CHARLOTTE, NC - Dole Food Company announced that seven winning projects have been selected for the 2025-26 edition of Harvesting Dreams. This global, employee-led innovation program created by Dole’s Fresh Fruit division turns grassroots ideas from employee teams into practical solutions that benefit the communities where the company grows, sources and operates.
Launched in 2021 and grounded in The Dole Way, Dole’s sustainability framework built around the three pillars of For People, For Food and For Nature, Harvesting Dreams challenges employees to identify opportunities that can create lasting impact from the ground up. The second edition drew more than 25 proposals from across Dole’s operations, with seven projects selected for implementation in the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador, according to a press release.
“Harvesting Dreams works because it starts with our own people, the teams who understand our farms, our ports, our facilities, our processes and communities best,” said Nelson Montoya, President of Dole Fresh Fruit North America. “These seven projects are not simply good ideas on paper. They are practical commitments to improve education, healthcare, resource protection and volunteer engagement in places where Dole lives and works. As we continue advancing The Dole Way, this program shows how employee innovation can become measurable, lasting impact.”
The seven winning projects are:
- United States: Bobby’s Classroom Connections
Supporting education, nutrition and corporate volunteering in a vulnerable school community. - Guatemala: Integrated Public Pharmacy
Helping improve public health and community access to healthcare. - Honduras: AGROPOR Medical System
Providing on-site healthcare support for employees and their families. - Honduras: Our Water Sources, Our Future
Promoting sustainable protection and management of micro-watersheds. - Costa Rica: Targeted Weed Management
Advancing agricultural innovation and sustainable pineapple production practices. - Costa Rica: With You at Home
Supporting housing improvement, social volunteering and family gardens. - Ecuador: Clean Water Access, La Victoria Community
Strengthening sustainable access to safe drinking water.
Implementation timelines will vary by country and project, with work expected to begin during the second half of 2026 and all projects targeted for full implementation by December 2028.
This edition also marks the first participation from the United States, expanding Harvesting Dreams beyond Latin America and reinforcing the program’s global scope with local execution.
Projects were selected through a structured evaluation process. Proposals first received guidance and screening from each country’s Sustainability Operating Committee. They were then reviewed by the country Steering Committee, made up of managers and leadership representatives, before final approval by Dole’s Executive Sustainability Committee, led by the President of Dole Fresh Fruit.
Evaluation criteria included expected impact on well-being, the environment or business operations; alignment with The Dole Way and relevant Sustainable Development Goals; innovation and feasibility; multidisciplinary team involvement; partnership strength; risk management; and clear indicators for tracking progress.
Sarah Marsh, Dole’s Director of Terminal Operations at the Port of San Diego, and part of one of the winning project teams stated, "Being selected as a Harvesting Dreams program winner is incredibly meaningful to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of a program that supports growth, learning, and community impact. I look forward to using this opportunity to give back, inspire others, and help create positive change in the communities we serve."
Harvesting Dreams is designed around a public-private-community partnership model, bringing together Dole employees, public institutions, community organizations, NGOs, academia and specialized technical partners. The goal is to help ideas move beyond inspiration and into long-term, locally owned solutions.
The first edition of Harvesting Dreams, launched in 2021, delivered results across several Dole communities and operations, including recovery of strategic micro-watersheds in Honduras, expanded access to safe drinking water for families, improved cooking stoves in Guatemala, emissions-reduction efforts in pineapple agricultural operations in Costa Rica and expanded medical services for employees.
“At Dole we have a long history of grassroot sustainability culture and Harvesting Dream is directly aligned with this legacy," added Montoya.
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Founded in Hawaii in 1851, Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2010 revenues of 6.9B, is the world's largest producer and…
