Mosaic employees volunteered with students throughout STEM Fest and passed on their own passion for STEM.  

School is out for the summer, but learning hasn’t stopped for students in Louisiana. On June 27, students in kindergarten through 12^th grade were immersed in the world of science, technology, engineering and math as part of STEM Fest at Lutcher High School. Led by STEM Global Action, a nonprofit focused on introducing STEM to students in under-served communities, STEM Fest seeks to encourage students to find passion in STEM-related fields through opportunities they may not otherwise experience. The event was made possible in part by a $50,000 grant from Mosaic.

More than 250 participants observed animal dissections, practiced coding, built battery-powered cars and learned about renewable energy sources like wind and solar. 20 Mosaic employees volunteered at the event with many working in the STEM field. They enjoyed seeing the passion for curiosity and problem-solving ignited in the next generation.

“I love stepping out of the lab and getting to know the people in the community,” said Mosaic Chemist Jenny Salario, who works at the Faustina facility. “I have a background in education and truly enjoy bringing knowledge about my career as a female in science into the schools and showing the versatility of a STEM education background.”

STEM talent is in high demand. According to staffing agency Adecco, jobs in the STEM field are growing twice as fast as non-STEM jobs, with more than 11 million estimated jobs available by 2030.

The goal of STEM Fest is two-fold: to inspire future generations to pursue these careers, and to help diversify future talent by exposing those in under-served communities to STEM-related careers. Sixty percent of students within St. James Parish Schools, which partnered with Mosaic and STEM Global Action for STEM Fest, are Black.

Women and minorities continue to be underrepresented in STEM careers, with only one-third of STEM jobs held by women in 2021, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Similarly, minorities including Black people, Hispanics and American Indians only comprised a combined 24 percent of the STEM workforce in 2021. While the numbers have improved over the last decade, events like STEM Fest hope to accelerate that growth.

“Partnering with STEM Global Action and St. James Parish Schools for this event allows us to meet and engage with the future workers of our community,” said Mosaic Public Affairs Manager Brandon Keller. “STEM Fest exposes students to what’s possible in the world and serves as a reminder that these opportunities are available in their own backyard with companies like ours. We have a long history in Louisiana of employing and supporting families, and our goal is to continue that work by investing in the next generation of talent today.”

In addition to the day’s STEM activities, more than 600 boxes of food were distributed to those in attendance and other members of the community by the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. The donation helps fill a summer gap, as more than 1 in 4 children in Louisiana face food insecurity.  

“This STEM Fest is a testament to the power of partnerships,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder and CEO of STEM Global Action. “By working together, we are giving students access to unique, hands-on experiences and resources they might not normally have. These collaborative efforts are essential in equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to be competitive in the 21^st century, preparing our children to be the leaders of tomorrow.”

Hear more from our employees in STEM about why they wanted to volunteer for STEM Fest below.

“I love volunteering, especially when it comes to kids who are still trying to figure out their path forward. It’s important to let young adults know that we were all at that point at one time, and to follow their passion.”

– Kristin Gordon, Reliability Engineer

“Volunteering allows me to be engaged with St. James Parish community and kids by making a difference in their lives as an experienced mentor. It also helps me develop new skills, meet new people and learn more about STEM NOLA and causes that are important to me.”

– Earl Johnson, Mechanical Integrity Engineer

“For me, it’s about helping the next generation grow intellectually, understand science, technology and engineering in a way that keeps them interested. We never know what can spark an interest or help keep a child interested, and it excites me to be a part of it. As an electrical engineer, it’s even more advantageous to get kids interested not just in engineering, but in electrical principles.”

 – Dave Jones, Engineering Superintendent

Growing up in St. James Parish, Kayla Ferchaud knew of Mosaic as a major employer in her community. Still, she never considered that she might one day work for the company. 

Ferchaud is entering her junior year at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she is majoring in biological engineering. She completed a co-op with Mosaic in April. 

“I’m on the bioprocess track,” Ferchaud said. “It’s focused on taking living organisms or organic matter to create a product. It’s like the chemical process, but instead of inorganic material, it’s living material.” 

This type of engineering can be applied to numerous fields, including biofuels or medicine. The variety of paths attracted Ferchaud to the major, and eventually led her to her role with Mosaic as a Student Engineer Co-Op focused on environmental engineering. 

“I live less than 10 minutes away from Faustina and across the river from Uncle Sam,” Ferchaud said.  “I was at a point in my studies where I wasn’t sure what industry I wanted to use my degree in. I thought it would be nice to explore the role of an environmental engineer.” 

As a co-op, Ferchaud aided in daily housekeeping inspections at Louisiana’s facilities by performing safety checks and cleanliness inspections. She also conducted daily sampling of chemical oxygen demand, or COD, in ponds and ditches around the plants. 
“When less oxygen is in the water, your biological matter cannot sustain life,” she said. “Most of what we sample is done as a preventative action.” 

