In order to protect its greatest assets (people, farms and the environment), Dole has built its sustainability strategy on four pillars: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and packaging.

Water management, which includes using water responsibly and efficiently, as well as protecting the world’s limited freshwater supply, is a matter that requires immediate attention. Knowing water’s importance across every facet of life, Dole has implemented industry leading programs that teach water recycling methods and processes to reduce overall usage.

The world’s growing carbon footprint is also a crucial issue of the twenty-first century. Dole works actively to measure, reduce and eventually offset a portion of its greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn, will diminish its contribution to global warming.

Healthy soils are a necessary ingredient for growing healthy products; however, soil constantly faces risk from degradation by erosion, salinity, contamination and other results of mismanagement. Dole has long been active in protecting soils through alternative practices that aim to prevent and limit soil erosion.

Environmental externalities don’t stop at the end of a production line, and neither do Dole’s actions. Dole offers foods that are responsible from early stages of growth, to final preparations so goods are ready for purchase. The Company’s efforts concentrate not only on the amount of packaging used in marketing and selling products to consumers, but also on all materials employed in the supply chain.

Years of continuous research at Dole provide the Company with a competitive advantage in these four pillars of sustainability.