As showcased at Banana Time 2023 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, many Ecuadorian companies have stepped up to implement programs for the betterment of the communities in which they operate. Dole created the DALE Foundation in 2001 to formalize its social commitment to Ecuador and the banana areas.

“Through DALE, we have executed a series of programs and projects for 22 years now to benefit thousands of agricultural workers, their families and the communities in the areas where we operate,” says María Eugenia Castro, executive director of Dole’s DALE Foundation in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

A notable mark of the DALE program is the involvement of independent banana producers of all sizes.

“In 2004 we managed to integrate our independent producers into the Foundation, who co-finance DALE's annual operation through a fixed contribution per box of fruit exported by the company,” says Castro.

“We wanted to involve the participation of our value chain and have a single front to implement social benefit actions in all agricultural sectors and populations where Dole export fruit is produced. Involving all the producers hasn’t been easy, but it’s been fundamental.”

The foundation focuses on four principal areas: Health, Education, Community Development and Environment.

“In these four areas we have developed 18 programs and 44 different types of projects,” says Castro. “The foundation benefits 15,000 agricultural workers and their families, and nearly 160 communities located in the sectors of influence of the Dole operation.”

The foundation operates two schools under loan agreements with the Ministry of Education with nearly 1,000 students attending.

“In addition, we support other educational centers in infrastructure and supplies,” says Castro.

“We also offer permanent programs focusing on health care for workers and their families. The foundation has nine fixed facilities and seven mobile medical units in addition to an occupational safety program and preventive health program.”

The foundation supports community development through various programs.

“Our entrepreneurship programs have graduated more than 500 people since 2010, developing skills that allow them to establish a trade or small business,” says Ivan Wong, manager of Dole Ecuador.

“Our various workshops have trained workers and formed a network to propel workers to other positions. Our process has been to generate a relationship with all the programs we implement to build up communities and support the workers and farms.”