Sustainability starts with the seed: KWS sets targets through 2035

Einbeck, July 2, 2026

KWS has further developed its Sustainability Ambition and defined concrete targets until 2035. In doing so, the plant breeding company responds to the growing demands on agriculture – from climate change and scarce resources to rising food demand.

As a seed specialist, KWS focuses on where sustainable agriculture begins: with the seed. Advances in breeding and research make it possible to secure stable yields even under challenging climatic conditions while reducing the use of resources. In this way, plant breeding forms an important foundation for economically viable, ecologically responsible, and socially balanced agriculture.

With its Sustainability Ambition 2035, KWS bundles its activities along four strategic pillars:

1) Enhance agricultural resilience

KWS aims to enable stable yields under changing climatic conditions through continuous progress in plant breeding. By 2035, a cumulative breeding gain of at least ten percent is targeted in core markets to further improve productivity and resource efficiency.

2) Empower farmers

KWS is systematically expanding its advisory offering, combining agronomic expertise and digital solutions to support farmers across the entire crop rotation. The goal is to reach a cultivated area of around 35 million hectares with these services by 2035.

3) Drive sustainability in our operations

Operational processes are also being further aligned with sustainability goals. KWS plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own activities (Scope 1 and 2) by 63 percent by 2035. In addition, measures to improve water-use efficiency at breeding stations are continuously expanded.

4) Foster social and employee engagement

KWS aims to maintain or exceed benchmark levels of employee engagement over the long term and to continuously improve occupational safety. In addition, the company plans to invest at least one percent of its annual EBIT in social projects by 2035.

“Sustainability in agriculture is not determined by a single factor, but along the entire value chain. At KWS, we start with the seed: through breeding advances, practical advice, and clear targets for our own activities. With our Sustainability Ambition 2035, we are establishing a binding framework for our contribution,” explains Dr. Felix Büchting, Spokesperson of the KWS Executive Board.

With its sharpened targets, KWS reaffirms its role as a reliable partner for agriculture and the entire food value chain – with the aim of combining economic success, ecological responsibility, and societal value.

KWS reports regularly on progress in implementing this ambition as part of its sustainability report. Further information on sustainability targets can be found on the website.

KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Approximately 5,000 employees* in more than 70 countries generated revenue of around 1.68 billion euros in the 2024/2025 fiscal year. For 170 years, KWS has been managed as a family-owned company, operating autonomously and independently. Its core activities include plant breeding, production, and the sale of sugar beet, corn, cereal, vegetable, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds. KWS employs state-of-the-art plant breeding methods to increase farmers’ yields and further improve plants’ resistance to diseases, pests, and abiotic stress. To achieve this goal, the company invested approximately 350 million euros in research and development during the past fiscal year.

*excluding seasonal workers