Meet Katherine Pickus, ADM’s Chief Sustainability Officer

Global agricultural supply chain management leader ADM is welcoming a new Chief Sustainability Officer to its ranks.
Katherine Pickus takes over the role from Alison Taylor, who took up the position in 2017.
“Kathy, with her extensive experience in the sustainability field, is set to lead ADM's sustainability team to new heights,” Alison says.
Meet Katherine Pickus
Katherine joins ADM from Tyson Foods, the world's second-largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, where she has held the role of Vice President, Sustainability and Global Impact since 2021.
Prior to Tyson Foods, Katherine spent two years as Vice President Global Sustainability at Griffith Foods.
Katherine’s break-out sustainability management role came during her nearly 15 year tenure at Abbot, where she transitioned from communications and philanthropy to sustainability leadership.
Earlier in her career, she held roles including Director of Corporate Communications at Fruit of the Loom, Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor at The White House and Special Assistant to the Director, Officer of Private Sector Programmes at the United States Information Agency.
About ADM
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, ADM has 42,000 colleagues who serve customers across six continents, generating revenue of US$93bn in 2023.
As one of the world’s largest nutrition companies, ADM is “committed to developing innovative, sustainable solutions while continually improving our efforts in enhancing environmental and social sustainability.”
The company's sustainability efforts span four key areas:
- Habitat protection
- Climate
- Human rights
- Regenerative agriculture
In 2023, ADM achieved a 14.7% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 7.7% reduction in Scope 3 emissions from its baseline. The company expanded its global regenerative agriculture programme to more than 2.8 million acres, sequestering 263,700 metric tons of CO2 and reducing CO2e emissions by 310,000 metric tons.
ADM's commitment to biodiversity is evident in its partnership with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, through which ADM has provided US$1m in grants to support research and education.
The company's sustainability initiatives extend beyond environmental efforts. ADM has donated more than US$20m through its ADM Cares programme to support sustainability, food security and health.
Alison Taylor, outgoing CSO
Alison joined ADM in 2017 to take on the role of Chief Sustainability Officer, before which she spent more than a decade at Siemens as Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Americas. In her time at Siemens, she designed and implemented US$1m in sustainability programmes for the Americas and spearheaded US efforts contributing to 20% carbon emissions savings over five years.
“As I conclude my tenure of nearly 8 years as CSO at ADM, I am grateful for the unwavering support of my ADM colleagues,” Alison says.
“Together, we have generated innovative ideas, achieved our objectives, effectively communicated our narrative, and championed innovation and transformation in the agricultural industry.
“Our milestones, from initiatives like Strive35 to collaborations in regenerative agriculture, have been impactful and fulfilling.
“ADM holds a distinctive position in the agricultural value chain, capable of driving positive change from farm to table.
“In my role as a Climate Leader in Residence at Duke University and beyond, I look forward to cheering on Kathy, her team and the entire ADM community, anticipating remarkable accomplishments ahead!”
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