Across the fields of Chile and Peru, the boardrooms of Brazil, the offices of Europe and the health clinics of Ghana, women are driving progress. They are influencing decisions, advancing innovation and strengthening communities across sectors and regions.
At UPL Corp, advancing equity and expanding opportunity is embedded in how we do business. Creating the conditions for inclusive leadership to thrive is not a side initiative, but a shared responsibility.
This International Women's Day we’re reflecting on what meaningful commitment to gender equity looks like in practice. At UPL Corp, that means four programmes running simultaneously across four continents, each shaped by the priorities and needs of women in very different contexts.
In Chile and Peru, the "Mujer Líder Agro Chile" programme strengthens the visibility and influence of women in agriculture. To date, 25 women leaders from across Chile's agricultural sector have taken part, building technical expertise and leadership capability through workshops covering plant physiology, sustainable agricultural practices and leadership development. Delivered alongside UPL's Educational Agreement with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the programme connects industry, research and academia to create lasting impact. The results speak for themselves: 89% of participants report higher confidence and the adoption of more sustainable practices in their work. An active community keeps the network alive between sessions, and the programme is set to reach 50 women leaders this year as it expands to new regions.
In Brazil, the UPelas programme has been running since 2022, engaging women across UPL’s network – clients, distributors, cooperative members and farmers. As Communications Manager Fernanda Poloni Blasque explains: "We want everyone to be recognised and valued. We are proud to raise this flag." UPL Corp Brazil’s participation in the National Congress of Women in Agribusiness in Oct 2025 brought this focus to one of Brazil's most prominent platforms, reinforcing its commitment to advancing gender equity across the industry.
In Europe, UPL Corp is an official partner of Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA), a global initiative founded in 2019 to promote gender diversity across the food and agriculture industry. Through the year-long WFA Mentoring Programme, UPL colleagues connect with senior industry leaders to develop the next generation of female talent. This work is already being recognised – two colleagues have been recognised through the WFA Awards 2026: Gérald Huart, Regulatory Head Europe, was named Male Ally of the Year, and Irini Tsiotra, Specialist in Crop and Non-Crop Product Management in Athens, was shortlisted for Mentee of the Year.
And in Ghana, Callighana's Pinktober 2025 initiative partnered with the Madina Polyclinic to screen 510 women for breast cancer, detecting abnormalities in 17 individuals. Notably, 42% of those cases were found in adolescents aged 14 to 19, a result that challenges assumptions and makes the case for earlier, wider screening.
These programmes differ in shape and scale. What they share is a belief that good ideas, strong leadership and meaningful change can come from anywhere, and that they do, when every person feels recognised, valued and treated with fairness. At UPL Corp, that's not an aspiration – it’s how we work every day.