At Topigs Norsvin, sustainability is not viewed as a separate initiative, but as an integrated part of how the company develops genetics, supports farmers, and considers our employees. In our mission to aid in the development and production of nutritious pork, these are all important topics to account for in our contribution to society.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you ended up working with sustainability? 

When I was young, my parents said: “She will do something with animals.” I was going to study to become a veterinarian. But then in high school I took some advanced courses and found them too theoretical. I really liked being hands-on, and I had an agriculture teacher who suggested animal husbandry. So that became my path instead. 

I ended up in Europe partly because I’m half English. This was when Brexit was on the agenda. To save money and have a nice experience, I went to The Netherlands and studied Applied Animal Science. I eventually ended up with pigs through my study program, and found that I really like them. There’s a lot of work to be done in the sector and pigs are dynamic creatures. 

I proceeded with a master’s degree at Wageningen University to dive deeper. My interest expanded beyond just farms and farming systems, to include the political atmosphere and all the issues surrounding farmers. That’s how I ended up in sustainability. 

What attracted you to the role at Topigs Norsvin? 

When I finished my master’s degree, I had been doing a lot of research-based work and I missed working in a team. I had worked with Topigs Norsvin during my bachelor internship and checked the website for sustainability-related content. I felt the company could do more with sustainability communication. 

I went to a career fair in December 2024, gave my business card to a colleague, and after three interviews I was hired. I started on February 17. 

What was your first impression?

Everybody was so friendly and open, so I got this family feeling from the company, which I like a lot. 

What surprised me most was how broad the field of genetics actually is. Sometimes when I think about genetics, I think it’s very specific and very technical. But when I look at how Topigs Norsvin is organized, with six different research platforms and a decentralized operational structure, I realize how wide the impact actually is.

How do you personally define sustainability? 

Sustainability is about impacts, either positive or negative, on the environment or society. It's about considering how our operations and actions are impacting people and the planet. 

I also like to attach one more part to it, because within the word sustainability is the word “sustain”. For the future, I think it's important to remind ourselves to try to give something back to the planet and to people through sustainability initiatives. 

Why is sustainability important in animal breeding, as opposed to other parts of the pork value chain? 

At Topigs Norsvin, we are supplying farmers across the world with genetic material:  animals and semen. Farmers sit at the intersection of humans and nature. By supplying products and animals, we impact that relationship every day through our operations. 

How does sustainability in breeding differ from sustainability at farm level? 

The way that we breed animals and work with animals is different from a commercial pig farm. We have research practices and product development considerations that farmers don't necessarily have. Because those different contexts exist, you also have different sustainability considerations. 

In which ways does Topigs Norsvin contribute to sustainability?

Balanced breeding is an obvious one, but it's important to define what balanced breeding really means for us. 

A very familiar example is improving feed conversion ratio. Making pigs more resource-efficient has a positive impact because feed is the highest cost input, but also because of land use considerations when growing feed. 

Another important contribution that might be overlooked is the work of our Global Technical Services. They help farmers achieve genetic potential by creating the right conditions for our pigs, which benefits both performance and animal welfare - both of which help with resource use efficiency. 

Can you describe the sustainability program at Topigs Norsvin? 

The sustainability program aims to bring all of our colleagues along to define and understand what sustainability means for us as a company and how we want to contribute in the future. 

My role focuses on three areas: data collection and compliance, learning and development, and improvement actions once we fully understand our impact areas. Currently, this is being further outlined with our sustainability consultancy partner.   

What is CSRD and why does it matter for Topigs Norsvin? 

CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) is European Union legislation that requires companies above certain size thresholds to publicly report on their environmental and social impacts. Even companies headquartered outside Europe must comply if they have significant EU operations. 

The first CSRD-compliant report from Topigs Norsvin is expected in 2028, with preparation beginning in 2026. 

The directive aims to increase transparency and accountability, ensuring companies measure and disclose their sustainability performance using standardized metrics. By following a gold-standard like CSRD, we can better align with customers that fall within scope. Meanwhile, it will allow us to provide the most up-to-date, credible information to our customers and stakeholders in regards to our sustainability performance.

Pig production faces skepticism from consumers. What are the biggest challenges in communicating sustainability in this context? 

Pig breeding is associated with a sector that is often seen as unsustainable by the outside world. Sustainability is interpreted in many different ways, and breeding is historically less visible to consumers than other parts of the value chain. That makes transparency, measurement, and clear communication especially important to avoid greenwashing. 

What does success look like for the sustainability program? 

In one year, success is understanding our impacts through data. In five years, it's making targeted improvements on our impact areas and operational hotspots. 

This interview is the first in a series exploring sustainability at Topigs Norsvin.