In Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Senegal, Dole is affiliated with Groupe Compagnie Fruitière ("Compagnie Fruitière"), of which it is a minority shareholder.

Products and Areas of Production

Cameroon - Bananas, Pineapples
Ivory Coast - Bananas, Pineapples

Ghana – Bananas, Pineapples
Senegal – Cherry tomatoes

Compagnie Fruitière has approximately 17,500 employees in Europe, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mauritania and Ghana.

Independent Growers

CCompagnie Fruitière produces and exports its own fruits. The Company does not source from independent growers in Cameroon or the Ivory Coast. However, a project started in 2008 with 6 independent pineapples growers in Ivory Coast as a means of reviving this industry.

Environmental Practices

Compagnie Fruitière’s programs in the environmental area have been formally recognized as ISO 14001 certified, for its operations in both Cameroon and the Ivory Coast.
In its production areas, Compagnie Fruitière makes every effort to respect the environment by using sustainable agricultural practices and applying the minimum amount of phytosanitary products under optimal conditions.

Compagnie Fruitière selects the best technical processes, derived from both traditional knowledge and state-of-the-art expertise. For pest control, this entails letting land lie fallow and achieving total pest-free seed through in-vitro multiplication in its own laboratories and crop rotation. In particular, banana and pineapple crop rotation in Cameroun enabled a significant reduction in the use of nematicides. An analysis of the diseases’ and parasites’ development level is performed in order to apply the treatments only when necessary. These methods efficiently and safely fight harmful pests, such as banana specific diseases, nematodes, weeds, weevils and post-harvest fungi, which jeopardize production quality.

Compagnie Fruitière’s scientists have mapped the plantations’ soil in order to avoid indiscriminate application of fertilizers, thus minimizing their use. This approach in turn regulates nutritional balances, helping to stabilize the fruits’ natural quality. In addition, this state-of-the-art knowledge helps prevent erosion and further protects the environment.

The soil’s physical qualities are improved by using alternate cover crops or organic materials. Compagnie Fruitière disposes of, recycles or returns wastes, including plastic, to the vendor.

Compagnie Fruitière is developing an ecosystem protection policy that is been implemented through a close monitoring of the environment (study of environmental impact), careful selection of the production areas the sites according to their water availabilities, a parsimonious use of water (recycling systems are set up), and reforestation in the areas surrounding the operations. (1 250 000 trees have been planted in the Ivory Coast and Cameroon).

Compagnie Fruitière collects all wastes so that they do not come off the secured channels.

Labor Conditions

Compagnie Fruitière’s working conditions meet and often exceed the applicable labor laws and Conventions of the International Labor Organization. They include:

• Prohibition of child labor
• Equal opportunity regardless of sex, race or creed
• Continuous employee training and use of protective equipment on the farms
• Job diversification and incentives that allow workers to better judge the quality of their work
• Fair wages and benefits (health insurance, limited working hours, freedom of association, etc.)

The Company specifically focuses on training and medical follow-up of the employees who have to carry out works that could be risky for them or the environment (e.g. driving machines, handling crop protection products, etc.)

Subsidiaries of Compagnie Fruitière are regularly audited against the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) code of conduct.

Community Programs

Medical Programs

In all the countries in which it operates, Compagnie Fruitière ensures that employees and their families have access to healthcare either through local structures supported by the company, or through its own infrastructures. Mutual insurances or Compagnie Fruitière finance the access to these healthcare programs.

Main infrastructures partially or totally funded by Compagnie Fruitière are:

•  A 120-bed hospital equipped with 4 operating rooms, 3 delivery rooms, radiology and ophthalmology services, a laboratory and a pharmacy
• 24 health centres,
• Five maternity wards,
• Five ambulances, which have completed over 2,250 emergency transfers to medical centres

These infrastructures employ:

•  Nine full-time general practitioners, one surgeon, one gynecologist, one paediatrician, one pharmacist and three medical interns 
• 135 other health workers (nurses, midwives, nurses’ aides, etc.)

In 2008, these teams have performed over:

• 200,000 consultations
• 4,000 post-natal consultations
• 1,400 deliveries and ultrasound exams 

Compagnie Fruitière has introduced:

• Prevention programs, including an AIDS eradication program
• Programs which provide either low cost or free medication
• Vaccination campaigns for tetanus, meningitis, BCG and other illnesses

Education Programs

Every year Compagnie Fruitière builds, equips and absorbs maintenance costs to renovate classrooms in order to participate to the education financial effort in the countries where it operates.
In Cameroon, Compagnie Fruitière built and funded 80% of an internal school group, from kindergarten to senior year. Today, the number of pupils totals 250 and it will soon reach 400.

In the Ivory Coast, four schools with 15 teachers accommodate 928 school children. Compagnie Fruitière provides transportation to and from the nearest schools.

In Ghana and Senegal, the company is supporting the maintenance and construction costs for new classrooms.

Housing Programs

Compagnie Fruitière improves the quality of housing each year by increasing the number of housing units for its workers. The Ivory Coast is a model of success because more than 65% of the employees live in Compagnie Fruitière housing units (3,651 units). These communities are monitored by local health and safety committees. Potable drinking water and reliable rubbish removal services are provided.

Other Programs

In the villages located close to the plantations, Compagnie Fruitière sponsors community programs such as:

• Improving infrastructure by repairing and maintaining roads that lead to nearby towns and villages
• Providing access to potable water
• Supporting electrification programs
• In Cameroon, garbage collection is provided in the villages close to the plantations (45,000 people)

Main Certifications

• GlobalGAP: farms in Ivory Coast and Cameroon
• ISO 14001: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal
• Tesco Nature Choice: Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal