The Guatemalan Sugar Industry is recognized for its commitment to disaster reduction

The recognition of Resilient Company to the Guatemalan Sugar Industry

The Coordination Center for the Prevention of Disasters in Central America and the Dominican Republic -Cepredenac- presented the recognition of Resilient Company to the Guatemalan Sugar Industry.

The award recognizes the valuable contribution of the Guatemalan Sugar Industry in incorporating integral risk management to promote sustainable economic development and the construction of a more resilient Central America.

The recognition was received by Luis Miguel Paiz, General Manager of the Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association -Asazgua- who thanked on behalf of the Guatemalan Sugar Industry and added that “the 11 sugar mills that make up the Guatemalan Sugar Industry are aware that we have to prevent and anticipate any disaster, not to be reactive but rather focus on disaster prevention internally and towards communities”.

Organization for resilience

In recent years, Asazgua and the sugar mills have developed Public-Private Partnerships to address different problems on the South Coast of Guatemala, among which the Technical Risk Management Table (Public-Private Alliance) and Water Users´ Meetings can be highlighted, as well as the implementation of the Protocol for the Attention of Emergencies of the Sugar Industry.

In addition, during the last 10 years, Asazgua has received technical / scientific accompaniment and studies generated by the Private Institute for Climate Change Research –ICC. This has help the sugar mills to be aware of their main risks and threats related to the environment. Thanks to this contribution has allowed each company to develop its own actions to reduce its vulnerabilities, and sometimes with joint projects to reduce costs and have greater impacts.

Preparation and execution of the response

Through the different institutions that make up the Guatemalan Sugar Industry, community and family organization has been promoted for emergency care, achieving the formation of Local, Municipal and Departmental Coordinators for Disaster Reduction.

The Guatemalan Sugar Industry has protocols and procedures for responding to emergencies of both natural and sanitary origin.

In recent years, individual drills have been promoted, where each institution that makes up the Sugar Industry develops and evaluates their exercises, applying the provisions of their Occupational Safety protocols.

The Social Programs of the Sugar Foundation were certified and accredited

The Social Programs of the Sugar Foundation were certified and accredited

The Social Programs, implemented by the Sugar Foundation of the Guatemalan Sugar Industry were certified and accredited for a period of five years by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education. The programs are aligned with the SDG´s of the United Nations.

These programs have been translated in more than 532,000 women empowered and trained in food security and development for their family and community; 26,837 youngsters empowered, since 2015, to be leaders and responsible citizens; 10,500 teachers from the South of Guatemala trained annually, benefiting more than 300,000 students; 5,390 community leaders have participated in the formulation and monitoring of 406 Comprehensive Community Development Plans that have benefited hundreds of residents of communities on the South Coast of Guatemala, during 19 years; 2,529 women and 1,612 municipal employees have been trained with this program between 2016 and 2018.

This success has made companies and organizations hire these services to implement them in areas of their interest, with which the work of Corporate Social Responsibility multiplies, for more information on how to be a Social Investor visit: http://www.fundazucar.org/programs?lang=en

The programs

The name of the programs are: Generation 15-30, Better families, Procaps and Pedagogical Coaching, Health comes first, Better communities, Participatory Municipal Development y Communities in development. These certifications and accreditations ensure educational quality of the social programs according to the standards of the Government of Guatemala through the Ministry of Education.

Social Programs of the Sugar Foundation were certified and accredited

The now certified and accredited programs are focused on 65 municipalities and are aligned with public policies. The main objective of these is local development promoting citizen participation and strengthening local authorities.

The main actors are the same citizens, young people, women, teachers, health workers, community leaders and municipal authorities who, through the programs, are contributing to the well-being of their community.

Given the global and national scenario of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Foundation adapted social programs according to the needs posed by the health emergency. This has made it possible to reinforce the development strategy that has been executed in line with local public policies.

However, due to the positive results of the programs, they continue through individuals and / or companies that have made the decision to replicate the Fundazucar Programs with their own resources in the geographic areas of their interest, who are called “Social investors”. If there is interest in replicating the model, you can contact the Sugar Foundation at +502 22158000 for more information.

Social Programs of the Sugar Foundation were certified and accredited

Since 1990, Fundazucar has promoted programs with a model of social investment where citizens themselves manage their resources for the benefit and development of their community.

Guatemalan Sugar Foundation began Municipal Management training including mitigation against COVID-19

Fundazucar's Municipal management training

The Sugar Foundation -Fundazucar- and the School of Government inaugurated on December the Municipal Management training aimed at 50 municipal public officials, to strengthen their competencies and technical and administrative skills to face effectively, efficiently, and successfully the challenges of public and political management for the continuous improvement of the economic indicators of the South of Guatemala, and to help the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the inauguration Alfredo Vila, president of the Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association -Asazgua-, mentioned that it was a pride to inaugurate this training that is so important for the growth of the participants’ communities, emphasizing that municipal development is fundamental for Guatemala.

The training will be held by the School of Government with the support of Fundazucar and began on December 4th, 2020 and will end on August 13th, 2021. In 30 sessions of 2 hours each, the following topics will be addressed: Mitigation measures against COVID-19; Municipal management, inspection, transparency, and accountability; Municipal planning and management for results; and Attractive municipalities for investment.

Fundazucar's municipal management training

Municipal Management training is part of the Thematic Component for the Sustainability of Governance of Fundazucar, which promotes the strengthening of local institutions such as the Municipal Corporation. The coverage of this intervention reaches 26 municipalities and approximately 900 municipal workers are trained, from different administrative and technical areas of the Municipal Corporation.

In his speech, Luis Miguel Paiz, general manager of Asazgua, stressed that “for the Guatemalan Sugar Industry it is important to strengthen local institutions and that is why we believe that this type of training can help us to collaborate with Guatemala’s development”.

The Guatemalan Sugar Industry joins the Alliance for Water

Alliance for Water

The Guatemalan Sugar Industry is committed to the care and conservation of the environment. That is why, through the Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association -Asazgua-, joined the Alliance for Water in Guatemala.

Water is an essential resource for human life, as well as for agricultural and industrial processes. The Guatemalan Sugar Industry has joined the Alliance for Water with the aim of supporting the construction of a national scenario that promotes the integral management of water resources.

The Alliance for Water is a work platform that seeks to contribute to water security, promoting dialogue and joint participation of different actors and sectors of the country, consolidating a common agenda in favor of better water management.

The Alliance was constituted in its beginnings by five institutions: The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the University of the Valley of Guatemala (UVG), the Private Institute for Climate Change Research (ICC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The lines of action of the alliance are:

  • Good governance of water resources
  • Public policy for sustainable water management
  • Research and information
  • Awareness and training
  • Financial mechanisms

In this way, the desired objective of building and implementing a national agenda around water can be achieved, making it a source of well-being, health, progress, and peace for each inhabitant of Guatemala.