Archives March 2023

Today, due to the numerous demands of the market, many organizations take on increasingly complex challenges, which allow them to acquire competitive advantages. Assuming these new challenges requires not only optimizing internal organizational processes and guidelines, but also forming and developing high-performance teams. In this scenario, leaders become facilitators for the simultaneous transformation of the organization and the members of the teams.

Organizational transformation through leadership

It was previously believed that the main objective of leaders was to achieve organizational goals by maintaining order, stability and balance through standardized processes. However, over time this process has become a complex theme. Leaders now take on a more dynamic role, in which they help their teams achieve a level of excellence and integrated development by strengthening their multidisciplinary skills.

Resources for building high performance teams

High-performance teams are formed through commitment to the mission, positive and respectful interactions, a “shared trust” in mutual success, assigned objectives and the promotion of individual and group growth. Every member of the team must understand the shared responsibility for themselves and for their teammates.

Consequences of High Performance Teams

Creating high-performance teams requires leaders to look strategically at the individual, group and organizational components of their company.

Beyond a fad

As Walt Disney said, “Many hands and hearts and minds generally contribute to anyone’s notable achievements.” We must understand that we do not manage high-performance teams because it is fashionable, but because we are aware that, through people, we can achieve the full scope of our business objectives. Our responsible commitment is to generate and promote quality of life in the workplace for our employees. What are the attributes that determine if our teams can be high-performing?

• An optimistic outlook: they demonstrate positive attitudes in the face of adversity.

• Self-confidence: they maintain realistic expectations, even when their own interests are not realized, and they maintain a constructive perspective that brings them closer to the goal.

• Calmness in the face of uncertainty: they share their fears and doubts and maintain their composure at all times.

• Courage: they are aware that there are things that are worth a risk.
• A willingness to work as part of a team: they have the will to cooperate and, above all, they significantly add to the collaborative intelligence of the team.

We build comprehensive and collaborative work teams

AgroAmérica cares about building high-performance teams and creating productive and efficient collaborative spaces. We form teams that are passionate about their work and that have the desire to forge agreements and move in unison to reach the proposed goals.

Beginning with a focus on inclusion, we take advantage of the diversity of our human talent to form a comprehensive and collaborative work team. Leveraging individual skills and competencies leads to the sustainability of our operations. More than a company, we are a family working for the common good, because we know that we must “do well by doing good”.

Human rights have gained worldwide relevance because they help satisfy the basic needs of people and communities. Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the right to work and the right to just and favorable labor conditions. People have the right to work in order to have a dignified human existence, without this work being limited to simply having a source of employment. Employers must provide working conditions that offer fair financial compensation, equal treatment for all and a safe working environment.

AgroAmerica and human rights

AgroAmerica knows that by providing fair working conditions we are contributing to the respect and development of human rights and helping to eradicate poverty. Our policies and actions are guided by our commitment to human rights issues, provide good working conditions and promote workplace inclusion and equality for all our workers.

Pillar “Our People”

When making our materiality map, and based on our commitment to human rights, we identified 5 relevant issues related to human rights and work. Working conditions, training and culture, fair salary, gender and inclusion, and occupational health and safety constitute the “Our People” pillar.

Decent conditions for collaborators

Our purpose is to offer dignified conditions to our employees so that they can develop personally and professionally. We provide our workforce with training to acquire knowledge in different areas. We value their efforts and dedication and we help them meet their needs and those of their families. This value is reflected in the living wage ​​–established through the living wage methodology– we offer our employees. We ensure labor inclusion and equality by offering the same opportunities to men and women, regardless of their condition, and we guarantee occupational health and safety by providing doctors and clinics in our operating plants. 

These are some of the actions that we have implemented that allow us to provide a good work environment focused on the well-being of our employees. In this way, we make a difference.

The Rainforest Alliance certification, through its Sustainable Agriculture standard, allows companies to validate that their production is sustainable and with better crops.

Bananas and natural ingredients certified

The bananas and natural ingredients that AgroAmerica produces have the Rainforest Alliance certification, which guarantees their sustainability. AgroAmerica prioritizes the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity and the well-being of people, employees, and nearby communities. On the other hand, the Rainforest Alliance Identity Preserved Certification guarantees that all the fruit processed in AgroAmerica’s natural ingredients plant has the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.

How does the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal help people and nature?

The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal allows consumers to recognize and choose products that contribute to a better future for people and the planet. The little green frog on the seal means that the certified product or ingredient was made using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental. This responds to the market demands, which is looking for better products and the guarantee that they are produced sustainably and responsibly, contributing to a healthier planet.

