APPENDIX B: LETTERS TO CORPORAnONS 115 .-. IIU;\lt\N RIGIITS W A TCII 1630Connecticut Avenue. N. W. Suile 500 Washington.DC 20009 Tclcphone:202-612-4321 Facsimile:202-612-4333 E-mail: hrwd Wcbsile:hllpllwww.hrw.org ,\:\IERICASDlVISIO:li 1,,-.;~li~u,,1 Yiv",1\.-O E,.,uri"Direct'" I"..,u",~Iari."'r Dq'"fyDirerr", ),.,,1s.,"""", lI"xell,rhDjr""", C"r.,JP~ 1I,',ell,rher S"t-a"iOJ'B",!! C I L . Rot-i"Kirk ar In d er ~::~..~~'~~;'l)Cillt'X Chief Executive Officer Eliz"to:!hHolk"b""k Ch " . B d I . A""r;Ilte, Iqulta ran s nternatlona, I Inc. ADVISORYCO:\.IMITTEE 250 East Fifth Street S"'pl.",L K",s,ChIli' M..,i""Pi,,!o Koufn"'" Cincinnati OH 45202 OavKJNo.:lullOl' ' 1';,'eChll;'s Via Fax: 513-579-2580 Rola"JAlg'OJ,t P"!,,,DB"I\ Mar",,".B,u"",,"o Pa,,1CI.,vi~"y Jul R,.t.,rt"cu"u", y 13 ' 2001 o..rulhyCulll""" T"," 1 F"",r p""""'"jOJI.!",.G:&rru HO\;,," Dear Mr, Linder: Ro"alJG H"III",," IIla"""J""j;"r ~larkK"rIOJ' Human Rights Watch is preparing a report on child labor and freedom of ~I"'g""'! A l:ll'g K""""!hM..,w,,U association in the banana sector in Ecuador. Human Ri g hts Watch is an Jo""IY'IM..-coU" Bru""Ro~ independent, nongovernmental organization that since 1978 has conducted ~f",I~1 Shift"r , G"O'j;"Soros investigations of human rights abuses throughout the world. Juli,,"S!u.lky Ro", Styron Javi", Ti,!.:"""" JII.oIh.r""k,Y",bitskyZ"I'Kju"t! Attached are questions reoardinob b Chi quita's contractual relationshi ps with HL,;\I,\:IiRIGHTS WATCII specific Ecuadorean banana producers and plantations and Chiquita's general K"I1I",thRoth I b I... h ' E d b I ' E!ec.,i"Di,ecro, a or po ICles Wit respect to Its cua orean anana supp lers, We would Mi.:I",kAk."!I.!,,, . h . h ' . D"",I';prnentDirecrQr appreciate your answers to t ese questions, w Ich would be reflected m our C"fT"UBUj;"" I I " h f bl. h. h d I . C"n"lIlInirarionsDi,ectQr report. n Ig to our pu IS mg sc e u e, we would be grateful to receive Ad",caryD;re,r",R""JBroJy your response Wit. h.m one mont h'.s time. lI"rt-"",Gugfi.:I"" F'lIIlllce D;r"ct'" ~::t':~~;;ir'DirectQr I also wish to request at your earliest convenience an interview with you or a ~I~~,I,:~I;;~;r~~~~r"'tQ' Chiquita employee who is knowledgeable about labor practices on the ~;,~;;~:~~~;:::~:;,:to, plantations of Chiquita's suppliers in Ecuador. Oi""hPoK""Ip",,' C"""rQICoun,el ~f"I""I,"S,",," Th k h I I k f d h ' Pr"s'a,nDi,ector an you very muc. 00 orwar to eanng f rom you, WiIJ",Tuyk, Les"land PQlicy Di,ector Jo",u",W"schk, UNRepr"'"lalive ChIli'Jo"".tl1;l"F:IIlto" Sincerel y, .. ~ ,j.L)J Carol Pier Labor Rights Researcher Americas Division Human Rights Watch BRUSSELS HONG KONG LONDON LOS ANGELES MOSCOW NEW YORK RIO DE JAl'.'EIRO WASlllNGTON To: Chiquita Brands International, Inc. From: Human Rights Watch Date: July 13,2001 Subject: Banana plantations in Ecuador producing for Chiquita A. ChiquitaContractual Relationships Human Rights Watch was infonned that although Chiquita has not had long- standing contractual relationships, during the years indicated, with the plantations and producers listed below, Chiquita nonethelesshas purchased bananasfor export from them sporadically during these periods. We would be grateful if you would confinn this infonnation. Canas,owned by Vicente Ordonez in the EI Oro Province in the canton of Machala, from 1999 through 2001, and the following banana producers and plantations in GuayasProvince: Balao Chico in the canton of Balao from 1995 through 2001; Las Fincas, comprised of San Fernando, San Alejandro, San Gabriel, and San Jose, in the canton of Balao from 1995 through 2001; Italia in the canton of Balao from 1995 through 2001; Colon in the canton of Balao from 1995 through 2001; Recreo in the canton ofNaranjal from 2000 through 2001; San Carlos in the canton of Balao from 1999 through 2001; Santa Carla in the canton of Ba1aofrom 1997 through 2001; F:lorMaria of Sociedad Predio Rustico Agricola Ita1ia in the canton of Ba1aofrom 1997 through 2001; Guabital in the canton of Balao from 1998 through 2001; Alamos-Rey Rancho in the canton of Naranjal from 1995 through 2001; Predio Rustico La Rural, C.A., in the canton of Balao from 1999 through 2001. We would also welcome the names and locations of the producers and plantations in Ecuador that are among Chiquita's principal suppliers and with which Chiquita has had contractual relationships between 1995 and May 2001. B. Chiquita LaborPractices We would appreciate information about the policies Chiquita has adopted regarding respect for labor rights on the plantations from which it purchases bananas for export-both those with which it has standing contractual relationships and those from which it purchasesbananas on an irregular basis Specifically,we would welcomeyour responsesto the following questions: 1. Does Chiquita impose any age restrictions on workers employed on these plantations? Are there age restrictions for the performance of :~ certain types of tasks or for working under certain conditions? What steps does Chiquita take to ensure compliance with those restrictions? 