DELTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA & SANTA MARIA, CA - This week, we honor the hardworking men and women who tirelessly bring fresh produce to consumers’ tables. In celebration of National Farmworkers Awareness Week, WINDSET FARMS® is paying tribute to these key industry members by spotlighting its ongoing commitment to its workforce.
Windset Farms always finds fun and meaningful ways to appreciate and celebrate its farmworkers throughout the year. This includes bringing in food trucks for lunches, monthly raffles, and holiday giveaways and events! In Delta, British Columbia, Windset partners with a local church organization that comes to the facilities to teach foreign workers how to read, write, and speak English, a release explained. Most recently, they’ve also launched a program to help foreign workers complete their annual taxes, providing support during and after the process.
“It’s important that we teach our employees these vital life skills. We educate them on everything from computer skills to WorkSafe BC responsibilities. We talk to them about what is expected of us and what we expect from them in return. You see a great sense of ownership and pride when employees have the tools and resources to succeed,” Tony Pacheco, Windset Farms Operations Manager, said. “We recently hosted a dinner to celebrate the first planting of the season and thank the farmworkers who assisted with this milestone.”
Similar initiatives take place at Windset’s Santa Maria, California, facility. The Champions of the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Leadership Team recently worked with EFI on a waste reduction project that was implemented across the Santa Maria facility. These initiatives and growth opportunities aim to support Windset employees' mental well-being so they can flourish in their roles and lives.
Windset was one of the first greenhouse vegetable companies to adopt the EFI in 2017, and all of its facilities are EFI-certified. This independent certification program is centered around employee well-being and sustainable practices, including Employee Health and safety, Food Safety, and Pest Management. Being an EFI-certified farm builds on Windset’s existing employee wellness programs, providing employees with added trust that the company is putting their needs first.
To learn more about what Windset is doing to support its workers, click here.
Cheers to those farmworkers behind the scenes making sure fresh fruits and vegetables make it to shelves worldwide!
