Grupo Piñero celebrates the first edition of its “The +Ecocentric Dominican Republic” awards

• Prominent entities such as Banco Popular Dominicano, BID Invest, the National Botanical Garden, Resicla, the GIZ German Development Cooperation Agency, Suplitur, the Samaná Tourism Cluster and Verafeca have been recognized for their actions focusing on environmental education, conservation of natural resources and waste management.
• For the Dominican edition, the statuette was created by Carlos Reyes Polanco, a young Dominican artisan, winner of the contest organized by Grupo Piñero together with the Ministry of Culture and the National Crafts Center (Cenadarte).

Punta Cana, April 25, 2024.- As part of the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) 2024, Grupo Piñero, a leader in the tourism sector, celebrated the first edition of its "The +Ecocentric Dominican Republic" awards.

This event, after two consecutive editions held in Spain, has been conceived with the commendable purpose of highlighting business initiatives that contribute to environmental care, recognizing the efforts of Grupo Piñero's suppliers, staff, allies and partners, both at home and abroad. The candidates were chosen by a jury composed of Isabel Piñero, CSO of the Group, together with members of the company's Sustainability department.

The event was attended by David Collado, Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, Milagros Germán, Minister of Culture, Lidibert González, Director of Sustainable Production and Consumption of the Ministry of the Environment, and David Llibre, President of Asonahores, who, together with Encarna Piñero, CEO of Grupo Piñero, Lydia Piñero, President of the Group's Investment Committee and Isabel Piñero, CSO, were responsible for presenting the awards.

Marvin del Cid, an audiovisual producer who has focused his professional career on highlighting the importance of sustainable tourism through images, earning him different awards worldwide, also participated in the event.

Awards went out to prominent entities such as Banco Popular Dominicano, BID Invest, the National Botanical Garden, Resicla, the GIZ German Development Cooperation Agency, Suplitur, the Samaná Tourism Cluster and Verafeca in recognition for their actions focusing on environmental education, conservation of natural resources and waste management. Contributing with these initiatives to the fight against climate change, generating a positive impact on both the planet and the communities.

"The ‘+Ecocentric Dominican Republic’ awards are a tribute to the commitment to sustainability in the country. At Grupo Piñero, we firmly believe in the transformative power of business actions for the benefit of the environment and communities. These awards are a well-deserved recognition for their active commitment to the preservation of our planet, inspiring others to follow their example and build a more sustainable future for everyone," assured Isabel Piñero, Grupo Piñero’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

David Collado, Minister of Tourism, emphasized that Grupo Piñero is always innovating and showing its commitment to the Dominican Republic. He said that far from thinking like any business group or investment fund that only seeks to extract money from the country, they continue to invest and provide clear signs of sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism.

On behalf of President Luis Abinader, Collado thanked the Piñero family for the materialization of these initiatives that mark a long and precise path toward sustainability and safer tourism.

In closing, Encarna Piñero highlighted the commitment of the Dominican companies and organizations that received awards, and the collaborative work they carry out to achieve the sustainable development goals set out in the United Nations Global Compact 2030 Agenda.

"Their dedication to implementing initiatives that reflect their commitment to excellence and environmental responsibility makes them more than deserving of an award, as their work not only impacts the present, but also lays the foundation for a more sustainable and prosperous tourism moving forward," concluded Encarna Piñero.

Artisan creates the “+Ecocentric Dominican Republic” statuette

As part of the recognition, Grupo Piñero, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the National Crafts Center (Cenadarte), organized a contest to select the Dominican artisan in charge of designing the statuette given to the award winners. This contest not only promoted creativity and innovation in local handicraft production, but also highlighted the talent and skill of Dominican artisans.

The piece entitled “Los Ecoístas: Más Abrazos, menos abrasos” (literally, “Ecocentrics: More Hugs, Less Scorching”), made from discarded mahogany cuttings, a work by young artisan Carlos Reyes Polanco, a native of Puerto Plata, was the winner. 

According to the author, his proposal represents a father and son embracing a tree as a clear symbolism between the exchange of energy between human beings and nature, and an appreciation for life and the environment.

Reyes Polanco received recognition and an economic contribution from Grupo Piñero to support his profession, as well as the opportunity to exhibit and sell his work in Bahia Principe Hotels’ shops in the Dominican Republic for one year.

The Minister of Culture, Milagros Germán, added that it is a true honor to be invited to participate in these awards, which recognize those institutions that contribute with actions in favor of the environment, counteracting the effects of climate change. She also thanked the artisans who presented their works to design this award, as well as Grupo Piñero for carrying out these types of activities that leave a mark in our hearts and in society.

The winner was chosen by a jury composed of Miguel Pimentel, visual artist and artisan designer, Luis Rivas, sculptor and designer of recycled art objects, Carlos Despradel, ceramist, and professor of Artisan Design, Alex Matás, Director of the Eco-Bahia Foundation, and Isabel Piñero, CSO of Grupo Piñero.