Dinant Expands Community Engagement Program In Aguan

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporacion Dinant today expanded its community engagement program in the Aguan region of Honduras with the appointment of a professional social liaison worker based in the heart of neighborhoods near the company's African Palm plantations and extraction mill.

Dinant's expanded engagement program will start with communities nearest its Aguan extraction mill. Dinant's professional social liaison worker in the Aguan has already presented her credentials to the leaders of these communities and explained how she can be used as a point of contact between local villagers and the company. She will now spend time with local people sharing ideas and discussing ways that Dinant is working to enhance its impact, for example by implementing the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, by introducing a local Community Grievance Mechanism, and by participating in efforts led by Consensus Building Institute to find solutions to the wider problems of the Aguan.

Company spokesman Roger Pineda said, "Dinant has operated in the Bajo Aguan for many years.  We care deeply about the well-being of our employees, the farmers who supply our extraction mill, and the surrounding communities. We know from experience that the people of the Aguan share many of the same aspirations as societies in other parts of Honduras regarding schools, health, roads and jobs. But we also appreciate that every community has specific concerns. Dinant's professional social liaison worker is an experienced and highly qualified individual who will ensure that the views of all the people of the Aguan are heard."

Dinant will hold a series of community meetings throughout the four communities near its extraction mill before extending its work to other parts of the region, culminating in the establishment of a regional Community Grievance Mechanism – to be designed in collaboration with local people – that will provide simple, safe and reliable ways of communicating with the company and meet the specific needs of the people of the Aguan.

Mr. Pineda continued, "I am delighted that Dinant now has professional social liaison workers based at the heart of local communities in Comayagua, Lean, San Pedro Sula and the Aguan, ensuring that people impacted by our operations can talk to us, personally or anonymously, in ways that are convenient to them."

About Corporacion Dinant
Dinant is a family-owned consumer products manufacturer founded in Honduras in 1960. Its products are sold across Central America and the Dominican Republic, and exported to global markets. Dinant employs 8,000 people, supports over 22,000 livelihoods, generates millions of US dollars in exports for the Honduran economy, and contributes significantly to all communities in which it operates.

As part of its adherence to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, Dinant has removed all firearms from security men and women at its plantations, extraction mills and manufacturing plants. Dinant rigorously benchmarks its operations against stringent international standards regarding the economic, environmental and social impact of its African Palm oil business.  All Dinant facilities in Honduras have been awarded ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18001 status as a mark of their progress in environmental management and occupational health & safety.

This material is distributed by Tricuro LLC on behalf of Corporacion Dinant. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

CONTACT: Roger Pineda, [email protected], +(504) 2239-8800

SOURCE Corporacion Dinant