2. Does Chiquita have a policy with respectto the use of temporary workers and subcontractorsand the duration of their contracts on these plantations? 3 What steps does Chiquita take to ensure that the right tq' freedom of association, including the right to unionize, is respected on these plantations? 4. Does Chiquita monitor, on an ongoing basis, labor rights conditions on the Ecuadoreanplantations from which it purchasesbananas for export? Has Chiquita conducted any labor rights monitoring or inspections of the above-listed Ecuadoreanbanana producers and plantations? 3 iuGIITS W A TCII 1630 Connecticut Avenue. N. W, Suite 500 W:lshington.DC 20009 Telephone: 202-612-4321 F:lcsimile: 202.612-4333 E-m:li1: hrwd Website:hup://www.hrw.org .\:'IERICAS DIVISION k~ Migucl Viv..x:o E.er.'i.. Dir«lol J"O'IIICMariner -~ Dcp.'Y Dir«lor )"cl So~""n ,';!~~~~;t;-\:'r"" Rc,.arch Dir.clor C=IPO:I R.,earch.r Scbo'ti:m B,ctt R"bu, Kirk Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh Re.earchAssocial's ;;:',: Tz"itclCfUZ Chief Executive Officer Eliza"'th HoUcnlx-=k ",socialts Del Monte Fresh Produce Company ADVISORY CO:'IMI1TEE StcrllClIL. Kass. Chair 800 Douglas Road M:IriI,a Puuo KaUfm:u1 D.vkJ Nxhmall N ort h T ower, 12t h Fl oor VirtChairs R"I...I.I AI~r""t C ora I G a bl es, FL 33134 ~~;~c~:;.,u'lSt"U' Via Fax: 305-520-8495 P..I CI.,vi~IIY R""'",,Cucll.. DurotltyCUu.I1OB1 ToonJ F",cr July 18,2001 Alcjo,l.Iro Garro Pctcrll..l:im R.II"'!.! G IIcu.nan Bi.'I'" Ja~g"r DearMr. Abu-Ghazaleh: M",I; Karl"'l M"'~"'ct A. L31lg KCIIIICtltM,,-,wcU J""clyll M..-CaU. Human Rights Watch is preparing a report on child labor and freedom of Bru"c R.bb Mi"I...! SIUEtcr association in the banana sector in Ecuador. Human Rights Watch is anindependent, G"orse Sora. JulO:IIStu.Jley nongovernmental organization that since 1978 has conductedinvestigations RoseStyron J.vo:r TII"",nan of human rights abusesthroughout the world. Ilor""io Verbitsky 'o~ Zal,"!ue« 11u;\IAN RIGHTS WATCII are questions regarding Del Monte's contractual relationships with KC'lIletlt Roth Extr.,iv. Dir«lor Mk:llCk AIe...l.ler specific Ecuadoreanbanana producers and plantations and Del Monte'sgeneral De"tlopm.nl Dir.clor labor policies with respectto its Ecuadoreanbanana suppliers. We CarroUBose" C(lmm.nicaliansDir,cl"r would appreciate your answers to these questions, which would be reflected in RceJ BroJy Ad'orary DirtClor our report. In light of our publishing schedule, we would be grateful toreceive B",bi1r:IGuglio:iloo Finan". Dir,clor your response within one month's time. Lotte ~k:lu B,.ss.ls Offi'" DirtCIOr Mi,,11:Ie1M..-Ciintock Dcpa'Y Pr°.fram DirtCIOI I also wish to request at your earliest convenience an interview with you or aDelMonte Man. PisnataroNo:'sell Iluman R.so.r".s Dir.Clor employee who is knowledgeable about labor practices on theplantations DiI,ah PoKe'11("lel C.n.ral Co."s.1 of Del Monte's suppliers in Ecuador. M."",,iln Smart Pr°.fra," Dir""or WilJcrTayler u.fal and P,,/icy Di,.clor Thank you very much. I look forward to hearing from you. )""'"13 Weschler UN Rtpr'St",afiv. 'olla,l= F:mton Chair Sincerely, ~ Carol Pier Labor Rights Researcher Americas Division Human Rights Watch BRUSSELS IlONG KONG LONDON LOS ANGELES MOSCOW NEW YORK RIO DE JANEIRO W ASlIINGTON :~~t~Attached.!;UM/\~ To: Del Monte Fresh Produce Company From: Human Rights Watch Date: July 18, 2001 Subject: Banana plantations in Ecuador producing for Del Monte A. Del Monte ContractualRelationships Human Rights Watch was informed that the plantation.sand producers listed below are among Del Monte's principal Ecuadoreanbanana suppliers and were producing primarily for Del Monte during the years stated or that Del Monte purchased significant quantities of bananasfrom them on a regular basis during these periods. We would be grateful if you would confirm this information and state when your contractual relationship with each.producer and plantation began and whether the relationship still existed as of May 2001 or, if no standing contractual relationship existed, when you began to purchase significant quantities of bananasfrom these producers and plantations and whether you continue to do so.