Ferchaud also conducted research along the way. She wanted to study the relationship between the outside temperature and how it affected the results of the COD test, thinking that warmer temperatures may cause higher COD levels. Through multiple tests and studies, she determined that temperature was not a dominant factor in COD levels. 

Ferchaud especially enjoyed the housekeeping inspections, which allowed her to see other areas of Mosaic sites she may not have been able to visit otherwise. 

“To go into these places was a whole new world,” she said. “I was able to see one of the trains where the product comes in and see the product being moved. I also saw the docks where boats would come in along the river.” 

Product was constantly moving at the facility, Ferchaud realized. And the infrastructure only added to her experience. 

“There are gigantic barrels (of dry product) at these sites,” she said. “Every time I see something bigger than a human that’s manmade, my mind is blown.” 

While she was nervous about embarking on an environmental engineering co-op, Ferchaud is grateful for the experience and looks forward to continuing her education and beyond. 

“My biggest takeaway is not to judge a book by its cover,” she said. “When I first started my co-op, I wasn’t sure environmental engineering was something I really wanted to pursue. I thought the industrial industry wasn’t for me. But after I started seeing the things that go on inside the plant and talking to different people who work here, my viewpoint changed. If I ever have the opportunity to do it again, I would take it.” 

Ferchaud is grateful for all those who helped her along the way, including her mentor, Mosaic Environmental Technician Devin Durgin. 
“During the course of her co-op, Kayla became a tremendous help in our day-to-day environmental duties at Faustina,” Durgin said. “Her willingness to learn, engage and relentless drive to exceed expectations was greatly noticed and appreciated by all.” 

Co-ops and internship opportunities are offered year-round at Mosaic and provide students with hands-on learning opportunities in the field. Co-ops are available to students in qualifying post-secondary, college or university programs. Ferchaud hopes other students, especially those local to the area, will also take an interest in working close to home. 

“This co-op was really special,” Ferchaud said. “By having this position, I feel I was able to show people in this area, especially high school students, that there’s a world of opportunity right under their nose.”  

To learn more about co-op opportunities, visit the Careers tab at mosaicinlouisiana.com. 

The Bayou Region is open for business. Mosaic is making it possible. 

Initial startup costs can hinder many would-be businesses from ever launching. That’s why Nicholls State University has officially opened the Bayou Region Incubator (BRI), a hub for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to find mentorships, trainings, workspaces and networking opportunities while promoting a diverse, growing economy within Louisiana’s Bayou Region. 

As one of the leading companies in the area’s manufacturing industry, Mosaic is committed to helping the economy continue to grow with a $50,000 sponsorship for the incubator.  

Mosaic’s contribution will be allocated for diversity and inclusion trainings for small businesses, while also covering the cost for the BRI to become a member of the River Region Chamber of Commerce. This support enables BRI members to attend chamber events and reach additional businesses within the region. 

Within the BRI, Mosaic’s contribution allows for new and existing businesses to take part in different membership levels, including two virtual memberships providing online training and resources and five weekly membership plans giving members access to shared, collaborative workspaces complete with presentation capabilities. It also includes two commons area memberships ideal for small groups; five meeting room vouchers; two dedicated desks memberships offering a reserved desk and locker space; and one year of sponsorship for a private office space. 

“We have incredible talent in the area, and the Bayou Region Incubator serves as a great resource for those looking to start or elevate their business,” said Brandon Keller, Mosaic Public Affairs Manager. “We’re excited to see what ideas and businesses come out of the incubator to strengthen both our economy and community. We’re proud to be among the first supporters of this initiative.”

According to Feeding America, more than 1 in 7 people in Louisiana are food insecure — including more than 234,000 children, making Louisiana the state with the second-highest child poverty rate in the United States.

To address this challenge and change those numbers, Mosaic has partnered with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank on a three-year, $600,000 investment that will be used to extend the nonprofit’s reach to previously underserved Louisiana communities.  The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank supports 11 parishes in Louisiana and faces an annual meal gap of 17.2 million meals. While the organization already offered much-needed services like backpacks, school pantries and school closets to surrounding areas, the resources were not yet available in St. James Parish prior to Mosaic’s investment. 

With Mosaic’s support, hundreds of children in St. James Parish will have access to nutritious meals they may not otherwise have during non-school hours. As the world’s leading integrated producer of concentrated phosphate and potash fertilizer, Mosaic recognizes the importance of providing nutritious food to the world.

“This commitment allows us to reach more children who are missing meals and may be struggling in school as a result,” said Mike Manning, President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. “We know children struggle physically and mentally when they are not properly nourished. We are truly grateful for Mosaic’s financial investment in these critical services for our community.” 

