By Liga Agrícola Industrial de la Caña de Azúcar (LAICA), Costa Rica –
- The technical assistance process began in 2023.
- The sugar sector is consolidating a sector-wide Human Rights Due Diligence model and advancing equitable recruitment practices across sugar mills.
- The initiative also responds to increasing standards in both domestic and international markets.
San José, April 2026. Costa Rica’s sugar sector has taken a significant step forward in strengthening human and labor rights through the signing of a sector-wide commitment and the implementation of a Human Rights Due Diligence process for LAICA and the country’s nine active sugar mills.
With this initiative, the sector becomes the first agroindustrial sector in Latin America to develop and implement a sector-wide due diligence process aligned with United Nations standards, with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), within the framework of the CERALC Project financed by the European Union.
This collaborative process began in 2023 and reached a major milestone by the end of 2025 with the identification of actual and potential human rights impacts across both the sugar mills and LAICA. The work included risk mapping and the development of management tools aimed at preventing, mitigating, and remedying potential impacts.
“This process places Costa Rica and the sugarcane sector in a position of regional leadership in the field of human rights. Being pioneers in the sector-wide implementation of due diligence means moving from commitment to concrete action, identifying risks and building collective solutions aligned with United Nations standards,” stated Mr. Edgar Herrera, Executive and Commercial Director of LAICA.
For his part, Andrés Sánchez Thorín, Acting Representative of the Regional Office for Central America of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated: “The experience of Costa Rica’s sugar sector highlights actions aimed at implementing human rights due diligence processes, reflecting its sectoral leadership in this area. It is expected that these efforts will continue to strengthen and translate into sustained progress toward more responsible and sustainable value chains in the region, in line with international standards.”
Strengthening Responsible Labor Practices
As part of the actions derived from this process, the sector has also promoted initiatives aimed at strengthening equitable recruitment practices, particularly in relation to the recruitment, selection, and hiring of migrant workers.
This initiative was developed with technical support from the ILO under the Equitable Recruitment for Central America Project, financed by the Government of Canada through IRCC. It includes document reviews, field-level process mapping within sugar mills, as well as the development of manuals, toolkits, and training programs for the sector’s human resources teams, with the goal of progressive sector-wide implementation.
“Responsible recruitment is part of the broader human rights due diligence process that the sector is promoting. This work strengthens transparency in labor processes, improves procedural organization, and encourages increasingly responsible practices throughout the sugar sector’s value chain,” explained Zaida Solano, Sustainability Manager at LAICA.
Mr. Eliel Hasson, Director of the ILO Office for Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, stated: “The progress made by Costa Rica’s sugar sector in the areas of human rights due diligence and equitable recruitment practices demonstrates how cooperation between the private sector, international organizations, and labor stakeholders can translate into concrete improvements in labor practices and in the protection of the rights of all workers.”
A Regional Benchmark
This progress positions Costa Rica’s sugar sector as a regional benchmark in sustainability, transparency, and respect for human rights, strengthening its competitiveness in international markets that are becoming increasingly demanding in social and environmental matters.
It also creates opportunities to share lessons learned and tools with other agroindustrial sectors and sugar industries across Latin America, contributing to the development of more responsible supply chains throughout the region.
About LAICA
LAICA is the organization that brings together sugarcane producers and sugar manufacturers in Costa Rica, representing them and overseeing the commercialization of the country’s entire sugar production. Founded 85 years ago, its mission is to maintain an equitable framework of relations between sugarcane producers and sugar mills, ensuring fair participation for each sector. It also seeks to organize the factors involved in sugarcane production, processing, and commercialization to promote the optimal development and stability of the agroindustry. Its brand portfolio includes Doña María, Zukra, Natuvia, Dulceti, among others. For more information, visit: www.laica.cr