Central Romana and Corporate Social Responsibility

The Central Romana Corporation Ltd., founded in 1912 in the eastern province of La Romana in the Dominican Republic, is an agro-industrial and tourism company whose main focus is sugar production. Having been in operation for more than 100 years, it has diversified its investments through a wide range of businesses that reach approximately 25,000 workers, and it regards itself as being the country’s largest private-sector employer.

Since its foundation, the company has emphasized its efforts in the development of an important corporate social responsibility program with the community. This program involves the most essential aspects of its employees’ welfare in important areas such as healthcare, education, living facilities, and nutrition.

Central Romana has been offering health services to its employees since its establishment in 1912. Today, the company owns the most modern medical center in La Romana and all of the eastern region in the Dominican Republic – a hospital built to the highest standards with stateof- the-art medical equipment. Within its three levels, the Central Romana Medical Center has comfortable private and semiprivate rooms as well as four operating rooms, one of which is equipped with the Olympus Endo Alpha system for laparoscopic surgeries and capable of video telemetry with any part of the world.

The hospital also boasts a burn victims unit, with special bedding and submersion tub, as well as two intensive care areas, one of which is for coronary patients. It also has an obstetrics and gynecology area that includes a post-natal intensive care unit with a special delivery room. Other facilities include a complete clinical laboratory, an emergency room and 24/7 pharmacy, and a cafeteria.

The hospital is supported with three ambulances that are fully equipped with paramedics, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and radio communication systems that connect to the hospital staff in the emergency room. In collaboration with recognized international physicians and institutions, the Central Romana Medical Center organizes various surgical operatives every year that benefit hundreds of children and adults who otherwise would not have access to these types of complex procedures.

Central Romana is also expanding its healthcare program to its agricultural communities in the sugarcane fields. This is being done through two medical sub-centers, which offer patients preventive care medical checkups at no cost – including the medicine. In addition, throughout the agricultural communities – known locally as bateys – the healthcare program includes four mobile units offering primary medical assistance, as well as medication, to all workers and their families free of charge. To guarantee the prevention of diseases such as cholera and other similar illnesses, the company has established a Water Chlorination program in all batey communities, thus creating a healthy and proper living environment.

Education is another fundamental pillar in the social responsibility program that the company proudly implements. A total of 59 schools have been built over the decades and are maintained by Central Romana, with support from the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic for the academic curriculum. Approximately 8,000 children attend the schools at no cost to parents who are employed by the corporation. Those boys and girls whose academic levels are not available in the schools nearest to their agricultural community receive free transportation to and from their batey. This service has been run by Central Romana every day for more than 50 years.

Regarding housing facilities and accommodations, Central Romana not only provides housing to a large number of its workers within properties owned by the company, but it also has an empowerment program for housing development, which allows employees to build or acquire a home of their own at considerably low cost. In its corporate lifetime, Central Romana has been a pioneer of land and real estate development in the city of La Romana.

Among other actions involving its corporate social responsibility, Central Romana encourages sports and recreation for its employees and their families as an important feature of daily life. The department of sporting activities organizes and schedules different tournaments year round for events such as baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Hundreds of players participate actively in each competition, making it a very successful program within the company. It is oriented to children and adults alike, with most of the sporting equipment being donated by Central Romana, including the uniforms.

As part of the Dominican baseball tradition, which is well-known worldwide, the company is also the proprietor of a professional baseball stadium that seats more than 8,000 people, and it is also owner of its home team – Toros del Este of La Romana – which participates in the official Winter League Baseball season.

Central Romana also subsidizes 80 percent of the price of meat for its workers, especially considering that the company is regarded as one of the country’s largest cattle breeders. Prices for meat are much lower than those charged in markets. Other products such as vegetables, cheeses, and processed meats are available at a subsidized cost for all workers and employees.