AgroAmerica

Participación en actividades de RSE

AGROAMERICA PARTICIPATES IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-CSR- ACTIVITIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

AGROAMERICA PARTICIPATES IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-CSR- ACTIVITIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

Guatemala, December 2012. Agroamerica participates in Corporate Social Responsibility activities, organized by the Canadian Embassy and CentraRSE, in order to share CSR projects of the company, learn from other businessmen, and help Guatemalan society achieve sustainable development in the country.

Last month, Agroamerica participated in the forum “The importance of dialog with stakeholders to develop a corporate social responsibility strategy”, organized by the Canadian Embassy and the Chamber of Commerce of Canada; and in the CSR week organized by CentraRSE. Government entities, NGO’s, private and public sector entities and academic institutions were invited to both events to enrich the dialog on issues that promote sustainability and the country’s growth, through good labor, social and environmental practices.

Bernardo Roehrs, Corporate Director of Agroamerica, participated in the CSR week of CentraRSE, a national event where professionals and opinion leaders participated in more than 15 conferences and discussion forums on CSR and Sustainable Development. Roehrs was invited to participate in the forum “Multidimensional Poverty” which talked about strategies to mitigate poverty and the role of the private sector as a key actor. The Director submitted Agroamérica’s initiative to create a Human Development Center in the zone of the southwestern trifinio (triangle where three different geographic zones converge) of the country; and the CSR good practices that Agroamérica has as a leader in this topic.

In the panel of the Canadian Embassy, Crista Luna from Agroamerica, shared the social projects focused on health and education that are taking place in the communities that surround the operations of the company, which gives benefits to its workers, their families and the communities. Other participating companies in this event were Almo, Cementos Progreso, Transactel/Telus, Panamerican Hydro, Ingenio Pantanléon, and Goldcorp, institutions that watch for the promotion of responsible practices such as CentraRSE, Sustainable Solutions and Sustainable Strategies. Universidad del Istmo and government institutions, such as the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Energy and Mines, also participated.

Jennifer Chacón de Mejía, Commercial Delegate of the Canadian Embassy, thanked the private sector companies that shared their good practices.

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Galardón anual a la Productividad y Competitividad AgroAmérica

AGROAMERICA RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS “RICARDO CASTILLO SINIBALDI 2012″

AGROAMERICA RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS “RICARDO CASTILLO SINIBALDI 2012″

Guatemala, December 2012. Agroamerica, received the annual Award for Productivity and Competitiveness “Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi 2012″ in recognition of its work and effort to create a world class company, that supports the economy and development in the country and the region.

Bernardo Roehrs, Corporate Director of the company, received the recognition from the hands of Carlos Contreras, Minister of Labor, Jorge Gallardo, manager of INTECAP, and Mr. Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi.

“We have to invest more on social issues”, stated Roehrs on receiving the statuette and medal of recognition. “As an entrepreneur, I invite you to rethink how many resources are socially invested. Today’s challenge for Guatemalans, for companies and stockholders is this: social investment or to have no company tomorrow. Social investment is productivity. Social investment is competitiveness. Today’s world recognizes this and knows it”.

In 2004, the board of Directors of INTECAP, recognized the importance of rewarding the merit of those who had excelled in providing service to Guatemala and agreed to institute the Award for Productivity and Competitiveness Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi, as an honorary distinction for national companies.

This 2012, is the ninth award edition. The nomination for the Award was made by the Chambers that make up the country’s economic sector (Chamber of Industry, Chamber of Agriculture, and Chamber of Commerce). There were nine companies nominated for the Award: Agroamerica, Tigo, Samboro, Emisoras Unidas, Tejidos Politex, Eltitex, Guatemalan Candies, Lignum S.A. and Pilones de Antigua, from which Agroamerica was chosen to receive the big award.

The jury made up of the Presidents of each of the Chambers, Mr. Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi and Jorge Gallardo Flores, Manager of INTECAP.

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Jornadas de atención médica AgroAmérica

AGROAMERICA BENEFITED MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE IN RETALHULEU AND SAN MARCOS WITH MEDICAL CARE, TEST AND MEDICINES

AGROAMERICA BENEFITED MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE IN RETALHULEU AND SAN MARCOS WITH MEDICAL CARE, TEST AND MEDICINES

Guatemala, October 2012. Agroamerica in partnership with Fundación Santa Teresa de Ávila y Rene and the health centers of the villages, last week conducted two medical consult days in village La Blanquita of the department of Retalhuleu and in Los Limones, department of San Marcos. The activity benefited more than 500 people in rural areas, most of them farm workers and their families.

On both days medical assistance and tests were provided and medication was given at no cost for the beneficiaries. Free transportation was also given to all attendees and travelling expenses for the doctors and nurses. The total cost of the activity was Q46,000.

“For Agroamerica the preventive health of their employees and their families is very important”, commented Humberto Orozco, Community Relations Manager in Agroamerica. “That is why we coordinate with Fundación Santa Teresa de Avila y Rene to benefit the population of the rural area, bringing medicine and tests that are not available to them, either because of the distance or due to their price”, added Orozco.

