ASR Group Sugar Operation Earns First Bonsucro Certification in Mexico

Ingenio San Nicolas S.A. de C.V.'s attainment of the rigorous, internationally recognized standard reinforces ASR Group's commitment to sustainability, social responsibility and transparency.

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ASR Group

Jun 05, 2019, 17:43 ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ASR Group, the world's largest producer and marketer of cane sugar, is proud to announce its Ingenio San Nicolas S.A. de C.V. sugarcane mill is the first entity in Mexico to earn the Bonsucro certification.

ASR Group's investment in achieving certification against the Bonsucro Production & Chain of Custody Standard demonstrates the company's pledge to be a leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability.

"Sugarcane is one the most intrinsically sustainable and important crops cultivated around the globe," said Luis Fernandez, Co-President of ASR Group. "It is only natural that a business centered on sugarcane should produce goods in the most sustainable manner. The Bonsucro certification process allowed us to examine our operations against rigorous CSR standards and, more importantly, improve upon our practices. Our efforts will not end here; we will continue to raise the bar in our operations."

The sustainability of all of its products and supply chain is a fundamental core value of ASR Group, which is best known for its leading brands Domino® Sugar, C&H® Sugar and Florida Crystals®, and is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Ingenio San Nicolas' Bonsucro certification is a major milestone as the company further demonstrates its commitment to conducting business in a legal, ethical, humane and transparent manner. The certification not only contributes to the sustainability of the business but should also increase its customers' confidence in the company's products.

"We maintain a commitment to our customers – whether large food makers or shoppers in the grocery aisle – that when they buy our sugar, they know it came from a team that cares about the quality of its products and the welfare of the people who produce them, from the time the sugarcane is planted to the final package," said Antonio Contreras, Co-President of ASR Group. "With the Bonsucro certification, we are proud to lead by example and demonstrate that we hold our operations to the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility."

The Bonsucro certification provided a comprehensive framework for the company to examine its operations, concentrating on six major principles: compliance with the law, respecting human rights and labor laws, sustainable production and processing, environmental security, and engagement with local communities impacted by its business.

For more than a year, the company measured and determined the effectiveness of its Veracruz operation, including agriculture, the sugar mill, and throughout the organizational structure and supply chain. This comprehensive process allowed the company to refine and improve its sustainability and social responsibility practices in order to fulfill the demanding standards set by Bonsucro.

"Raw sugar is one of our largest inputs; therefore, ensuring we have a sustainable raw sugar supply chain has been at the forefront of our CSR efforts, resulting in hundreds of third-party verification audits of our suppliers across 27 countries," said Rafael Vayá, ASR Group's Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. "Just as we verify our suppliers, we want to ensure our own operations meet the most rigorous standards developed for our industry, which we have demonstrated by certifying our mill against the Bonsucro standard."

Ingenio San Nicolas produces and packages standard, muscovado and refined sugar for sale in the Mexican, US and Caribbean markets as well as molasses for the Mexican market.

About ASR Group

ASR Group is the world's largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group owns and operates six sugar refineries, located in New York, California, Maryland, Louisiana, Canada and Mexico. The company also farms sugarcane and owns sugar mills in Mexico and Belize. In Europe, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in the United Kingdom and Portugal as well as jointly owns a refinery in Italy. The company's portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Florida Crystals®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle's®, Sidul® and Notadolce®. ASR Group is owned by Florida Crystals Corporation and Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. For more information, visit www.ASR-Group.com.