Many Ecuadorian companies have stepped forward to implement programs for the betterment of the communities in which they operate. For this reason, Dole created the DALE Foundation in 2001 to formalize its social commitment to Ecuador and the banana-growing areas. 

"Through DALE, we have run a series of programs and projects over 22 years to benefit thousands of farmworkers, their families, and the communities in the areas where we operate," says Maria Eugenia Castro, executive director of Dole's DALE Foundation in Guayaquil, Ecuador. 

A notable feature of the DALE program is the participation of independent banana growers of all sizes. 

"In 2004 we were able to integrate our independent producers into the Foundation, who co-finance the annual operation of DALE through a fixed contribution per box of fruit exported by the company," says Castro. 

"We wanted to involve the participation of our value chain and have a united front to implement actions of social benefit in all agricultural sectors and populations where Dole's export fruit is produced. Involving all the producers has not been easy, but it has been fundamental." 

The DALE Foundation focuses on four main areas: Health, Education, Community Development, and Environment.