Interview: Ulises Robles Gámez on Social Responsibility

1. What is the importance of social responsibility in agriculture?

 Social responsibility practices have gradually been incorporated into agricultural enterprises because of the interest of producers to act responsibly with their workers and their communities.

They have sought to take special care in complying with labor standards, health care and workers’ lives; eliminate discrimination against women by their gender situation; the abolition of child labor; and freedom of association.

2. What is the situation in Sinaloa companies?

The status varies depending on the region and the size of the companies. The most significant advances are the horticultural companies that produce for the international market.

Social responsibility is today one of the main challenges facing horticulture in our state, but also becomes an opportunity to demonstrate the market and consumers that we can act responsibly with our workers.

This is why the Sinaloa growers affiliated with CAADES work continuously to improve, expand and modernize the working conditions of their farm workers.

Among the main advances that have been achieved in Sinaloa in social infrastructure in the last 15 years and with the support of the Federal and State Government we can point out:

1. 25,000 housing units have been built, expanded and rehabilitated and their building materials improved.
2. 105 medical offices have been built and equipped in agricultural fields. Currently, 88% of the day-labor population has private medical services in their work centers.
3. 115 child care centers have been built, expanded and equipped where attended more than 12,000 children.
4. 105 schools and recreational spaces have been built and enabled to serve an approximate population of 12 thousand child children of day laborers of school age.

3. What are the advantages of worrying about being a producer with social responsibility?

Companies who invest in social responsibility increase their levels of productivity and competitiveness in the international market.

The implementation of best practices of social responsibility in agricultural companies becomes a way of differentiating our offer in the international markets with respect to the production of other countries with which we compete today and can help us not only to maintain but also to increase our competitiveness.

That is why social responsibility is a key issue for CAADES, and is developing strategies through its agricultural organizations in the universal application of good practices of social responsibility at both state and national levels.

At the national level, CAADES and other leaders of the fresh horticultural products industry of Mexico, formed in 2015 the International Horticultural Alliance for the Promotion of Social Responsibility (AHIFORES).

AHIFORES members currently account for 90% of the Mexican horticultural industry, including major export products such as avocados, blueberries, citrus fruits, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, tomatoes and grapes, among others. This organization represents the first time such a wide deployment of industry associations and leaders have come together to work around a common goal.

CAADES and all these organizations, through AHIFORES, seek to improve the long-term commitment of the Mexican fresh produce industry to the integral development of farm workers, as well as actively promote industry awareness and consistency in the implementation of practices social responsibility.

4. What are the main challenges that growers face when they want to practice social responsibility?

The most outstanding challenge is related to the fulfillment of labor rights, in the case of producers who hire workers from other states; requires significant investments in the construction of housing infrastructure and welfare services in shelters. As well as in the implementation of social programs for migrant workers and their families.

5. Are there certifications or awards for growers with social responsibility?

 Some commercial certifications include in its evaluation criteria some aspects that fall within the scope of social responsibility, but also include aspects of safety and Labor security.

Fair trade is perhaps the only commercial certification scheme that evaluates and promotes social responsibility in the agricultural sector. The companies that currently have this certification are: Divemex, Holesum Harvest, Campaña Agricultores, Agrícola Baja, Hortifresh and Empaques Valles del Sol.

Currently, AHIFORES and Mexico Supreme Quality are presenting the Responsible Agricultural Enterprise Distinction (DEAR), which for the first time in the agricultural sector of Mexico we will have a recognition that will identify the companies that comply with the best practices of social responsibility, based on a compliance criteria that are specific to address the main challenges of the Mexican agricultural industry and its workers.

6. Are there any agricultural companies in Sinaloa certified or awarded in the area of social responsibility?

In Mexico there is an organization that promotes corporate social responsibility and is the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI). They created a badge to recognize good corporate social responsibility practices in our country, but it is not a badge that is unique to the agricultural sector.

At the moment 9 agricultural companies of Sinaloa count on this distinctive: Ceuta Produce, Agricola Chaparral, Agricola Paredes, DIVEMEX, San Emilio, Daniel Cárdenas, Agrobo, Agroexportadora del Noroeste, Valores Hortícolas El Nazario.

7. In CAADES, as an organization, is somehow being promoted social responsibility among producers? With what actions or measures?

 CAADES is an organization that in it’s almost nine decades of existence, by tradition and institutional conviction has honored its commitment to its member’s growers, farm workers and their families.

CAADES recognizes and values the work that farm workers do in Sinaloa, by contributing with their efforts in the fresh produce industry; we export to other countries, contributing to the generation of wealth in the economy of our state.

As part of this commitment, CAADES and its Growers Associations, in coordination with the Commission for Research and Defense of Vegetables, created the Eleven Rivers Program in 2010 with the objective of improving the performance of companies in the areas of food safety, quality of processes, traceability, social and environmental responsibility; all these aspects are certified annually and weekly verified by international organizations.

Currently, Eleven Rivers is made up of 30 agricultural companies that represent 40% of the exports of fresh vegetables from Sinaloa; 14 growers have achieved the Eleven Rivers Certification and the rest are in the implementation process.

The 14 companies certified with Eleven Rivers are: Agrícola Belher, Del Campo, Vitanova, Agroexportadora del Noroeste, Agroindustrias Tombell, Agrícola De la Costa, Santa Veneranda, Daniel Cárdenas Ceballos, Agricultural Chaparral, Promotora Agroindustrial del Tamazula, Agrícola Campaña, Sistemas de Producción Intensiva y Agrícola San Isidro.