DuPont's senior vice president and chief science and technology officer, Uma Chowdhry, issued a statement regarding the company's improved employer profile: "We are proud to be recognized as a top employer. For more than 200 years, DuPont researchers and scientists have delivered innovative, science-based solutions to make the world a healthier, safer, and better place. We are uniquely positioned to use our leading-edge science and global reach to meet the needs of a growing population."
DuPont has recently invested a great deal of its resources in developing a world-class biotechnology research program, including the fields of agricultural biotechnology, biofuels, and biomaterials. One of the most important goals of the company is to build and maintain a reputation of strong research, which has led to the successful creation and implementation of a variety of technologies, including "improving productivity for farmers, providing a safer food supply for consumers, and delivering materials and consumer products made from renewable sources." In December 2006, the company expanded its research division by adding more than 400 positions to further seed biotechnology research.
DuPont employs more than 5,000 scientists and engineers, investing an average sum of $1.4 billion per year on research and development. This continued dedication to study and observation has proven fruitful for the company, which has seen an increase in both profits and recruitment, with net revenues totaling more than $28 billion in 2006. DuPont has broadened its reach to cover a multitude of industries, including agriculture, automotive, construction, electronics, chemicals, and industrial materials.
DuPont has also taken the lead in becoming part of the trend of environmentally friendly corporations. In 2005, Businessweek and The Climate Group ranked DuPont number one among companies reducing their carbon emissions. In the past, DuPont had chalked up a very mixed record on the environment. The Climate Group, however, announced that DuPont had cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 65% from levels recorded in 1990 by using 7% less energy while increasing productivity by 30%. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, however, countered The Climate Group's report by accusing DuPont of being the largest corporate producer of air pollution in the United States.
Overall, the biotechnology industry has been suffering from the affects of a worsening public image and general job dissatisfaction. A recent survey has found that as many as a third of workers in the biotechnology industry plan on seeking a other employment. There are two primary reasons for such high dissatisfaction: one, the desire to be challenged in a different environment and, two, the need for career advancement.
DuPont employees participating in the survey gave the company high marks in the areas of doing valuable research, company loyalty, and social responsibility. DuPont describes itself as a company which "puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation."
