Sarah Mears is now our permanent General Manager People & Safety, as announced in August following a stint as Acting General Manager People & Safety. Though our customers may not meet Sarah directly in their interactions with PGG Wrightson (PGW), her leadership and expertise empowers our team members to bring their best selves to work, backed by technical expertise and strong values to deliver our products and services. Since joining our team in 2011, Sarah has worked with all business units across the company in HR Business Partnering roles and took on the Group HR Manager role in 2019.  

“The People & Safety team are one of the key reasons that I have felt confident to step into the General Manager People & Safety role. The team are passionate about achieving the best possible outcomes for our people and our business,” Sarah said. “I am fortunate to lead a group with exceptional technical skills in various Human Resources specialties, who balance this with an understanding of the importance of building relationships and truly knowing our business.”  

Acknowledging that the needs of employees and the challenges they face are changing at pace, Sarah is eager to support. “I am excited about ensuring that our people strategy is dynamic enough to ensure we remain an ‘Employer of Choice’ for an increasingly diverse future workforce. I would like to ensure that we are looking to the horizon and implementing people initiatives that drive safety, wellbeing, engagement, and performance.” 

Though not originally from an agricultural background, over the past 13 years at PGW, Sarah has built a solid understanding of the sector and the support our employees need to prosper in their roles.  

“Understanding the industry, the markets and our customers is integral to providing People & Safety support,” says Sarah. “I believe that many of the career development opportunities I have had are a result of our people in the field being so generous in sharing their knowledge and experience. This has allowed me to contribute to a range of commercial projects which has rounded out my overall leadership experience.” 

“What surprised me is the level of complexity and technology driving the sector. It's not just about growing crops and raising animals; it’s about precision, sustainability, and innovation. The industry is dynamic and progressive so working in this sector requires constant learning to meet evolving demands.” 

Sarah is responsible for developing and delivering the strategy and leadership of our Health, Safety & Wellbeing, Human Resources Business Partnering and HR Shared Services teams that support our teams nationwide.  

When asked what Sarah loves most about her role, her passion for supporting people in growing their careers shines through. She loves seeing leaders develop, build skills and and gain experience that empowers them to support their teams. “If I get a chance to be involved in their leadership development through coaching, off-job training, selection or simply by giving our leaders the tools to ensure a great employee experience, then it’s a good day.” 

Another aspect of Sarah’s approach to building teams is encouraging people to bring their whole self to work. “Fostering a culture of trust, innovation, and inclusion where people feel empowered to be authentic not only enhances collaboration and engagement but also drives diversity of thought and creativity,” she says. 

Outside of work, Sarah prioritises family and travel, particularly if it involves extreme watersports. “My favourite ‘job’ is being an Aunty to five nieces and one nephew, and I love spending time with them. My travel bucket list grows every year, and I have been lucky enough to visit Southeast Asia many times. I’m a bit of an outdoors adrenaline junkie (particularly with water) and I am still trying to learn the art of active relaxing.”  

Working in the agricultural and horticultural industries crosses over with her interest in cooking and has grown her interest in ‘paddock to plate’ dining. Connecting with the primary sector provides the opportunity to contribute to something essential—feeding people and sustaining communities. 

“The passion and resilience of those working in the farming industry is inspiring, and I love hearing about how our teams partner with our customers to adapt to changing market and climate conditions.” 

We are pleased to have Sarah on board and settled into the General Manager People & Safety role, empowering our teams now and into the future. If you are interested in learning more about our team and current opportunities at PGW, head to our careers website.