Advantage of the activity was taken to raise awareness among young people about the drug problems. Orozco gave a conference for 150 middle school students of the Instituto por Cooperativa of community La Blanca, about drug addiction.

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Carrera del azúcar AgroAmérica

Agroamerica supports sports in Guatemala and donates bananas for the Sugar Race

Agroamerica supports sports in Guatemala and donates bananas for the Sugar Race

Guatemala, October 2012. Last Sunday, Agroamérica supported the Sugar Race in their “Silver Anniversary”, organized by the Association of Sugar Technicians of Guatemala, donating bananas for all runners who participated in the event.

Agroamérica, as part of its social responsibility, supports national sports and especially those that take place near its operations, like this one. The route of 10.5 km were the main streets of Nueva Concepción, Escuintla, where most of Agroamérica employees and their families live.

Over three thousand people attended the race and all runners were happy with the fruit. The Board and the Organizing Committee of the Sugar Race expressed appreciation for the support provided by Agroamérica.

Carlos Hurtarte, President of the Association, said it was touching to see the massive participation of runners nationwide and workers of the different nearby farms.

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Jornada de Oftalmología AgroAmérica

Agroamerica carries out an ophthalmology consult day for employees

Agroamerica carries out an ophthalmology consult day for employees

Guatemala, September 2012. More than 50 employees from Agroamerica had free eye exams in the office.

Agroamerica cares about the health of their workers and that is why they organized an eye exam day in the company and negotiated special prices and payment facilities with the ophthalmological clinic, to help the workers who needed it.

Last week, 54 workers benefited from the ophthalmologist clinic services and the support given by Agroamerica by helping them pay for their glasses and lenses in three payments.

The employees thanked Agroamérica and commented:

“With this event we had the opportunity to renovate our old glasses. The payment facilities given by the company, will help us a lot”, Elida Martinez, person in charge of cleaning.

“With these events we do not have to leave work, because there is no time to do these kind of things. We have the eye exam right here and the payment facilities help us buy what we need”, Luis Godoy, person in charge of maintenance.

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Proyecto reforzamiento nutricional AgroAmérica

Agroamerica fights hunger in Guatemala’s southwest

Agroamerica fights hunger in Guatemala’s southwest

Guatemala, august 2012. Agroamerica, in partnership with the Nutritional Food Security Secretariat- SESAN [for its initials in Spanish], is carrying out the “Nutritional Reinforcement with Bananas” Project to prevent acute malnutrition in the municipalities of San Pablo and Sibinal of the department of San Marcos, which have been given priority by the government because of its high rates of malnutrition.

For three months, Agroamerica will donate 650,000 bananas to 109 families with cases of acute malnutrition and the School Boards of 220 public schools for the food snack program. With this project, 150 schools and 2,500 families will benefit weekly for a 14 week period.

For its part, SESAN will give training to the beneficiaries on the different forms for preparing and consuming the banana and its nutritional properties.

Luis Enrique Monterroso, secretary of SESAN, Luis Rivera, departmental governor of San Marcos, Bernardo Roehrs, corporative director of Agroamerica, and municipal and communal authorities participated in the inauguration of the project, held in Sibinal.

Luis Enrique Monterroso of SESAN stated: “We have already made three deliveries in Sibinal. Fifty thousand bananas weekly were distributed in 77 schools of this municipality”.

“The productive sector has always wanted to promote initiatives such as these. One of the pillars, in Agroamerica, is empowerment and community development, and with this project focused on reducing malnutrition, we can help the community overcome it. A malnourished population cannot make it”, commented Bernardo Roehrs, from Agroamerica.

Yanira Fuentes del Valle, housewife of Sibinal, stated: “This is a good project because the banana is a very nutritious fruit. The trainings will help us learn make different recipes with the bananas”.

On the news:

Telediario:

http://telediario.com.gt/index.php?id=191&id_seccion=187&id_noticia=96181

Prensa Libre

http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/comunitario/Entregan-bananos-combatir-hambre_0_763123972.html?print=1

Government of Guatemala

http://www.guatemala.gob.gt/index.php/2011-08-04-18-06-26/item/1291-entregan-alimentos-en-sibinal-san-marcos-para-combatir-la-desnutrici%C3%B3n

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Subasta de Arte AgroAmérica

Agroamerica, Art auction will help fund scholarships to study in El Zamorano

Agroamerica, Art auction will help fund scholarships to study in El Zamorano

Guatemala, Septiembre 2012. For the second consecutive year, the XNOX/BAM art auction to benefit the Endowment Fund for Agricultural Development in Guatemala of the school El Zamorano, which grants scholarships for young people from the rural areas, will take place. Currently there are four Guatemalan scholarship holders: uri Tecún, José Buezo, Pedro Carrillo and Manuel de Jesús García Chaclán.

Agroamerica provides $25,000 to the Fund to support students with limited resources, for five years. Among the scholarships holders financed by the company, is Yuri Tecún, a student from San Marcos who shares how she has excelled herself.

