Yara International ASA
YAR:NO NO0010208051
Key Information
HQ:
Norway
Market Cap:
$96.49bn
Primary Markets:
Europe & Russia, Africa, Asia, LATAM, Oceania, North America
Waste & Pollution Engagement
Analysis Overview
Risk Assessment Downstream risk assessment quality and transparency Risk Mitigation Circularity Company Engagement
Summary
Yara has acquired two companies that produce organic fertilisers since the first engagement dialogue.
Analysis Breakdown
Risk Assessment
Medium
Coverage of water quality risk assessment
Concerning water quality, the company mentions that all its sites underwent an initial water risk assessment using the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct water risk atlas tool, including quality parameters. The company mentions that in 2023 it revised the baseline water stress of its production sites.
The company mentions that six sites are situated in areas with extremely high or high risk of baseline water stress. It does not disclose the location of all these sites, but it discloses three countries (India, Colombia and Trinidad) where it has production sites in extremely high and low-medium risk areas, including from a water quality perspective. It is not clear whether the company has more production sites located in areas of medium risk.
Transparency and disclosure of water quality indicators
The company discloses the total nitrogen and phosphorus content of its discharged wastewater, and the locations where those emissions to water are material, but it does not disclose the location of the priority bodies.
The company mentions it had zero high-severity environmental incidents in 2023. It discloses two of its sites received monetary penalties from authorities due to environmental breaches. The company describes the incidents, and mentions that the penalties altogether remained below the significance threshold of USD 5 million.
Recognition of nutrient pollution risk on biodiversity
The company discusses how pollution is a main driver of biodiversity loss, but it does not explain how this drives its water quality assessments.
The company does not disclose an overall list of locations with a high biodiversity value and the impact of nutrient pollution on these areas. The company mentions in 2023 it started a baselining exercise to evaluate the company´s nature impact across its value chain. In 2024, the company mentions it is evaluating the impacts on production assets, based on which it will report and identify priority actions.
Downstream risk assessment quality and transparency
Poor
Inclusion of the downstream use of products in risk assessment
The company says that as part of its nature-positive roadmap work, it aims to assess the nature impacts on production assets and define baselines and initiatives for farm-level impacts. However, the company has not yet conducted a downstream risk assessment related to water quality or biodiversity risks from the use of its fertiliser products .
Acknowledgment of regulatory risks
The company discloses that it sees changes in nutrient pollution regulations as an issue which can impact the company´s operations and value chain. However, it does not mention how this could alter the risk assessment for the downstream use of its products.
Impact analysis of products on nature-related risks and climate
In the 2022 company´s sustainability report, the company mentioned that it had completed a pilot for Fertilizer Environmental Footprinting, including the analysis of life-cycle impacts for an organic product and a mineral and chemical fertiliser product. The company mentioned that it was continuing the project to assess the life-cycle impacts of mineral and organic fertilisers and related intermediates. These results would serve the company´s Climate and Nature roadmap work to analyse the value chain, and to set focused actions.
However, there were not updates on this in the company´s 2023 sustainability report, so the status of the project is unclear.
Risk Mitigation
Medium
Target-setting for water quality
In its 2023 CDP response, the company mentions that it does not have water pollution targets. However, it also mentions taking proactive actions and investing in R&D to prepare for tightening discharge limits.
The company also discloses a list of actions it is taking at some sites in different countries related to pollution, but it is unclear whether these actions cover the company’s sites in high risk areas from a water quality perspective.
Support to downstream farmers
The company mentions that it engages with farmers by offering digital solutions and agronomic knowledge that can help farmers improve their productivity, profitability, and environmental performance. The company provides a list of the different digital solutions it offers that aim at increasing precision nutrient application.
The company mentions it offers agronomic knowledge to farmers, and quantifies the number of farmers reached through in-person support programs in a few case studies, as well as the current digitised hectares.
The company has a target to increase the digitised hectares by 150 million by 2025. However, this target does not necessarily include the company’s downstream farmers, but all farmers that acquire the company’s digital solutions.
Strategy on products with lower environmental impact
In the 2022 company’s sustainability report, the company mentioned that in 2022, it had completed a pilot for Fertilizer Environmental Footprinting, including analysis of life-cycle impacts for an organic product and a mineral and chemical fertiliser product. The company mentioned that it was continuing the project to assess the life-cycle impacts of mineral and organic fertilisers and related intermediates. These results would serve the company’s Climate and Nature roadmap work to analyse the value chain, and to set focused actions.
However, there were not updates on this in the company’s 2023 sustainability report, so the status of the project is unclear. The company has not set any targets yet.
Circularity
Poor
Pilot projects around nutrient circularity
The company has an organo-mineral fertiliser product in its portfolio made from recycled food and green waste compost.
In recent years, Yara has expanded its range of organic-based fertilisers through partnerships and the acquisitions of Ecolan, a recycled fertiliser producer, and Agribios, an organic fertiliser producer. The company also acquired a majority share in the organic-based fertiliser producer Grønn Gjødsel in 2024.
Disclosure of investment in circular solutions
The company discloses its overall expenditures on research and development (R&D) activities but it does not disclose the specific amount dedicated to circular solutions.
Targets to increase share of manure under circular initiatives
The company does not disclose information.
Disclosure of fertiliser revenue coming from circular sources
The company does not disclose information.
Company Engagement
Best Practice
Level of company engagement with the coalition
The company provided a response to the investor letter and responded to the engagement questions. The company met with investors within the engagement period. The company acknowledged the FAIRR’s assessment and provided feedback.
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Workstream Information
2024/25 level
Medium
Last Updated:
26 June 2024
2024/25 Resources
Waste & Pollution Engagement