Group Sustainability

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Sustainability
Group Sustainability

An Industry of Worth

In Dole plc we recognise how privileged we are to be marketing products, the health promoting properties of which have been firmly and definitively established. That these very same products are associated with the lowest carbon, water and ecological footprints of all the major food groups is something about which we are incredibly proud.

*Source: Barilla Center For Food & Nutrition, Double Pyramid (2021)

Our Approach

For over 170 years, we have been as proud to deliver nutritious, high-quality produce all around the world, as we have been to take responsibility for the land from which it is grown. And we are equally committed to supporting and enhancing the global communities that ensure we can produce and deliver the quality of produce for which we’re known. We call this The Dole Way; our enduring commitment to grow, process and distribute our produce responsibly, today and for generations to come. Because being a responsible business is not just second nature, it literally is our business. We are making our commitments clearer than ever where we plan to focus our efforts for the future. The Dole Way paves the way for further improvements in areas where we believe we can make the biggest positive impacts.

Group Sustainability Strategy

For Nature

Climate Action

Reducing emissions from operations is one of the most significant contributions Dole can make to address climate change and secure our long-term future. In 2021, the carbon footprint for Dole plc globally was measured. We are happy to report a 4% decrease in carbon emissions compared to our 2020 baseline* for Scope 1 and 2 (*calculated on a pro forma basis). Across our operations we are working to reduce our emissions further through the adoption of renewable energy and more efficient forms of energy within our operations.
For Nature

Water Stewardship

Climate change materially affects water availability, and we collectively need to carefully manage the resource to secure future growth. At an operational level, Dole has been developing new ways to reduce water use on farms and at packing and processing facilities for many years. We are also proud to be a member of the AWS (Alliance for Water Stewardship), an organisation dedicated to promoting best practices around optimization, discharge and sanitation of water.
For Nature

Waste and Packaging

On farms and in processing plants, Dole’s “reduce, reuse and recycle” approach continues to deliver initiatives that create less waste. Wherever waste is a material issue, we are committed to understanding and reducing our footprint. In the marketplace, innovative marketing communications are dedicated to inspiring and empowering consumers to waste less purchased produce in the home while improving our packaging through design and material component levels is also a priority. Our aim is always to reduce our plastic usage and transition to recyclable or compostable materials wherever possible.
For People

Worker Welfare: Dale Foundation

In Dole, we work hard to maintain and develop professional and ethical standards across all our worldwide operations. We continually focus on our commitment to responsible business practices in every aspect of our stakeholder relationships while also protecting human rights like equal opportunity, safe and healthy working environments, fair employment practices, freedom of association, collective bargaining agreements among many others. Dole’s DALE Foundation (pronounced DAH-leh) carries out important work in the social field. Since 2001, the foundation has channelled over $41 million to fund numerous educational, medical, and community development programs in South America.
For People

Stakeholder Engagement

In Dole, we recognise too, that many sustainability issues are global issues requiring a global response necessitating cooperation and collaboration across the supply chain. We are deeply committed to working constructively with our stakeholders from our partners in production to our marketplace customers to assure best sustainable practices right across the global fresh produce sector. It why we are so proud, for example, to be working with Freshfel, the European fresh produce association and stakeholders from across the fresh produce sector on an Environmental Footprint Initiative to develop a fresh fruit and vegetable environmental footprint methodology and digital tool.
For Food

Promoting Nutrition

Promoting fresh produce is a privilege. That our primary function is the marketing of products, the health promoting properties of which have been firmly and definitively established,  is something about which we in Dole are incredibly proud. In Dole, our strategy in promoting fresh produce is predicated on affecting behavioural change by inspiring, educating and empowering consumers. Collaborating with our partners across the supply chain and with other interested Governmental and non-governmental third parties, we work to educate consumers concerning seasonality- when it’s best to eat which fruits or vegetables, preparation, the relative nutritional profiles of diverse fresh fruits & vegetables, uses, recipes and serving suggestions.
For Food

Responsible Sourcing

We recognize our obligation to promote and assure best practices right across the supply chain on our farms- not just on our own farms but also on those of our partners. There are three components to this process: Grower profiling and selection, ongoing vigilance and enforcement. Sustainability certifications, third-party accreditation and audits, along with stringent Dole-implemented standards developed over many years offers assurance to our customers and other stakeholders that the fruit and vegetables that we sell have been produced in accordance with the highest environmental and labour standards. Protecting human rights is a clear priority. As a company that operates in many developing countries, Dole’s focuses on empowering its employees, enhancing communities, and protecting the surrounding environment.
For People

Engaging Consumers

Dole’s pan-European consumer research initiative, our Dole ‘Consumer Compass’, is dedicated to providing deeper insights into what motivates and inhibits consumers from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2022 its scope was broadened to cover 10 different European countries. Using a variety of complementary research methods Dole Consumer Compass, so named given its objective to “point us in the right direction”, seeks to deliver a deeper understanding of consumers than traditional research provides. It is used to support generic promotion of produce, for New Product Development and for category management with retail partners. 10,000 people were interviewed across 10 European countries; Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and the Netherlands. You can view our 2022 report here.