To help close the gap in St. James Parish, Mosaic connected with the parish school district, which identified a need for a backpack program at multiple schools. Filled with child-friendly foods like fruit cups and cereals for grades K-12, backpacks are sent home with students over the weekend and returned to school the following Monday. The backpack program was initially launched throughout St. James Parish in 2023. More than eight schools participated, and approximately 9,901 backpacks were distributed. This equated to nearly 112,000 meals served to St. James Parish students and their families. 

Additionally, Mosaic’s leadership connecting the school district and the food bank led to the implementation of two school closets – compact, on-site food pantries – for students at two schools in the parish. 

“We’re humbled to see the impact this first year investment has had on the St. James Parish community,” said Brandon Keller, Public Affairs Manager at Mosaic. “We’re honored to do our part to help close the gap and work to alleviate hunger in St. James Parish and beyond.” 

Today we acknowledge the UN’s commitment and dedication to promoting safety and wellness efforts in the workplace around the globe.  

For Mosaic, Acting Responsibly includes being accountable to our teams for their well-being, onsite and in the community. In the last year, adjusting to new distractions at work and home was a challenge, but Mosaic employees have come together in inspiring ways to support their communities and each other through this unique time. We instituted new safety and scheduling procedures to minimize Covid-19 exposure, including requiring masks, temperature screening and many other proactive measures.  While we are encouraged for the future, we continue to enforce these important protocols to protect each other. 

We employ more than 12,000 dedicated, hard-working people at Mosaic. We understand the nature of our industry and operations can come with risks, which is why we support and foster a culture of worker safety and wellness. 

In conjunction with Mosaic’s strategic priorities and our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Performance Targets, strengthening our management system continues to be a critical priority. In 2020, we rolled out our environmental, health, and safety (EHS) 2030 Vision to represent our focus areas: technology, worker wellness, and social responsibility – all anchored by our management system to ensure we’re accounting for potential risks and putting mitigation in place. By prioritizing risk reduction to drive toward zero safety and environmental incidents we put employees in the driver's seat to identify risk reduction opportunities and implement solutions.  More than 1,700 projects have been completed since the program began in 2019.    

Last year, we developed the EHS Risk Reduction Recognition program to celebrate these important projects with our teams. While we are eager to celebrate in person, both last year and this year’s awards ceremony will be held virtually to promote important projects that have contributed to moving beyond compliance, reducing impacts to the environment, and creating long-term, sustainable positive impacts for Mosaic’s workforce.  

Learn more about last year’s winners and look out for more information on the 2020 EHS Risk Reduction Recognition recipients in May. 

These projects are in addition to the important NextGEN work that helps to implement transformative technological change that in addition to cost savings and efficiencies provides new, safer methods of doing business for our workforce. The innovation and ingenuity of Mosaic employees and their commitment to safety was reinforced this year by the National Safety Council, which honored us with the 2020 Robert W. Campbell Award - the prestigious, international award celebrates our 10-year journey in EHS excellence. 

We continue to celebrate these important milestones at Mosaic, but we believe our journey to zero injuries and incidents is always ongoing and should be top of mind for all of our teams. Learn more about our ESG Performance Targets and our approach to worker wellness and safety. 

Mining and fertilizer manufacturing are water intensive endeavors. Water is a valued input to food production and economic activity and many natural water ecosystems neighbor our operating footprint. For Mosaic to do its part in putting food on the global table, we must use and interact with water responsibly. 

This year’s World Water Day, which is celebrated annually on March 22, focuses on Valuing Water, a sentiment Mosaic supports. This week we’re taking water-focused action on two fronts. First, we’re celebrating new and long-time water-based partners whose impressive work is conserving water habitat, promoting nutrient stewardship and restoring watersheds in places that neighbor our operations and customer presence. Learn more about our community investments. In addition, Mosaic is launching a campaign for our operational-facing employees across North America to encourage water reduction activities to reach our goal to reduce our freshwater usage by 20% per product ton by 2025. 

Using Water Wisely

Mosaic is hosting its first Water Week, positioned to both educate and inspire employees to think differently about water in their daily work and the risks and opportunities it presents to our industry. Last year Mosaic set 13 bold ESG Performance Targets, several focused on our interactions with water. Making measurable progress will take efforts from every employee and focused investment in innovative projects. The Use Water Wisely campaign is a part of these continued efforts championed by Sustainability Leads at all of our mining and manufacturing facilities. 

Water Week will include a Virtual Water Round Table discussion for employees with internal water subject matter experts, and a compelling presentation from long-time partner, The Nature Conservancy, where they’ll hear more about a range of water-related topics like risks to industry from climate change and the importance of nutrient stewardship for farmers using fertilizer products.

This great work echoes programs that are already implemented in our South American operations at Mosaic Fertilizantes. Through the Zero Leak Program and other efforts, facilities are making progress on implementing similar innovative campaigns to educate and promote water reduction and efficiencies.

Learn more about Mosaic’s approach to Acting Responsibly and our efforts to minimize our impacts on the environment.