Grupo Occidente, parent company of Network Partner Seguros de Occidente and Grupo Agroindustrial Occidente (GAO), is committed to promoting social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and strong corporate management in its investments.
Grupo Agroindustrial Occidente (GAO), a leader in the natural rubber industry in the Americas, has developed an innovative management model integrating sustainability principles and greater social responsibility, which allows increased competitiveness while improving the risk management of rubber tree plantations.
The new model pioneers worldwide access to carbon finance for rubber tree plantations through its pilot project “Promoting sustainable development through natural rubber tree plantations in Guatemala”. The project is planting 2,366 hectares of new rubber tree plantations, which are managed using the best international sustainability criteria. This will aid climate change mitigation through an additional average carbon dioxide sequestration of 1.74 million tons during the lifespan of this plantation.
The project was registered under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (www.v-c-s.org), and is in the process of verification to allow the first issue worldwide of carbon offsets from rubber tree plantations. The carbon offsets will be traded to Switzerland-based enterprises in sustainable corporate responsibility programmes.
Through sustainable management GAO will ensure the highest social, environmental, and production standards. Plantations will be free of child labour, and guarantee compliance with local laws and international agreements on labour and environment, labour security, and employee training.
Environmental management will protect natural resources, water, soil, and biodiversity, and stop rubber plantations taking over natural forests, by planting deforested areas or degraded lands. Production management will prevent over-exploitation, wildfires, and flooding, and promote stabile growth and productivity.
GAO aims to have the first rubber plantations certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in the Americas. Its innovations promote social responsibility, diversify the sources of revenue for rubber plantations, create incentives for responsible low-risk expansion, and contribute to sustainable economic development.
For more information
please visit www.occidentecorp.com.gt or www.occidente.com.gt/agroindustrial
The new model pioneers worldwide access to carbon finance for rubber tree plantations through its pilot project “Promoting sustainable development through natural rubber tree plantations in Guatemala”. The project is planting 2,366 hectares of new rubber tree plantations, which are managed using the best international sustainability criteria. This will aid climate change mitigation through an additional average carbon dioxide sequestration of 1.74 million tons during the lifespan of this plantation.
The project was registered under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (www.v-c-s.org), and is in the process of verification to allow the first issue worldwide of carbon offsets from rubber tree plantations. The carbon offsets will be traded to Switzerland-based enterprises in sustainable corporate responsibility programmes.
Through sustainable management GAO will ensure the highest social, environmental, and production standards. Plantations will be free of child labour, and guarantee compliance with local laws and international agreements on labour and environment, labour security, and employee training.
Environmental management will protect natural resources, water, soil, and biodiversity, and stop rubber plantations taking over natural forests, by planting deforested areas or degraded lands. Production management will prevent over-exploitation, wildfires, and flooding, and promote stabile growth and productivity.
GAO aims to have the first rubber plantations certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in the Americas. Its innovations promote social responsibility, diversify the sources of revenue for rubber plantations, create incentives for responsible low-risk expansion, and contribute to sustainable economic development.
For more information
please visit www.occidentecorp.com.gt or www.occidente.com.gt/agroindustrial