1. What is COOPETRABASUR?

COOPETRABASUR is the Cooperative of Banana Workers of the South located in the South Zone of Costa Rica; economically poor region and with little labor sources.

This cooperative was satisfied to the only intention of generating employments for the settlers of the zone and its associates after being left, the banana plantations, by the government and the transnational companies.

The reduction of poverty is one of the objectives of the organization, through the generation of employments, as well as by helping to improve the quality of life of the population by means of plans of educative support and formation.

2. Does COOPETRABASUR contribute to resolve the situation of unemployment and poverty in the zone?

Yes, while through its productive activity it has employed more than 250 people and their families; in a zone where the employment opportunities are little due to the lack of work sources.

3. Does the poor population of the zone benefits by the kindness of Fair Commerce?

Yes. The price that receives the cooperative when commercializing the banana by means of Fair Commerce, allows it to develop a program of socioeconomic and environmental improvement in benefit of its associates, workers and members of the neighboring communities. This is an added value to the fact of having a source of employment present in the zone.

4. How is structured COOPETRABASUR?

The cooperative is integrated by different organs for its administrative direction: Assembly of Associates, Administrative Council, Committee of Education and Social Welfare and Monitoring Committee. The Cooperative this structured in a way that the members are properly represented and active in the performance of the organization.

There is total transparency in the decision making and exhibition of results, elements that can somehow affect the development and existence of the organization. The economic reports are audited by an external body, with public faith.

5. Is COOPETRABASUR a transparent organization that assumes responsibility after its members?

COOPETRABASUR as part of their cooperative nature, is characterized for being a transparent organization in its actions, since at least twice a year it informs to all its members about the actions taken by the administration and its results; in addition their members have the capacity to veto or to approve the emitted information. In the case of financial information, these are audited by an external body with public faith by the Costa Rican state.

6. In which way does COOPETRABASUR reflects in its structure the commitment with justice and fair employment?

It is reflected from the composition of its organizational structures, where equity in the positions exists, independently of sex, religion and antiquity of the associate.

There is an Assembly of Associates that defines the way of administration which is in its statutes, and names the administrative body that is going to direct it, called Administrative Council. This body names the General Manager. Also, it is counted with a Committee of Education and Social Welfare and a Monitoring Committee.

In addition, there is respect and observance to all the regulations of employment policy that the law establishes to us as a social organization, through the law of cooperative associations, under the supervision of the Institute of Cooperative Promotion, INFOCOOP.

7. What does COOPETRABASUR do to make sure that it provides a healthy and safe work atmosphere?

The COOPERATIVE counts with quality policies that establish that the organization must fulfill the protection and well being of its associates and workers; as well as the fulfillment of the national and international laws. In the quality system the objectives and goals for the fulfillment of the policy are established.

8. Has COOPETRABASUR a policy of Equality of Opportunities?

Yes. The cooperative counts with a suitable distribution of employment opportunities, without concerning on religious values, sex, academic level and betting on the capacities of each worker with the purpose of pursuing the overcoming of these.

9. Is there a policy on minors’ employment?

COOPETRABASUR is very respectful of the laws, where the employment of minors is described totally. The cooperative does not count within its labor force with minor workers (18 years).

10. Does COOPETRABASUR improve the situation of women?

The cooperative promotes the equality of opportunities for the working women, in all the labor levels. In addition there is a considerable proportion of working and associated women in the organization.

11. Does COOPETRABASUR develop or implement trainings or programs directed to the development of the capacities of its associates or workers?

COOPETRABASUR always looks forward for its associates’ and workers’ training reason why it constantly develops training courses in search of improving its level of labor development and growth of new leaders.
In addition it supports employees in their academic formation and offers trainings to its workers in areas of occupational health, accidents’ prevention and first aid.

12. Does Coopetrabasur carry out any education activity or training?

COOPETRABASUR, as part of their policy to stimulate the development of the community, implements diverse campaigns of improvement of life quality of the workers and their relatives, along with the National University of Costa Rica.

Among them they emphasize:

• Health:
  To offer access to specialized medical consultations like Deontology, Gynecology, Ophthalmology, etc. In addition it counts with a medical office directed to workers, relatives and neighbors of the zone, with service of their own ambulance and availability of 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Education:
  Academic centers are supported by means of the Committee of Education and Social Welfare as well as PROMISE; these collaborate with the provision of didactic material, computation equipment, furniture for the school’s dining hall, items like microwaves, washing machines, etc.
• Formation and Training:
  Women of the communities are directly supported in trainings that can allow them to develop new skills of alternative employment which are given by the cooperative. As well as trainings of social valuation, such as family violence etc.

13. Which actions of self evaluation make COOPETRABASUR fulfill the standards of Fair Commerce?

The standards are requirements that have to be fulfilled to be part of the movement of Fair Commerce, Coopetrabasur checks the indicators of each standard of the Fair Trade reason why it created groups of work integrated by workers and associates. They checked each standard and indicator to discuss the obtained reaches; as tool, a self evaluation questionnaire was elaborated and a summary of the obtained agreements was development.