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National Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Dole Advances Public-Private Partnerships to Expand Access to Essential Services for Agricultural Workers
Article content Ag leader strengthens workplace program that adds social services for thousands of farm workers. Article content Article content SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica — Dole (NYSE: DOLE) today announced the signing of new public-private agreements to advance its award-winning Information and Wellbeing Centers (IWCs), a workplace-based initiative pioneered by Dole designed to deliver vital public and private services directly to the workplace, improving quality of life for agricultural workers in Costa Rica's rural areas. Article content Dole's IWC model has redefined how rural workers access healthcare, social security, education, and financial tools. Article content The announcement was made during the forum 'Information and Wellbeing Centers: Public-Private Partnerships that Improve Lives,' hosted by Dole Fresh Fruit. During the event, Dole signed memorandums of understanding with two key national institutions—Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and Banco Popular—further strengthening its commitment to inclusive development and equitable service access. Article content Launched in 2020, Dole's IWC model has redefined how rural workers access healthcare, social security, education, and financial tools. By integrating these essential services directly into the workplace, IWCs eliminate major barriers such as distance, cost, and time. Currently, IWCs directly benefit over 3,300 individuals across four of Dole's pineapple farms: Santa Fe, El Bosque, La Virgen, and Muelle, thanks to the collaboration of 38 public and private sector partners. Article content The new agreements with CCSS and Banco Popular—two pillars of Costa Rica's public infrastructure—signal an expansion of the IWC network: Article content CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social): As Costa Rica's universal public healthcare and social insurance provider, CCSS plays a central role in delivering medical and social protection across the country. Banco Popular: A state-owned bank with a social mission focused on financial inclusion and community development, serves working populations and grassroots enterprises across the country. Article content By formalizing their engagement, these institutions have committed to deepening their participation in the IWC network, advancing broader access to equitable solutions that uphold citizens' rights and promote long-term well-being. Article content 'This is a concrete example of how public-private partnerships can close gaps and generate real well-being,' said Rudy Amador, Regional Vice President of Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and Communications at Dole Fresh Fruit. 'Inter-institutional coordination has been key to making the Information and Wellbeing Centers a powerful driver of inclusion.' Article content The forum convened national government leaders, business executives and international institutions to reflect on the success and scalability of the IWC model. The Aliarse Foundation, a Costa Rican NGO specializing in cross-sector partnerships, presented a case study during the event, followed by a panel discussion highlighting the social and economic benefits of collaborative development models. Article content In 2022, the IWC program received the Grand Prize for Social Responsibility in Action from the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), recognizing its innovation and measurable impact. Article content To date, the IWC program has reached 14,947 individuals, with continued expansion planned for the years ahead. The initiative is increasingly recognized as a replicable blueprint for sustainable development. Article content The event concluded with a collective call to action: when the public sector, private enterprise, and civil society work together with intention, the result is a more just and connected society—one where access to essential services is not a privilege, but a right realized. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Spain's government approves a bill that reduces the workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] MADRID (AP) — Workers in Spain may soon have 2.5 more hours of weekly rest. The Spanish government approved a bill Tuesday reducing the workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours. Twelve and a half million full-time and part-time private sector workers will benefit from the reduction, expected to improve productivity and reduce absenteeism, according to the Ministry of Labor. 'Today we are modernizing the world of labor and helping people to be a little happier,' said Vice President and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz. The measure, which already applies to civil servants and some sectors, will mainly affect the retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction industries, Díaz added. The parliament, where the left-wing coalition government doesn't have enough votes, will have to approve the bill for it to come into effect. The main trade unions support the proposal, unlike the business association. Sumar, the leftist minority partner of President Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party, proposed the bill. The Catalan nationalist party Junts, an occasional ally of Sánchez's coalition, expressed concern over what they said were the bill's negative consequences for small companies and the self-employed. Spain has had a 40-hour workweek since 1983, when it was reduced from 48 hours.
