IntroductionMonsanto Company is a Fortune 500 company founded in 1901 by John Francis Queeny. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Monsanto focuses on the production of agricultural seeds, biotech plant traits and crop protection chemicals. Monsanto began with the production of saccharin. Over time, however, they have expanded their products to include plastics, industrial fluids, herbicides and pesticides. Monsanto's transition from the chemical world to the biotechnological world occurred in 1983, when it was one of the first companies to genetically modify a plant cell. In 1987, they were the first to conduct field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops. Currently, Monsanto is a leading producer of glyphosphate herbicide, produced as Roundup, and genetically modified agricultural seeds designed to produce higher yields while maintaining the best characteristics for the next generation. (Monsanto, 2014) In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine placed the Monsanto Company at number 36 on its list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens (Corporate Responsibility Magazine, 2014). Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Agriculture Monsanto's primary commitment is to sustainable agriculture; have succeeded in creating genetically modified seeds to help farmers double their yields by 2030 compared to 2000 levels (Monsanto Sustainability Report 2012, 2014). Public opinion believes that the effects of the seeds have harmful effects on the environment, however the effects have been opposite. The seeds were bred to be Roundup resistant, allowing farmers to easily eliminate weeds without harming the plant; this reduces soil erosion, making reduced-till farming a practical option. (Forbes, 2009) At the current rate of...... middle of paper......lityReport_070913.pdf>.Monsanto Company. "Improving agriculture." Monsanto. Monsanto Company and Web. March 21, 2014. "Monsanto's 'Healthier Environment' Ads Banned in South Africa." RT.com. RT, March 21, 2014. Web. March 22, 2014. Phillips, Theresa, Ph.D. “Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops and Recombinant DNA Technology.” Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, 2008. Web. March 20, 2014. .Pomroy, Ross. "RealClearScience - Monsanto: More saint than sinner." Real clear science. Real Clear Science, May 15, 2013. Web. March 22. 2014. .