Agro Perspectiva

Monsanto Earns Top Spot Among Large Science Companies in Annual Best Places to Work Survey

29.04.2010 10:45 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — What Sonya Franklin loves most about her job is the opportunity for innovation. For Dannette Ward it’s the feeling of being on the cutting-edge of science, and Larry Gilbertson is passionate about the science and research and inspired by the people. All of them value the diversity — of thought, opinion, lifestyle, abilities and cultural and political backgrounds — they find at Monsanto. Votes of employees like Franklin, Ward, Gilbertson and many others helped put Monsanto at the top of the list of large companies in the 2010 Best Places to Work in the industry survey by The Scientist magazine. Monsanto was no. 5 in the overall ranking. Monsanto was recognized for giving back to the farming community and taking care of its employees with benefits such as shuttle service and on-site daycare. «To me, our employees make this a great place to work,» said Robert Fraley, chief technology officer for Monsanto. «Every person at Monsanto believes in what we do — deliver great products to farmers — and at the end of the day, it makes everything we do more rewarding.» The survey ranks companies based on a range of attributes including benefits, research environment, job satisfaction, policies and practices and management integrity. This year’s survey drew a total of more than 1900 respondents. Survey respondents also cited training, educational development and a sense of community as predominant factors in establishing a positive workplace. «This year’s winners include innovative companies that value scientific creativity and encourage employees to give back to the community,» said Edyta Zielinska, associate editor for The Scientist, who oversees the Best Places survey. Monsanto also was recently recognized as one of 100 Best Companies to Work For by FORTUNE magazine. It was the only agricultural technology company to make the top 100 list. Monsanto was recognized for best-in-class employee retention and acknowledged for generous benefits, including: retirement plans, on-site fitness centers and employee wellness programs, paid time off and flexible work schedules. In March, Monsanto also made it to the Corporate Responsibility magazine’s list of «100 Best Corporate Citizens» for 2010, making this the third year in a row the company was featured on that list. Monsanto employs more than 22,000 people worldwide including more than 5,000 in the research and development organization. «As a company, Monsanto is very focused in a way that requires a strong long-term, global perspective, and diverse skill sets to accomplish its goals,» Franklin said. «We have a culture of innovation and of developing our people.»