How We Engage in Social Sustainability
As the world population continues to increase so does the need for social sustainability. As a subsidiary of AB Sugar network of business across the globe, Germains strives to be in alliance with AB Sugar’s Social Sustainability Values. Global Mind, Local Champions is framed within three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. Each of AB Sugar businesses across the world have a role to play in delivering on the ground.
These three pillars set out the areas where our knowledge and resources enable us to continually improve. They represent the issues that matter most to us, to our stakeholders and to the communities where we operate. Together, our three pillars give structure, direction, and unity of all our sustainability efforts.
Social Sustainability – Challenges We Face Locally
Did you know?
• Many immigrant farm workers who help grow our food are going without basic needs such as diapers, baby wipes, paper towels, toilet paper, shampoo, soaps, rice, and beans.
• 10% of children of migrant farm workers graduate from high school
• More than 22,000 children in Monterey County are uncertain where their next meal will come from
• Each week approximately 12,172 people are receiving donations from the Monterey Food Bank. Half of those served are children.
• The Monterey Food Bank distributes 6 million lbs of food per year.
Source: Monterey Food Bank, Center for Farmworker Families, Monterey County Now
Germains North America Commitment to Social Sustainability
Germains Seed Technology Gilroy recently identified two 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are addressing critical community issues within our agriculture community of Monterey County.
We recently made financial contributions to the following organizations to help support their efforts:
Ag Against Hunger :
Ag Against Hunger partners with local growers, shippers, and processors to help end hunger by channeling fresh, healthy surplus fruits and vegetables to food banks and schools.
Center for Farmworker Families:
The purpose of the Center is to promote awareness about the difficult life circumstances of binational farmworker families by proactively inspiring improvement of binational family life both in the United States and Mexico. Read More
Photo courtesy of Center for Farmworker Families
In addition to Germains financial contributions to both organizations, we solicit employee engagement to help with activities such as household donation drives to gather necessities such as gently used clothing and household items for the Center for Farmworker Family donation shed. Also, our staff will be volunteering for gleaning activities to help harvest off-grade produce from commercial fields that have been harvested. Produce harvested will be donated to local food banks and schools via the Ag Against Hunger program.
By supporting, programs which help those who work in the agriculture sector and beyond is our contribution to promoting social sustainability to those who are in need within our local community.