Dole Harvesting Dreams Program Advances Water, Healthcare and Community Solutions Across the Americas

Seven employee-led projects will support communities in Latin America and the United States through 2028

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dole Food Company (NYSE: DOLE) today announced seven projects selected for the 2025-26 Harvesting Dreams program, an employee-led initiative that transforms local ideas into practical social, environmental and operational solutions.

Six of the projects are based in Latin America, where teams will address critical community priorities including safe drinking water, watershed protection, healthcare access, housing and sustainable agriculture.

In Ecuador, Clean Water Access will strengthen reliable access to safe drinking water for the La Victoria community. In Honduras, Our Water Sources, Our Future will promote the sustainable protection and management of micro-watersheds, while the AGROPOR Medical System will provide on-site healthcare support for employees and their families. In Guatemala, an Integrated Public Pharmacy will help improve community access to medicines and public health services.

Two Costa Rica initiatives will advance targeted weed management and sustainable pineapple production, as well as housing improvements, family gardens and employee volunteering. In the United States, Bobby’s Classroom Connections will support education, nutrition and corporate volunteering in a vulnerable school community, marking the country’s first participation in the program.

“At Dole, we are proud of our longstanding grassroots culture of sustainability,” said Xavier Roussel, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer at Dole Food Company. “Harvesting Dreams starts with the people who know our operations and communities best. Their ideas, combined with strong local partnerships, can improve access to water and healthcare, protect natural resources and create lasting benefits for families.”

Launched in 2021, Harvesting Dreams is grounded in The Dole Way, the company’s sustainability framework built around the pillars of For People, For Food and For Nature. Projects are developed through collaboration among Dole employees, public institutions, community organizations, NGOs, academic institutions and technical partners, with an emphasis on measurable, locally owned solutions.

Implementation is expected to begin during the second half of 2026, with all seven projects targeted for full implementation by December 2028.

The first edition of Harvesting Dreams supported watershed recovery in Honduras, expanded safe drinking water access, improved cooking solutions in Guatemala, emissions-reduction efforts in Costa Rica and expanded medical services for employees.

For more information, visit https://www.dole.com.

About Dole Food Company

Dole Food Company, part of Dole plc, is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education. For more information, please visit www.dole.com.