing the internal governance and processes needed to execute long-term success related to environmental and social factors.”

The actions taken by CHS will help the company reduce impact on the planet, respond to opportunities related to enhanced sustainability and continue to build a better future for the farmers and ranchers who own the cooperative system.

“As we formalize our sustainability function, we will continue to develop our efforts in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) programs through a dedicated climate director and by expanding our innovation team, as technology advancements will play a key role in long-term success for CHS and our owners,” said Megan Rock, vice president, sustainability and innovation and chief sustainability officer, who joined CHS in 2022.

The CHS Sustainability and Innovation Charter noted the company will “connect CHS personnel, owners and customers with the resources, tools and support required to address needs and opportunities, bringing the CHS commitment to sustainability and innovation to life as a high-impact corporate asset.”

CHS said it will place an emphasis on helping owners and other stakeholders understand the company’s approach to ESG reporting, including providing definitions and interpretations in the 2022 CHS Sustainability Report. The company also is exploring technologies that impact supply chain automation, real-time soil sensing and traceability in row crops as part of its sustainability efforts.

CHS is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States and diversified in energy, agronomy, grains and foods with more than 10,000 employees worldwide. According to Sosland Publishing Co.’s 2023 Grain & Milling Annual, CHS has 230 grain storage facilities with 403 million bushels of licensed grain storage, making it the No. 2 grain handling company in North America. In fiscal year 2022 ended Aug. 31, CHS reported $1.7 billion in income on revenues of $47.8 billion.

“CHS is committed to working closely with cooperative owners, customers and other stakeholders on developing an outcome-based approach to sustainability that leads to a stronger cooperative system, one that is able to feed the world through sustainable business practices that protect and preserve our limited resources,” Rock said.