Dole Sunshine Company Convenes Corporate, Government and NGO Leaders for Inaugural Sunshine for All® Summit to Address Global Food Insecurity Crisis

DSC gathered leaders from across the country in Jackson, MS to create systemic change

DSC also unveiled plans to expand its Sunshine for All Cities nutrition access and education program to Merced, CA

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its journey to achieve the goals outlined in the Dole Promise and bring sustainable nutrition to all, the Dole Sunshine Company (DSC) brought together CPG brands, NGOs, and government officials in Jackson, MS on June 9, 2022 for the first-ever Sunshine for All Summit. During the event, key updates to the Dole Sunshine for All Cities program were unveiled, and leaders participated in a roundtable discussion on how the private and public sectors must work together to achieve systemic change in areas of food and nutrition access and sustainability.

"At DSC, we understand it's not enough to merely distribute nutritious foods to communities in need. We believe the well-being of society and business are interdependent and we must embrace the mindset that enables tangible results and solutions for improved nutrition knowledge and understanding," said Pier Luigi Sigismondi, President of Dole Packaged Foods & Beverages Group. "The Summit in Jackson served as a great starting point for this model, as we addressed many critical topics that will propel our vision of creating a more sustainable world for all, starting at the local level and expanding globally."

The Summit celebrated the two years of work and progress that has been made since launch of the Sunshine for All Cities program in Jackson in August 2020, which has brought nutrition access and education to more than 20,000 residents to-date and is already garnering positive traction in Baltimore, which kicked off in March 2022.

Looking ahead at what's to come for this change-driving program, renderings were revealed for the proposed Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi Culinary Arts Center in Jackson (view the renderings here). It will serve as a sprawling educational hub designed by Durrell Design Group and equipped with state-of-the-art GE Appliances including 13 full-size kitchens (refrigerators, ranges, microwave and dishwashers), washers and dryers for club member usage and 80 small appliances (stand mixers, air fry toaster ovens, blenders, food processors, etc.).

Further, DSC announced that Merced, CA, will be the next destination to receive the Sunshine for All Cities program, and is slated to launch in August 2022.

The event concluded with a roundtable discussion that addressed how this model can be replicated in other communities and how public and private organizations can come together to improve the overall health and wellness of the citizens in Jackson and beyond. "This is the moment that we could change what we're doing behaviorally to impact policy; to do more to deal with development with our community," said Mississippi State Senator John Horhn, discussing the program's bottom-up approach of bettering the Jackson community and setting the baseline for the future of the Sunshine for All projects in the future.

Participants from the public sector included key staff members from Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba's office, Mississippi State Senators John Horhn and Sollie B. Norwood, Congressman Bennie Thompson, City of Jackson Councilmen Vernon Hartley, Sr. and Aaron Banks, Jackson State University, and Jackson Public Schools. The corporate sector was represented by key leaders from DSC, Itochu Corporation, GE Appliances, SodexoMagic, Bumble Bee Seafoods, Durrell Design Group, Roberts Company, EasyKale, Foot Print Farms, and Dole Sunshine for All Cities Chef Ambassador Nick Wallace. NGOs included The Boys & Girls Clubs, Partnership for a Healthier America, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, R U Hungry?, and Draw a Smile Foundation.

To follow the progress and impact of the Dole Sunshine for All Cities program, visit dolesunshine.com.

The name Dole Sunshine Company is used to represent the global interests and combined efforts of Dole Asia Holdings, Dole Worldwide Packaged Foods and Dole Asia Fresh. Dole Sunshine Company is not an actual business entity and does not operate as such in any country or region. For more information on Dole Sunshine Company, please visit sunshineforall.com.

In June 2020 Dole Asia Holdings announced The Dole Promise, with its three pillars around nutrition, sustainability, and the creation of shared value.

Better for People: Access to sustainable nutrition for 1 billion people by 2025, moving towards zero processed sugar in all Dole Packaged Foods products by 2025.

Better for Planet: Working towards zero fruit loss from Dole farms to markets by 2025, aiming for zero fossil-based plastic packaging by 2025. Working towards net zero carbon emissions in Dole operations by 2030.

Better for all Stakeholders: Dole will continue to positively impact all farmers, communities and people working for Dole – through its commitment to equal opportunity, living wages, and an ever-increasing level of safety, nutrition, and wellbeing. The company also seeks to advance human rights within the direct operations and supply chains by building a culture of transparency and accountability. The company also aims for a 50% increase in the value of its business by 2025.

SOURCE Dole Sunshine Company