Syngenta announced today it was celebrating its fifth anniversary by planting tens of thousands of trees around the world. To launch the program, the company will plant a tree for every employee, some 20,000 trees in all, in Africa.

Building on this national business units will also plant a tree for every employee in support of specific environmental and social initiatives in their country. In total, as many as 40,000 trees will be planted worldwide through the anniversary recognition.

“Since our formation in 2000, Syngenta has flourished and our fifth anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate,” said Michael Pragnell, Syngenta Chief Executive Officer. “This is our way of paying tribute to our employees who built the company, and to symbolize our commitment to sustainable agriculture. It is also a reminder of the meaning of the name Syngenta, derived from Greek and Latin origins: together with people.”

Syngenta was formed on 13 November 2000 from the merger of Novartis Agribusiness and Zeneca Agrochemicals. It has been pioneering corporate social responsibility programs particularly in the field of sustainable agriculture, soil conservation, water quality, employee well-being and community involvement; all of these are reflected in this initiative.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).