Innovation

Ingredion's innovative solution centers on directly embedding sustainability and regenerative agriculture into the DNA of its global sourcing strategy, which directly supports SDG's 8, 12, and 13. By integrating fair labor practices, supporting smaller farmers (those who aren't large corporations/private equity), and by advancing sustainable agriculture nationwide, Ingredion stimulates economic growth and creates long-term livelihood improvements in agricultural communities world-wide, also ensuring equal growth opportunities. 

Additionally, through frameworks like the SAI Platform's Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA), Ingredion measures and verifies farm-level sustainability performance, which ensures transparency, accountability, and trust within its supply chain. 

One of Ingredion's most impactful innovations is its work with smallholder tapioca growers in Thailand, in which collaboration with local sourcing teams led to a measurable change. Farmers who had never participated in sustainability programs received training and resources to adopt regenerative practices, improving soil health, and reducing emissions. Within a few years, these growers achieved FSA Gold Level verification, which is the highest sustainability standard given by the SAI platform. 

Inspiration

Andrew Utterback, Ingredion’s Director of Global Sustainable Sourcing, was inspired by both professional and personal experiences. “I spent a lot of time working with farmers... I saw this as a way for us to support them better rather than just saying, ‘Hey, you need to fill out these surveys.’ This was Ingredion being able to go to those farmers and say, ‘Hey, we’re willing to partner with you, mid to long term, with money, with agronomist support, to help you make better decisions on your farm that we see as a way that is going to help improve your farm, help your fertility, help your soil, organic content, help you be more resilient in the face of climate change.’” The motivation was reinforced by the realization, during joint projects with PepsiCo, that sustainability could connect business goals, farmer welfare, and tangible climate action: “For me, it kind of connected a lot of dots for what we were doing. I really like being able to lift all the boats in the supply chain, help the farmers do better, build partnerships with customers, but also help us hit our climate goals and be able to talk about it. The ‘aha moment’ was seeing how regen ag can connect all these different points.

Utterback’s “aha” moment came during Ingredion’s first regenerative agriculture project with PepsiCo in Northern Illinois. What began as an experiment evolved into a model for partnership-driven climate action.

Ingredion’s commitment to sustainability took on new meaning when the company began exploring regenerative agriculture. For Andrew Utterback, Director of Global Sustainable Sourcing, the turning point came during Ingredion’s first regenerative project with a global food partner. Seeing how collaboration across the supply chain could help farmers adopt better practices and improve soil health showed him the real power of partnership.

Through years of working with growers, Andrew realized that true sustainability means helping farmers succeed, not just asking them to meet standards. This understanding inspired Ingredion to create programs that support farmers financially and technically while also advancing climate goals.

What began as an environmental effort has become a movement to connect people, profit, and planet — proving that sustainable agriculture can build stronger businesses and a healthier future for everyone.

Overall impact

Ingredion’s sustainability initiatives generate value across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. In the short term, the company has made remarkable progress toward its goal of sourcing 100 percent of its Tier-1 crops sustainably, with over 98 percent now verified under the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) or equivalent programs. As of 2024, more than 74,000 acres are managed using regenerative practices such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and reduced tillage, which are all aimed at restoring soil health, protecting biodiversity, and improving farm resilience. These results are all supported by measurable decreases in greenhouse gas emissions from supply operations. 

In the long term, Ingredion's innovation is building climate resilience, improving global food security, and strengthening communities through shared goals and development. By embedding sustainability directly into its business model, the company helps achieve SDGs 8, 12, and 13 by reducing scope 1-3 emissions through renewable energy and regenerative sourcing. The company's sustained progress towards its targets goes as an example that sustainable agriculture can scale profitably while keeping environmental impact in check. 

Business benefit

The program has transformed Ingredion’s business model, making sustainable sourcing a “table-stakes” requirement for securing and retaining major customers. Ingredion’s clients, especially multinationals, have chosen to continue and expand business due to Ingredion’s sustainability credentials when cheaper local competitors could not meet these standards. Regenerative agriculture projects have moved Ingredion from transactional supplier relationships to long-term commercial partnerships, enhancing stability, opening new markets, and allowing solution selling that leverages sustainability as a differentiator. Integration of the sustainability function with commercial operations improved responsiveness to market demand, supported proactive customer engagement, and created positive feedback loops for increased resource allocation and business scale.

Because the business invested in these initiatives, measurable gains have followed. Ingredion reports higher customer retention rates, driven by corporate buyers who are actively prioritizing verified sustainable sourcing. These partnerships have opened new revenue streams in high growth sectors like plant based proteins and clean-label ingredients, which are markets that are predicted to expand significantly within the coming decade. Sustainability has also strengthened Ingredion's brand reputation, attracting new investors focused on environmental performance. 

Social and environmental benefit

Ingredion’s innovation supports farmer livelihoods through adaptable training, financial support, and continuous improvement plans, especially for vulnerable smallholders, directly advancing SDG 8 through fair labor conditions and local job creation. The transformation to sustainable practices strengthens local communities and ensures equitable economic growth. 

Environmentally, Ingredion's initiatives deliver measurable reductions in greenhouse gases and improvements in water quality, contributing to SDG 13 through carbon mitigation and enhanced climate resilience. The company's focus on resource efficiency and waste reduction also drives progress towards SDG 12 by ensuring crops are grown and processed with minimal environmental impact across millions of acres. Lastly, by helping farmers become more resilient to climate change, Ingredion supports both the immediate and future viability of agricultural communities around the world. The program serves as a model for scalable, cross-sector collaboration to achieve SDGs and create lasting measurable impact.

Conclusion

Ingredion’s journey shows how a multinational ingredient supplier can thrive by aligning its business with planetary health. Through collaboration, science-based action, and empathy for farmers, Andrew Utterback and his team are redefining what it means to source responsibly.

Interview

Andrew Utterback, Director of Global Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture

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