Ingenio Cristóbal Colón is the first company of its kind to obtain ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

Ingenio Cristóbal Colón, owned by Consorcio Azucarero de Empresas Industriales (CAEI), became the first mill in the country to be certified with the ISO 14001 standard, which creates the company's Environmental Management System and also reinforces the company’s environmental protection policy.

The certification was granted for the processes of production and commercialization of raw, white and molasses sugar. The certification audit was carried out by the audit firm SGS of Panama, a world leader in inspection, verification, testing and certification. Accreditation of the process was done by UKAS Management Systems.

This is part of Ingenio Cristobal Colon’s strategic plan "to reach high international standards in terms of product quality and respect for the environment."  Through this, the Dominican company can meet demands on the international market for a sustainable product that does not harm the environment.

An information note from the CAIE indicates that Ingenio Cristóbal Colón initiated the implementation of the standard in 2014.  In 2015, the evaluation criteria were extended to factory operations and administrative areas.

The document indicates that the certification audit was conducted from May to June of this year, while the standard was approved on August 19.  The certificate was delivered in September. The standard is valid for two years and follow-up audits are carried out every year.

The Executive Vice President of CAEI, Alberto Potes pointed out that as good citizens, we "take care of and protect our environment, we take care to manufacture our products in a responsible way." He recalled that the mill has made important investments in the reduction and management of water in the manufacturing process, emission of particles into the atmosphere, entomological controls, and organic fertilization in cane crops, among others. In addition to bagasse, the company has stopped the use of fossil fuels, implying that "we work consistently in the direction of consolidating ourselves as an environmentally, socially and economically responsible organization."