At West Pak Avocado, we believe to our core in doing the right thing. With an unwavering respect for people and nature throughout our 40-plus-year history, we are proud to build upon our legacy of responsibility. We strive to be a trusted partner to our people, our customers and growers, and the communities in which we operate.
Growing a Legacy of Responsibility
Demonstrating sustainable growth
To meet the increased demand for avocados, we have been expanding both our growing and sourcing operations in North and South America. This growth presents an opportunity to invest in resource-efficient, high-performing, and cost-effective facilities, ensuring strong operational and environmental performance.
We are developing company-owned groves and packing facilities in Jalisco, Mexico, and Colombia, where we will incorporate leading green building materials and practices. As we enhance our national distribution network, we are committed to adding value and convenience for our customers through state-of-the-art information technology systems, LED lighting, energy-efficient refrigeration, and more.
West Pak is dedicated to improving efficiency and reducing waste, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions, replacing single-use paper boxes with reusable plastic containers, and switching to bags that use 20% less plastic as part of our sustainability efforts.
Fostering our culture of respect
Everything that we do as a company is only possible because of our people. We are proud to work with a committed team of employees who share a common passion for avocados and the healthy goodness they offer. Our respect for people and the value we place on building enduring, mutually beneficial relationships are central to our culture and how we grow our business. As our company grows, we are working to reinforce an inclusive culture characterized by trust, mutual respect, open communication, and personal accountability.
Moving forward with purpose
I am excited about what is ahead for our company. As a global leader, West Pak will continue to provide healthy avocados that nourish people while protecting the environment and enhancing prosperity along the value chain. As part of our legacy of responsibility, we will continue to advance our sustainability efforts in pursuit of generating long-term value.
Our 2019 inaugural sustainability report became the baseline for goal-setting and assessing future performance. This includes referencing the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards to guide the report development for both years to identify and prioritize relevant sustainability topics and impacts. Other resources included United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks; regulatory context; sector initiatives; peer benchmarking; and desktop research, along with company strategy, core competencies, risks and opportunities, policies, and practices.
Here are important highlights from West Pak’s 2020 Sustainability report:
In 2020, we protected our employees and partners through our proactive and comprehensive COVID-19 response:
- Strengthened programs to support our employees health and well-being.
- Formed a COVID-19 safety team to monitor and implement the latest public health guidelines.
Implemented on-site temperature checks and COVID-19 testing. - Invested in state-of-the-art equipment and other enhancements in office, production, and warehouse areas to reduce risks of contamination.
With everyone’s safety and wellbeing in check, West Pak remained committed to formulating a holistic sustainability strategy to grow the business responsibly.
We are pleased to unveil our second annual sustainability report. The report covers our domestic and international operations for 2020 and consists of our company’s headquarters, regional offices, packing houses, and ripening and distribution centers. Titled Growing a Legacy of Responsibility the 2020 sustainability report is designed to communicate our sustainability commitments, efforts, and performance to our various stakeholders.
Mario Pacheco, our chief executive officer explains, “as a global leader in avocados, we believe respect for people and the environment enables our company to grow and prosper over the long term in harmony with the needs of our partners, communities, and ecosystems. These guiding principles were essential in our ability to grow our business in 2020 to meet rising consumer demand while navigating the challenges of the pandemic.”
In the face of COVID-19, we took extensive measures to provide a safe work environment for all our employees and partners, focusing first on ensuring their safety and wellbeing. West Pak formed a COVID-19 safety team to monitor and implement the latest public health guidelines. Precautions concentrated on education, minimizing potential exposures, and sanitizing facilities. We invested in state-of-the-art equipment and other enhancements in the office, production, and warehouse areas to reduce risks of contamination, plus implemented on-site temperature checks and COVID-19 testing.
