[Press Release] Ecuadorian company, Batery Alimentos SA, gets first “Cradle to Cradle” certification in Latin America

Monday, March 25, 2013

Batery Alimentos of Ecuador became the first company in Latin America and the Caribbean to receive a Cradle to Cradle certification (C2C) for its manufacturing practices. The prestigious certification was awarded at a ceremony organized by The Coordinating Ministry of Production, Employment and Competitiveness (MCPEC) and the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development of the Organization of American States (OAS), on Tuesday, March 19 at the Radisson Hotel in Quito, Ecuador.

Batery Alimentos received this C2C certification because its manufacturing practices are consistent with C2C standards, including the fact that it combines eco-friendly elements without sacrificing profitability. This includes promoting energy efficiency, the non-use of harmful chemicals and the use of recyclable materials. Such practices are replicable in Ecuador and across the Americas as innovative business development tools to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance while increasing businesses productivity, competitiveness and sustainability, particularly for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The certification event brought together high-level Government and OAS representatives, as well as diplomatic officials. Acting Vice Minister in charge Mr. Munir Massuh of MCPEC represented the Government of Ecuador. Other high-level officials included, Ms. Sherry Tross, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for Integral Development of the OAS, Mr. Karel Coors, Honorary Consul from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ecuador, and Timothy Zúñiga-Brown, Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Ecuador.

In her address, Executive Secretary Tross noted the importance of celebrating efforts to deploy innovative business approaches that lead to enhanced competitiveness and increased sustainability. She continued, “We must continue to encourage even more creativity, innovation and commitment so that such initiatives that fuel economic growth and environmental protection become more widespread in our Hemisphere”.

Left to right: Ms. Sherry Tross, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for Integral Development of the OAS, Acting Vice Minister in charge Mr. Munir Massuh of MCPEC

During the ceremony, Acting Vice Minister in charge Massuh commented ”This was a proud moment for the people of Ecuador and for Batery Alimentos as thepioneer company for being the first to be certified in the Closed Loop Cycle Production (CLCP) for all of Latin America and the Caribbean.” Likewise, Mr. Zuniga-Brown took the opportunity to highlight that “We are in an era of innovation in the Americas, as evidenced by joint initiatives through the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) program such as CLPC, Connect 2022 and Silva Carbon.

The CLPC in the Americas is one of many ECPA initiatives. Key partners in this initiative along with the MCPEC and the OAS, include the Cradle-to-Cradle Expo Lab, the Cleaner Production Center of Colombia, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, and the local partners and suppliers to Batery Alimentos, NEYPLEX and Centro Grafico.

See press release, here.