PEOPLE – PLANET

HBI Volunteers Reverse Years of Built-Up Waste in Vital Dominican Republic Dam 

July 2025

HBI associates collected more than 7,000 pounds of trash alongside the riverbed of the Rincón Dam – an essential resource that provides electricity and agricultural irrigation to the central and eastern Cibao region of the Dominican Republic.

As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting our local communities and ecosystems, almost 100 volunteers from our Dos Rios facility in the DR joined forces to clean the dam area, filling more than 200 bags of waste in two days.

“The team reversed years of built-up trash in the dam, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Mariela Moronta, Global Sustainability Reporting. “Our associates are passionate about impacting lives and supporting charitable work, putting a lot of energy into activities that improve the future of the planet.”

The cleanup was led by Ricardo Zabala, Bleach & Dye Finishing and Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager – HBI DR, with the goal of cultivating a strong team culture while giving back to the communities our associates call home.

“This cleanup was crucial to our success both inside and outside of the workplace,” said Ricardo. “The chance to build teamwork while supporting the community has been invaluable – and it’s something we plan to continue in the future.”

In total, our associates dedicated almost 500 hours to the cleanup, advancing our People Goal of annually reaching 100,000 collective volunteer hours.

We are proud to be a positive force in the places where our associates live and work – caring for people, nature, and the planet every step of the way.

Learn more on our People page.