In Thailand, Dole produces and processes pineapples and other tropical fruit.

Products and Areas of Production

Dole produces pineapple slices, chunks, pieces, tidbits, pizza cut, and aseptic particulate, packed in syrup and in juice. Dole Thailand also produces tropical fruit salads and cocktails containing pineapples, papayas and guavas, and Fruit Parfait. Other products include rambutan, grapefruit, watermelon, cantaloupe, lycheee and mango.
Dole owns one farm and two canneries in Thailand. Dole has approximately 7,700 full-time and seasonal or hourly-paid workers.

Independent Growers

In Thailand, Dole sources fruit from approximately 1,900 independent growers.
Growers are trained to handle chemicals and to use Good Agricultural Practices.  Dole conducts visits to monitor their agricultural practices and chemical use. Fruit received from independent growers are checked for quality and chemical residues through a standard sampling method.

Environmental Practices

Dole Thailand has been ISO 14001 certified since 2001 (starting with our factory in Hua Hin in 1999).
Specific programs for environmental protection on the Dole Thai-owned farms include:

• Solid waste segregation, recycling and re-use programs
• Waste water treatment initiatives
• Water conservation programs
• Air emission control programs
• Programs to reduce the use of conventional agricultural chemicals and pesticides
• Following the adoption of the ISO 14001 environmental management systems, Dole Thailand has reduced the volume of solid wastes by 80% through sales of recyclable waste. There has also been a 10% reduction in rag use and the elimination of R12-containing CFCs (CFC-12 being an ozone-depleting refrigerant). Levels of air emissions from boilers and incinerators are significantly below the legal maximums

Labor Conditions

Dole Thailand’s factory in Hua Hin has been SA 8000 certified since 2006.

Training

New employees of Dole Thailand are required to undergo training in the following areas:

• Orientation
• Department rules
• Job training
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
• ISO 9001
• ISO 14001
• ISO 18001
• SA 8000
• Safety awareness
• Food safety
• Food allergies

All training must be completed within one month after hiring. Job training must be satisfactorily completed in three months. Re-training is mandatory if the employee fails in subsequent evaluations. Training is conducted in a classroom setting with groups of 10 to 30 people.

There are 30 professional trainers and 108 coaches who train between 5,000 and 5,500 employees annually.

Social Benefits

In addition to providing all benefits required by law, Dole Thailand’s policy is to pay each employee enough to meet basic needs plus have some discretionary income for personal and social activities.

Community Programs

Medical Programs

An on-site dispensary, staffed with three professional nurses and a part-time visiting physician, provides counseling and treatment to Dole Thailand employees, their dependents and people from adjoining communities. There are approximately 40,000 annual visits to the dispensary.

Education is also provided on health-related topics including:

• Prenatal and postnatal care
• Immunization
• HIV/AIDS
• Smoking
• Drugs

Education Programs

Dole Thailand offers its employees:

• Computer classes
• English classes
• School programs: literacy, primary, secondary, high school and vocational school
• Student apprenticeship: diploma and bachelor degree
• Seminars on saving and personal investment
• Scholarships

Housing Programs

Dole Thailand provides the following:

• Two dormitories with a capacity for 654 people
• 116 family units
• 159 apartments with a capacity for 318 people
• Children’s playgrounds
• Football fields
• Basketball courts

Other Programs

• Direct sale of consumer goods at discounted prices
• Pesticide-free vegetable programs for employees, schools and the community
• Canteen library for employees
• Library support for public schools
• Donation of products, such as rice and other needed items to employees and their families
• Cultural and religious activities for employees and their families

Main Certifications

• ISO 9001
  • Hua Hin factory for the manufacturing and distribution of food products in metal and flexible plastic packaging
  • Chumporn factory for the manufacturing of metal packaging, processing and packaging of pineapples, tropical fruit juice, concentrate and juice blends
• ISO 14001
  • Hua Hin factory for the manufacturing of solid pineapples, crushed pineapples, juice and concentrate, clarified pineapple juice, single-serving fruit cups, nata de coco, aloe vera, tropical fruit salad and cocktail, single strength juice and fruit puree
  • Chumporn factory for the manufacturing of metal packaging, processing and packaging of canned and pouch pineapples, fruits, tropical fruit, fruit juice and fruit juice blends, concentrate and fresh fruit
• SA 8000
  • Hua Hin factory for activities similar to the ISO 14001 scope

Awards

• In 2006, Dole Thailand received the Prime Minister’s Industry Award for outstanding quality management