Diverse cultures, shared values

Five years ago, we launched the KWS Gateway Research Center (GRC) at BRDG Park in St. Louis (USA), a location that is distinguished by an excellent research environment. We have the Danforth Plant Science Center, Americas largest plant research institute, just outside our door as well as universities and start-ups. It’s the best foundation to strengthen our position in the global plant research community by gaining access to new technologies, first-class expertise, and talents.

After opening in 2015 we started our research with just a handful of people. Five years later the GRC has not only grown to almost 40 talented employees, it has developed its own identity while becoming a valued part of the global research team. Our three Heads of Research Derek Bartlem, Jürgen Schweden and Hinrich Harling explain how it all happened.

You’ve just celebrated the 5^th anniversary of Gateway Research Center (GRC). What were you envisaging when you launched it?

Hinrich Harling: We wanted to make sure KWS accessed global scientific knowledge, and we wanted our research network to have more than a European perspective. The vision was for GRC to be part of a global research organization, focusing on technologies such as genome editing. We also wanted the specific character of GRC and its people to develop organically with a diverse culture.

Recruitment and retention must be challenging with one of the world’s agricultural biotech giants, Bayer Crop Science, formerly Monsanto, right next door. What attracts people to GRC?

Derek Bartlem: Our culture is a very big factor for staff retention. People say that they feel valued and a sense of belonging to KWS as a whole, not just GRC. We’re pleasantly surprised at how effective we are at attracting talent despite St. Louis being the global HQ of biotech activities of Bayer Crop Science. For the last five years the region has been growing as the AgTech hub of the US. Lots of start-ups are moving to the area, so there’s now tremendous access to qualified personnel. We’ve recruited locally and from other parts of the US – California, Texas and the East Coast. And we’ve been able to retain these people.

Describe how Einbeck and St. Louis collaborate.

Derek Bartlem: Our activities are spread over the two locations, not divided between two locations, and researchers at both sites often contribute to the same project. Due to the different DNA in each location, there is a constructive tension that leads to productive outcomes. The underlying philosophy is that it’s okay to have two different types of DNA so long as we share values.

How did you achieve a corporate culture of one team and two identities?

Jürgen Schweden: The challenge for us was to create a structure which supported constructive diversity, information exchange and discussion. This initially required a lot of real physical exchange rather than just a Skype conversation – visiting each other and exchanging knowledge, information, building networks and understanding cultural differences on both ends was and is important.

Hinrich Harling: It’s important that people in one location know and understand people in the other, not just technically but in how they work. Research technicians sometimes need to exchange knowledge between one site and the other or to implement a technology. Secretaries and assistants doing the organizational work travel to get more involved. There’s an exchange program which builds understanding, opens minds and promotes the interactive collaborative spirit we want to achieve.

Derek Bartlem: The benefits of the exchange are also not limited to just the participants. When the person returns it’s important that they share what they’ve learned and what’s different and help all their local colleagues achieve a deeper understanding.

Are other locations involved as well?

Jürgen Schweden: In biotech, it’s just Einbeck and St. Louis, but the plan to transfer Genective – our joint venture which aims to develop genetic traits for corn – from Europe to Champaign, Illinois, has been furthered by the success of the GRC. The GRC also fosters relationships with our various US breeding activities such as Cereals in Champaign and Sugarbeet in Shakopee, Minnesota.

What are your plans for the upcoming five years?

Jürgen Schweden: You need two major things to turn your ideas for innovations into reality: skilled people and a method of testing ideas and product concepts in the field. With GRC now embedded in a major US agriculture area, it is easier for us to apply our research in field trials in the Midwest.

It’s become obvious that diversity creates value. We don’t want to drift into separate organizations but to strengthen knowledge sharing and data utilization. Currently genome editing is one of the competence areas of the GRC. Going forward we want to expand past developing the technology to trait areas where we can apply biotech to create solutions such as insect control, for example. The long term vision is to then expand this virtual lab around the whole world. Are we already there? No. But we’re well on our way. |