Sugarcane Worker in Nicaraugua

The Adelante Initiative provides a platform to evaluate work practices and improve them with the best possible data while utilizing the learnings from the Worker Health and Efficiency Program.

The initiative provides what is essentially a dynamic lab at one of the most logistically competent mills in the Americas, Ingenio San Antonio Nicaragua. The Adelante Initiative’s founding partners are the following: Bonsucro, La Isla Network, Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited and The Nicaraguan Sugar Producers Association.

We will provide the lessons learned from our efforts in a pre-competitive space via Bonsucro and through other means so that all stakeholders may benefit regionally and globally. Learnings will help inform the Bonsucro certification and be used to inform policy advocacy for worker protections on the state and international level.

Our hope is that we can support, and be supported by all producers along the supply chain looking to ensure their sugarcane is sourced responsibly and in line with their procurement goals. We aim to continuously improve sourcing and certification standards as well as production standards.

Further, we look to development banks to be proactive in both the assessment of risks in the labor forces of the industries they work with, and in encouraging and supporting evidence-based interventions designed to limit risks in the workforce associated with CKDnT and other negative outcomes.

Adelante Project at Ingenio San Antonio (ISA) for 2017-2018

  • Preliminary assessment of:
    • Cross-harvest changes in biomarkers for cane cutters, seed cutters, irrigation workers and others
    • ISA intervention program for cane and seed cutters
    • Need for intervention extension to other worker categories
  • Produce recommendations for:
    • Intervention improvements and/or expansion
    • Productivity enhancements that protect health

What we aim to do in 2018-2020

  • Create effective interventions for other at-risk workers in cane
  • Design effective interventions for other industries
  • Ensure scalability while understanding logistical challenges
  • Improve the assessment of exposures
  • Work with development banks to improve loan assessment
  • Ensure learnings are incorporated into certifications and other standards
  • Provide insights into the organizational management structures and systems that facilitate change on the ground
From 2020 we will advocate for the application of protections in other at-risk industries and continue the development of occupational protections as we acquire data and improve programs.

Adelante Initiative Founding Members

Please click on the image below to learn more about the Adelante Initiative via a keynote that was presented to Bonsucro’s end user membership in November of 2017.