Dinant committed to collaborative roadmap in Honduras
New Executive President Reiterates Support for CBI ProposalsTegucigalpa, Honduras, July 31, 2015 Miguel Mauricio Facusse, the newly-appointed Executive President of Corporación Dinant, today reiterated his company’s commitment to participate fully in an approach suggested by Consensus Building Institute (CBI), under the supervision of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to bring together all stakeholders in the Aguán to discuss constructive solutions to some of the problems faced by people living and working in this part of Honduras.
Mr. Facusse said, “Although Dinant is only one of many stakeholders in the Aguán, we recognize that as a majoremployer and driver of economic growth we have an important part to play in securing a safer and moreprosperous future for the region. As part of our commitment to help find a long-term solution to the land conflicts,we look forward to engaging respectfully and transparently with all stakeholders, including community leaders,the Honduran authorities, and especially those few peasant movements that hold other viewpoints.”
CBI’s approach proposes a range of issues for discussion by Aguán stakeholders, including human rights, grievance
mechanisms, crime and impunity, land tenure, and inclusive development. Dinant has already taken the lead in
many of these areas. As part of its commitment to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, Dinant
has removed all firearms from security men and women at its plantations, extraction mills and manufacturing
plants. And Dinant is building better relations with nearby communities by employing social workers and
launching regional Community Grievance Mechanisms that provide local people with simple, safe and reliable
ways of communicating with the company.
Mr. Facusse continued, “We have made a great start, and there’s more we intend to do as we continue toimplement our draft Enhanced Action Plan (EAP) in partnership with IFC. But, Dinant alone cannot resolve thewider problems of poverty, crime, and insecurity facing the people of the Aguán. In partnership with allstakeholders in the Aguán, we shall work hard to refine and implement CBI’s roadmap, and to seek solutions thatsignificantly benefit the lives of all people that live and work in this beautiful region.”
As part of the roadmap proposed by CBI, Dinant has agreed for an independent board to review its land titles and
related documents, and for the findings to be made available to any party.
About Corporación Dinant
Dinant is a family-owned consumer products manufacturer founded in Honduras in 1960 by Miguel Facusse
Barjum. Its products are sold throughout Central America and the Dominican Republic, and exported to global
markets. Dinant employs 8,000 people, supports over 22,000 livelihoods, generates millions of US dollars in
exports for the Honduran economy, and contributes significantly to all communities in which it operates.
Contact: Roger Pineda, roger.pineda@dinant.com, +(504) 2239-8800