FDBusiness.com

PureCircle, the world’s leading producer and marketer of high purity stevia products, announces the latest developments in its sustainability initiatives in partnership with Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS).  AMIGOS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to building young leaders through collaborative community development and immersion experiences in Latin America.  The success of the latest year’s program follows the recent release of PureCircle’s 2011 Sustainability Commitment, highlighting the company’s global environmental and social responsibility activities.

Building on 2010 projects, PureCircle and AMIGOS just completed community development initiatives in the farming communities of San Pedro, Paraguay.  This year, the projects focused on the communities’ schools, where local youth and volunteers built playgrounds and restored school yards, providing safe environments for children to play.  Volunteers also engaged over 6,500 children and youth in nutrition education activities, provided fuel-efficient stoves to families, and promoted environmental awareness through educational day camps, which included planting over 2,500 trees. 

“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our partnership with AMIGOS in Paraguay,” said Jason Hecker, Vice President Global Marketing and Innovation for PureCircle.  “Contributing to healthy lifestyles and strengthening communities is core to our sustainability strategy. Investing in and positively impacting farming communities strengthens our partnerships with local farmers, which is fundamental to our business.”

PureCircle is built on a foundation of social and environmental responsibility, and the company’s new Sustainability Commitment details this approach.   PureCircle operates along “Pillars of Sustainability,” including promoting healthy choices, sourcing responsibly, and managing an integrated supply chain with reduced environmental impacts.   In Paraguayan farming communities like San Pedro, PureCircle aids local farmers with micro-financing, high quality seedlings and agricultural support to help farmers maximize the benefits of cultivating and harvesting stevia.   The company’s investment in these farming communities – building two major plant nurseries and actively supporting farmers –allows farmers to invest in growing stevia, which in turn, helps PureCircle remain a leading producer of consistent, high quality stevia. PureCircle sources stevia through an integrated farming model with over 60,000 farmer partners across four continents. 

PureCircle commits to sustainability through a total supply chain approach, beginning with conventionally bred stevia seedlings through to extraction and purification processes that conserve energy and water.  For further detail, view PureCircle’s 2011 Sustainability Commitment.
About PureCircle
PureCircle (www.purecircle.com) is the global leader in the production of high purity stevia products.

PureCircle is leading the industry with the development of a strong sustainable natural supply chain.
Stevia is grown for PureCircle across South America, Africa, Asia, and the United States; it provides a sustainable cash crop for rural farming communities in each region. As part of its leadership of the stevia industry, PureCircle has pioneered the industry trust mark Stevia PureCircle® that educates consumers about the benefits of Stevia and provides a strong base of trust for both consumers and Food & Beverage companies alike. PureCircle’s global headquarters are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. PureCircle shares are traded on the LSE AIM index.

About Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS)
AMIGOS is an international nonprofit organization, founded in 1965, that empowers teenagers and young adults to develop leadership skills and increase multi-cultural awareness through training and community service in Latin America. For more information, visit www.amigoslink.org.