Following the interest from Ecuadorian industry stakeholders to ensure that the World Banana Forum (WBF) remains the leading neutral platform for the facilitation of tripartite dialogue and coordination of international efforts aimed at supporting the sustainability of the Ecuadorian banana industry, a National Commission for Ecuador has been established under the framework of the WBF. This Commission aims to facilitate an exchange of information and enable fruitful dialogue between all relevant constituent groups, which include government representatives, banana-producing organizations, and trade union and worker representatives. The National Commission for Ecuador aims to address the specific challenges facing the banana industry in the country and further strengthen relationships among stakeholders. The priority topics to be addressed within the Commission include: the importance of shared responsibility and due diligence, decent work, occupational health and safety (OHS), gender equity, child labour prevention, decent wages, women’s empowerment, policy development, climate change, TR4, and awareness raising among consumers.

Objectives

1. Support the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) and promote sustainable practices to reduce the carbon footprint of the country’s banana production.

2. Develop actions to foster decent work in the national banana sector.

3. Use the WBF’s multi-stakeholder Banana Occupational Health and Safety Initiative (BOHESI) to promote the reduction and/or elimination of OHS risks in the banana industry.

4. Contribute to a better understanding of gender issues and the realities faced by women workers in the national banana industry.

5. Advocate to reduce gender-based barriers to employment and promote equal opportunities for women in the banana industry.

6. Ensure practices that prevent and protect against child labour in the banana industry's supply chain and promote decent work opportunities for youth.

7. Create mechanisms that facilitate living wages for workers in the banana industry.

8. Create mechanisms to support banana producers and exporting companies to comply with the environmental and social requirements included in the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and other international standards for sustainability.

9. Support strategies to prevent and control diseases in the country’s banana production, such as Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4.

10. Raise awareness among consumers about the sustainability challenges of banana production and encourage them to make informed purchasing decisions.

Members of the Commission

All stakeholders in the country are welcome to participate in the activities of the Commission. If you are interested in joining the National Commission for Ecuador, please contact Victor Prada at [email protected] and/or WBF Secretariat at [email protected].