CIMMYT reviews

- Generally old-fashioned. Lacks flexibility and is extremely slow to include new methods, new ideas, new ways of working.. - Since the change of leadership in 2021, the organization has been lacking vision and direction. It is not clear what CIMMYT wants to accomplish and how to get there. It has also changed the culture to mistrust and micromanagement. Along with the general lack of motivation caused by Covid and the merge with One CGIAR, staffs are burning out and leaving. - Lack of transparency. Leadership never explains the reasons behind decisions or appointments. It is not even clear who is leading certain programs or departments. - Leadership doesn't trust other teams and units. Everything has to be micromanaged by the top leader and his clique. Initiative and proactivity are discouraged. - Short-sighted decisions and policies. Policies are applied and interpreted against staff, just to save a few dolars. - Lack of professional development prospects. Zero possibilities to evolve to a higher role..

Administratively, the place is a mess. Too much politics, nepotism and corruption in some areas (all known but protected by the top management, as long as it’s their people). Because of that, the working environment is normally tense. People committing fraud or other types of white collar crimes are promoted instead of fired, as long as they show blind loyalty to the top management. Most of the of the “leaders” at the top are pretty incompetent, some also corrupt or nepotist. The compliance officer/legal facilitates and uses those practices too. On top of that, there is a lot of discrimination and salary gaps; salaries and promotions depend more on politics instead of skills or functions. Gaps between one rank and the next one are normally huge (~5x to 15x).