“My name is Yuri Tecún, I currently live in the municipality of Mixco, Guatemala, but my family comes from El Tumbador, San Marcos. I come from a low income family; my mother is a fighter who has raised my brothers and me. She does odd jobs in order to give us everything necessary and has always given us support to study. Ever since I was a child, I dreamt I had a university career so that I could help my family. Thank God, I had the opportunity to study in institutions of academic excellence. I studied at the National Central School of Agriculture (public) thanks to a full scholarship, that?s where I got interested in agriculture and enrolled in El Zamorano in 2008, the first year was funded by USAID and the last three years by the Endowment Fund for Agricultural Development in Guatemala.”

For more stories, visit: http://www.bamxnox.com/zamorano/testimonios-becarios-universidad-zamorano

The auction will have 7 works by Antonia Matos. Besides, 80 lots of internationally and nationally recognized artists will be auctioned. The auction will take place at Torres Pradera, on September 20, at 7 p.m.

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Capacitación de creación y gestión de microempresas AgroAmérica

Agroamerica trains 390 women on “how to create a productive business”

Agroamerica trains 390 women on “how to create a productive business”

Guatemala, August 2012. Agroamerica’s Happy Families program conducted training sessions for rural women from four coastal communities in Guatemala on setting up and managing a small business.

During the workshop “A Business, An Opportunity” women were taught how to conduct a feasibility study and produce a business plan, and were trained on the different steps needed to establish a small business.

Several of the participants commented that the sessions made them “open their eyes” to understand different ways to getting ahead by being enterprising and establish their own business.

Walter Tello, Community Relations Manager at Agroamerica and Happy Families program coordinator said that one of the objectives of the program is to empower women and their families so they can be independent. These workshops aim at promoting entrepreneurship among rural women by helping them to set up productive project.

As part of the program, follow up home visits to participating women to provide support and supervision have showed that the majority of women are putting into practice what they have learned in the sessions.

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Proyecto de reciclaje de papel AgroAmérica

Agroamerica has begun a paper recycling project

Agroamerica has begun a paper recycling project

Guatemala, August, 2012. Agroamerica has begun a paper recycling project, with its headquarters’ staff. The first stage of this project consisted of a training conducted by the Ecologic Network Association, organization dedicated to paper recovery and recycling.

During the trainings, the staff became aware of the importance of recycling paper. They were taught how the world deteriorates when the right measures are not taken when paper is used. They were also shown the recycling process. With this project, Agroamerica aims to recycle the largest amount of paper and embrace a culture which encourages an eco-friendly approach.

The second part of the project consisted in placing recycling boxes in strategic places in the office, like right next to the photocopy and printing machines with signs showing the do’s and don’ts of recycling.

The third part will consist in checking the boxes once a week; taking out the bags full of papers and calling the Ecologic Network so that they can pick up the paper and have it recycled.

This project will help Agroamerica create a green culture in the company and also contribute to the country’s environment.

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Conferencia de la ONU sobre Desarrollo Sostenible

Agroamerica participated in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development: Rio + 20

Agroamerica participated in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development: Rio + 20

Guatemala, July 2012. Bernardo Roehrs, Corporate Director at Agroamérica, represented the company at the summit of the United Nations Conference for Sustainable Development which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last month. The topics discussed included sustainable energy in the context of sustainable development and the eradication of poverty.

Mr. Roehrs spoke about the techniques the company uses in the growing of bananas, pineapples, and palm oil to conserve water and use less water. He described a machine the company uses to take measurements in the soil and how it can also be used to apply water exactly where it is needed and, therefore, not use more than is necessary. With this technology the company has seen a 20% savings in their energy use and has also been able to prevent nutrients in the soil from running off into the rivers. Roehrs said the company works diligently to share information and their own experiences with their neighbors in Central America.

During the summit, a number of topics were discussed such as the eradication of poverty; providing the latest technology to developing countries; different approaches, outlooks, models, and tools available to countries to reach sustainable development; government commitment to minimizing the deleterious effects of climate changes; and Millennium Development Goals, among others.

The conference was attended by world leaders, participants from the private sector, civil society organizations, and other groups, all with the same goals: to reduce poverty, advance social equality, and ensure environmental protection on the planet. “It’s a historic opportunity to define the pathways to a sustainable future: a future with more jobs, cleaner energy, better security, and a decent standard of living for all,” stated the organizers of the event.

Mr. Roehrs said he hopes the negotiators and the heads of state who will be discussing sustainability over the next few days will begin to work with the public sector, as well as the NGOs, the general public, and the media to help spread the message about sustainable development. He said if this happens, more people would be concerned about sustainability, driving more companies to invest in this area.

“In Agroamérica, we have social programs that focus on the needs of our people, the conservation of natural resources, community development, and sustainable production based on ethical standards,” emphasized Mr. Roehrs. “The company is concerned with future generations and is aware of these issues because there will always be new challenges which pose serious threats to sustainable development in the country,” concluded Mr. Roehrs.

Highlights of the interview with Bernardo Roehrs in the Rio+20 Summit:

http://www.rtcc.org/climate-change-tv/rio20-raising-public-awareness-to-drive-sustainability/

http://www.rtcc.org/climate-change-tv/rio20-conserving-water-with-agroamerica/

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