In Ecuador, Dole produces and sources bananas (conventional and organic) and pineapples.

Products and Areas of Production

Dole owns 7 conventional banana farms totaling 960 hectares, 1 organic farm totaling 135 hectares and 2 pineapple farms, totaling 685 hectares. In Ecuador, Dole employs approximately 4,200 people, directly or through third-parties.

Independent Growers

Conventional bananas are sourced from approximately 160 growers, organic bananas from 3 growers, baby and red bananas from 20 growers and plantains from 15 growers.

Environmental Practices

Dole’s environmental programs in Ecuador are managed by UBESA, its Ecuadorian division. UBESA’s Environmental Management System, which includes the assistance programs to our independent producers, has been ISO 14001 certified since November 1998.

• UBESA’s achievements in the environmental area include: design and financing of a waste management system, which eliminates liquid waste on airstrips. Liquid waste is put in a collector tank and later pumped into the mixing plant to become part of a new mix to be applied on banana crops
• Use of a specialized and independent company, AIFA, to conduct aerial spraying using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) on Dole farms and the independent farms producing for our company
• Recycling of 800 tons of plastics per year through the creation of a plastic waste management system for banana plantations. Dole is the only banana company in Ecuador to have this program in place. It is also available on Dole’s independent grower farms; saving of millions of cubic meters of water per year through the construction, in 48 packing plants, of water recirculation systems that save energy, protect aquifers, chlorinate water for fruit processing, and contribute to the elimination of latex and metals

Labor Conditions

Training

The main objective of training is to prevent labor risks that originate from job-related accidents and illnesses. Response plans for first aid and evacuation are in place, as are fire-fighting units. UBESA trains its personnel in accident prevention.

Workers are trained in the safe use of crop protection products with a program that complies with the Banana Environmental Sanitation Regulation. UBESA’s supervisors train workers, who in turn, have
trained approximately 26,000 workers employed by independent growers. Independent growers are also regularly monitored for compliance and results are communicated to them. UBESA also provides recommendations on irrigation, fertilization, weed control, nematode control and fruit protection to its independent growers. Between 2002 and 2004, 4,000 employees spent 126,874 hours in various training programs.

Social Benefits

UBESA pays all legally-required social benefits.

Community Programs

Foundation

La Fundación Dale, or the Dale ("to give") Foundation, was established in 2000 by UBESA. During its first stages of development, the Foundation has focused on meeting two basic needs - health and
education.

Medical Programs

As of 2005, medical facilities include 12 dispensaries as well as five mobile clinics, where both corrective and preventative health programs have been offered to 13,000 agriculture employees and their families.

Dale provides preventive medical programs including educational talks, vaccinations and general medical attention to communities located next to Dole farms. Presently, Dale mobile medical units are used to serve people’s medical needs in different areas around the country.

Education Programs

Annual scholarships are awarded to encourage workers’ children to excel and be recognized as the best students. 218 scholarships have been awarded to Dole employees’ children, divided equally among primary and secondary students.

In Los Ríos Province, Dale has supported the construction of the Vicente Piedrahita School with a capacity of 300 children.  The new school replaced three schools, which were in deplorable condition. Dale is committed to development and progress through education for the next generation.

Housing Programs

Our box plant in Ecuador initiated a program in 1994, which provided 30 houses for employees. A second phase began in August 1999 with the construction of 57 additional homes.

Other Programs

In addition, Dale is implementing various community programs, such as leadership training, water safety and small-business start-up. 100 communities near Dole production areas have benefited from these programs.

Main Certifications

• ISO 9001:
  • UBESA for the purchasing, sales, receipt, warehousing and delivery of bananas
  • PROCARSA for the design, sales and manufacturing of cardboard boxes
  • NAPORTEC for docking and port services
• ISO 14001:
  • UBESA for the technical assistance and environmental services to Dole’s independent banana growers