Dole Food Company Inc. announced the promotion of Sylvain Cuperlier to vice president -- director of Worldwide Corporate Social Responsibility. In this capacity, Cuperlier will head Dole's Corporate Social Responsibility team. He will continue to be based in Dole Europe's Paris office.

In announcing the appointment, Richard J. Dahl, president and chief operating officer of Dole, stated, "Sylvain's experience in Dole Europe's operations with corporate social responsibility and his position as a member of the advisory board of Social Accountability International make him uniquely qualified to assume this worldwide responsibility. The creation of this position and the appointment of Sylvain demonstrate once again Dole's commitment to social responsibility and its importance to the company. Dole's Corporate Social Responsibility team will include representatives from all the company's operating regions, inclusive of Sue Hagen, senior vice president and head of Worldwide Human Resources and Industrial Relations."

Cuperlier joined Dole Europe in 1998 as coordinator, Markets Strategy and Communication Department. In 2000, he was promoted to manager, Responsibility Programs and Communication, Europe and Africa.

Cuperlier has a Bachelor's degree in law from the Universite De Cergy -- Pontoise and an MBA from Ecole Superieure Des Sciences Economiques Et Commerciales. In addition, he has a Diplom Kaufmann with a specialization in organization and social psychology from the Universitat Mannheim.