At Rico Farms, a grower for Bridges Organic Produce, a commitment to social responsibility is in their DNA. For years, the company has prioritized worker empowerment and sustainable practices, providing a positive and supportive environment for its employees. As part of its ongoing journey to improve the lives of its workers and enhance operations, Rico Farms recently expanded its efforts by embracing new initiatives that align with their core values.
Rico Farms’ philosophy is rooted in improving people’s lives, especially the lives of the workers who return season after season to grow organic produce, including squash, cucumbers, eggplant, chili peppers and watermelon.
“Our philosophy at Rico Farms has always focused on improving people’s lives. Most of our employees return every season, and we are very committed to them,” said Jacobo Yanes, Operations Director for Rico Farms.“This is just one way we show this commitment,” Yanes added.
Though Rico Farms has maintained a social responsibility certification since 2013, in 2024, the company achieved its first certification from the Equitable Food Initiative, one of the 16 benchmarked certifications recognized by ECIP. This milestone grants Rico Farms free access to ECIP LAB and they are also given a gold star in their ECIP LAB engagement profile.
“We think that the consistent training by the EFI leadership team will help to develop an even more committed and skilled team and help all Rico Farms employees. Providing those tools will result in a stronger company to work for as well as benefiting our customer base.” Yanes concluded.
Both Rico Farms locations, as well as Bridges’ other Mexican partners, are active participants in ECIP. Noting the extensive retailer engagement with ECIP, Sydney Fairchild, who oversees marketing and compliance at Bridges, shared, “This growth-based self-assessment and benchmarking program provides a framework for improvements that are internally driven instead of certification-based. Together, these programs round out Bridges’ extensive social initiatives, focusing on best practices for labor, food safety, and worker engagement.”
At the heart of Rico Farms’ mission is a profound respect for its workers and a dedication to doing the right thing. Through empowerment, collaboration and a commitment to continuous improvement, Rico Farms is setting an example for the entire growing community.
Equitable Food Initiative serves as the implementing organization for the Ethical Charter Implementation Program, overseeing the management and technology of the ECIP LAB platform.