Rainforest Alliance Certification Standards

The Rainforest Alliance certification standards focus on the following topics:

• Forests: Rainforest Alliance training and certification programs promote best practices for protecting standing forests, fostering the health of trees, soils, and waterways, and protecting native forests.
• Climate: Standing forests are a powerful natural climate solution. Rainforest certification promotes responsible land management methods that increase carbon storage while avoiding deforestation.
• Human Rights: the certification advances the rights of rural people through standards and assurance systems that provide robust strategies for assessing and addressing labor issues related to human rights. Independent studies demonstrate that workers on certified farms are more likely to have better working conditions, personal protective gear, and labor protections.
• Livelihoods: Rainforest’s approach is based on the understanding that ecosystem health and the economic stability of rural communities are mutually dependent. Certification has been proven to generate measurable economic benefits for farmers and forest communities around the world.

The green frog and its meaning

The certification seal is the “green frog,” which has become an international symbol of sustainability. According to Rainforest, frogs are what scientists call bioindicators—meaning that a healthy population of frogs indicates a healthy environment. This is why the Rainforest Alliance chose the red-eyed tree frog as its mascot more than thirty years ago, as this bright-eyed amphibian is commonly found in the neotropics, where our founders first started working to protect tropical rainforests.

According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 14% of the total food produced is lost in the supply chain. When it reaches consumers’ homes, there is also significant food waste. Sometimes people buy excessive quantities that spoil over time or serve more significant portions than they will consume. These practices directly impact natural resources.

Food waste increases GHG emissions

Factors such as work, effort, resources used during production, and transportation are wasted when wasting food. This increases greenhouse gas emissions, which affects the environment. Food lost during the supply chain is known as ‘food loss’, while food lost at the consumer level is called ‘food waste’. Reducing both is critical to eradicating famine globally and promoting food security.

Practices to avoid It

Implementing practices to avoid food waste and loss contributes to achieving 3 Sustainable Development Goals: zero hunger, responsible production and consumption, and climate action. But what measures can be taken from homes? Here are some tips that the FAO proposes:

1. Adopt a healthier and more sustainable diet: Prioritize consuming fresh foods produced sustainably.
2. Do not discard fruits and vegetables because of their appearance: Sometimes fruits and vegetables are wasted due to cosmetic defects in their appearance. However, their taste is the same. The ripe fruit can be used to prepare smoothies, desserts, and cakes.
3. Store food wisely: Place the oldest foods in the front to consume them sooner and the new ones in the back of your cupboard or refrigerator.
4. Sharing is caring: Donating food that would otherwise go to waste helps prevent it from ending up in the trash.
5. Make the most of waste: Instead of throwing food waste in the trash, you can make compost with it, to take advantage of it and return nutrients to the soil.

AgroAmérica works for Zero Waste

AgroAmerica has innovated in terms of sustainability under the commitment of “zero waste” in the production of its bananas. The bananas that are not exported are used to transform them into high-quality natural ingredients, or to make banana flour that serves as a nutritional supplement for children in the areas where we operate. With these actions, the company seeks to reduce food loss, support food security and contribute to the fight against climate change.

Principles of public policies

Types of corporate policies

Based on the scope of action:

• General Policies: Involve the entire organization and identify and define the lines of action according to the company’s strategy. They serve as a reference for its differing business trajectories.
• Departmental Policies: Guide the actions of some section or department within the business in order to direct their efforts, procedures and decisions.
• Specific Policies: Focus on usually temporary and specified projects, processes or products.

Based on timeframe:

• Long-term: Considers the growth and development of the company over a considerable period of time.
• Short-term: Establishes policies addressing any current priorities and urgent matters. They have a defined period, although this does not prevent them from being extended and/or becoming long-term policies.

Based on the issue or aspect they seek to address:

• Labor: Involves everything related to workers’ rights and workplace conditions. Some examples of this are: salary, training, benefits and occupational health and safety.
• Environmental: Focuses on responsible management of the environment through practices such as recycling, natural resource conservation, reforestation, protection of forested areas and the implementation of projects that contribute to improving biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Production: Focuses on operations, pricing, product quality, business objectives and the relationship with suppliers.
• Market: Addresses the dissemination of the company image, the brand and its products.
• Quality: Seeks to achieve consumer satisfaction with the final product through standards and norms.

Focus of corporate policies