Monsanto receives eighth consecutive annual honor from DiversityInc.

Monsanto, a leader in sustainable agriculture, moved up to No. 43 on the list of DiversityInc.'s 2015 Top 50 Companies for Diversity, three places higher than its 2014 ranking.

Rankings were based on 183 criteria that were evaluated using a 300-question survey. Eligible organizations were required to have a minimum of 1,000 employees based in the United States and complete the extensive survey, which included questions about talent, talent development, leadership and supplier diversity.

“Monsanto has been building an increasingly diverse employment pipeline and using metrics to effectively communicate the importance of diversity,” DiversityInc. CEO Luke Visconti said.

Monsanto officials agreed, noting this is the eighth consecutive year it has been included on the list.

"Monsanto’s inclusive culture helps nurture innovation and provides a foundation to develop diverse solutions to some of agriculture’s biggest challenges,” Melissa Harper, Monsanto vice president for global talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion and human resources compliance, said.

Monsanto CEO and Chairman Hugh Grant said diversity has always been and will continue to be a focus for the company.

“A diverse and talented workforce, representative of all the farmers, stakeholders and communities we serve, is vital to Monsanto’s ability to help nourish our growing world,” Grant said.

The complete Top 50 list can be found online at www.diversityinc.com/top50.