Fyffes announced on International Women’s Day (Tuesday 8 March) that it had chosen to focus its European donation allocations on charities that support women facing gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
The fruit and fresh-produce firm noted that it has donated just under €30,000 to charities that support female victims of violence, including Women’s Aid in Ireland, England and Scotland, bff: Frauen gegen Gewalt (Women against Violence) in Germany, and Blijf Groep (Stay Group) in the Netherlands.
‘The Shadow Pandemic’
According to UN Women, the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in what it terms ‘the Shadow Pandemic’, as levels of domestic violence and all types of violence against women and girls has intensified due to factors resulting from the pandemic, Fyffes, the Japanese-owned company, noted.
Gender is one of Fyffes’ four priority focus areas for its donation allocations, along with nutrition, climate change resilience, and education.
Speaking about the commitment to the European charities, Stella Davis, who leads Fyffes’ gender equality programme, said, “I am very pleased that our European businesses have chosen to concentrate their focus on this very important issue facing women across the world today.
“The money will be used very well, including funding hotlines in multiple languages – to assist migrant women, who are particularly vulnerable – and providing immediate funds for women and their families who often have no possessions when they walk away from an abusive relationship.”
Latin America
In Latin America, where most of Fyffes’ produce is grown, improving gender equality is a major priority, both in the region and in agriculture as a sector, the company noted.
This was confirmed when Fyffes undertook its first human rights impact assessment in late 2019 and 2020.
As a result, Fyffes highlighted that its goal is to support and promote the inclusion of women into the workforce as equal partners with men, and create a more inclusive workplace.
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