José Santillan,
Head of Environmental and Occupational Safety

Achieving the highest occupational safety possible in our factory is one of our main goals. I spend the whole day, from Monday to Friday, going through the factory to see where there could be risks. That allows us to recognize and repair weaknesses immediately. We also train our employees, provide safety closing for them and make sure that it is worn. By doing so, we’ve ensured that there hasn’t been a single major accident in the past years.

Harry Veintimilla
President of Ecosfera, a regional environmental consulting firm

Since 2009, as a consulting company certified by the country of Ecuador, we have been working with Symrise to make the entire production more sustainable. We started with a major study to measure noise emissions, for example, as well as the quality of the wastewater and air. Based on that, we advise the facility on how the company can better achieve its environmental goals. A company is awarded our environment seal if 50% of our standards are adhered to – Symrise is at 90%, making it one of the top 10 companies in the region.

Giovanni Navas runs the “Divina Misericordia Albergue” a home for people living with disability

There is no public system in Ecuador that supports people with mental illness who are stranded. As a result, our shelter relies on donations. Symrise let its employees decide which project its donations should benefit. We received €6,000. We were able to buy a number of hospital beds and a new washing machine, which we could not have been able to afford otherwise.

Sandra Estupinan works as a banana peeler

I’ve had the same job here for 14 years. I work four days a week for twelve hours each day. And even though it’s tough and sometimes a bit monotonous, I am really happy. Our group sticks together; some of us take turns being in charge. I’ve done that a number of times. And above all, working here is a secure job. We get paid on time and there are a lot of positive things, like the free meals in the cafeteria or the health care.

Talia Navarrete is a member of the local council of Pasaje

Symrise makes an important contribution to our community at numerous levels. The company put the town and the region on the map for this industry – bananas are the most important source of income and a company like this helps us be strong economically. It also ensures that reliable work is available and is a stable partner, especially in times when our economy is being rocked by crisis. And finally, the company is involved in our schools and the infrastructure, which we, as a community, are very happy about.

Neira Lapo Cesar Stalin is checking raw materials.

He is one of about 4% of the employees at Pasaje site who have a disability.

I have been deaf since birth, but I can read lips and communicate with my colleagues. We have a great team in which everyone looks out for one another. I enjoy my job because I am doing several talks, even working at a computer. This was a great opportunity for me, because it was very difficult for me, as someone with deafness, to find a job.