Dole plc announced Oct. 6 it has been named a winner of the Sustainability in the Food Industry Award by The Shelby and Griffin Report. The award recognizes organizations that drive innovation and measurable impact in reducing environmental footprints, support communities and shape a more sustainable food industry.
The award was for Dole’s Watershed Management Project in the Uchapa-Pimienta and Andaluz Stream microwatershed of Olanchito, Yoro, Honduras. Implemented from March 2023 through February 2025 in partnership with the Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School, the project integrated environmental education, ecosystem-based water management and sustainable production systems to reduce climate vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of local communities, according to the company.
“The Watershed Management Project in Honduras exemplifies how we combine science-based approaches, local partnerships and community engagement to protect natural resources, promote sustainable farming and deliver long-term value for people and the planet,” says Rudy Amador, vice president of corporate responsibility, sustainability and communication for Dole Tropical Products Latin America.
“Receiving this award underscores Dole’s commitment to building resilience and opportunity and further reinforces our mission to reduce environmental impact, support communities and lead the food industry toward a greener future,” he adds.
The project was implemented using a participatory, multistakeholder governance model. By engaging local authorities, community groups, indigenous leaders, youth, NGOs, academia and the private sector, Dole says it fostered collaborative watershed management. Some of the initiative’s efforts included:
- Engaged 551 local high school students and 45 children in education and environmental protection, restoring 480 square meters of a municipal nursery with the capacity to produce 50,000 plants annually
- Created school gardens for 103 children and youth under Zamorano’s “Learning by Doing” methodology
- Secured the official declaration of 569 hectares of the Quebrada Andaluz micro-basin as a protected Forest Zone, restoring 29 hectares with native flora species and safeguarding an additional 672 hectares under conservation
- Three community fire protection brigades were equipped
- Two Forest Protection Plans were implemented to reduce wildfires to less than 5% of the total area
- Expanded clean water access by connecting 230 families to improved distribution systems
- Promoted sustainable livelihoods by planting 2,000 fruit trees on farmers’ plots, enriching 40 production units through agroforestry systems, supporting two beekeeping organizations of 50 members (17 women and 33 men) and producing 30,000 ornamental, fruit and timber plants
The project helped establish a community-managed Green Fund, approved by the Sabanetas Water Users Assembly, to finance forest protection and watershed monitoring. Funded through a small annual user contribution, it ensures long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.
