Sustainability at Evolution Free Zone: A Triple Impact Strategy 

Our High-Tech Business Park bases its actions, strategies, and efforts on global, future-ready thinking 

August 2024. With over 20 years of expertise in developing, managing, and operating Free Trade industrial parks, CODE Development Group, the developer company of Evolution Free Zone, presented its 2023 Sustainability Report, highlighting its commitment to a triple impact strategy. This approach drives decision-making and operations, ensuring local and global development align with key sustainability principles. 

In this blog, we are pleased to present a summary of Evolution Free Zone‘s economic, social, and environmental efforts to create and maintain a thriving virtuous ecosystem. 

We have envisioned a sustainable park that is integrated with the community, thus contributing to the generation of opportunities to enhance the quality of life for human talent and maximize the value of every product and service produced on our campus”.
Carlos Wong, Managing Director of CODE Development Group, the developer company of Evolution Free Zone.

Sustainably at the Core 

Our High-Tech Business Park bases its actions, strategies, and efforts on global, future-ready thinking. We aim to balance business with nature, fostering continuous improvement while ensuring the well-being of all parties involved in the process. 

Since our inception, we have aligned our work with the sustainable vision of CODE Development Group, based on the fundamental topics of Social Responsibility, the voluntary ISO 26000 standard, the principles and values that have been an essential part to us, and the Sustainable Development Goals we have identified and prioritized:  

Impact on People

At Evolution Free Zone, we are committed to promoting the creation of significant job opportunities beyond the Greater Metropolitan Area. In 2023, over 400 construction jobs were created, and by the end of 2024, this number is expected to exceed 1,000. Additionally, the 6 companies already part of our park will create 4,000 quality jobs in the first years of operations. We are on track to provide access to over 20,000 quality jobs in the next 15 years for the Western Region of Alajuela, Costa Rica, in collaboration with the companies located in Evolution Free Zone. 

We are firmly committed to the well-being of the community in which we operate. Through our social management, we address various needs in educational infrastructure, sports activities, health initiatives, cultural events, and community beautification projects:  

• La Cataluña School: Expansion of storage space, repair of classrooms, and provision of equipment for the school cafeteria, benefiting more than 180 students and teaching staff. 

• Silvestre Rojas School: Donation for the purchase of paint, positively impacting more than 430 students and teaching staff. 

• María Teresa Obregón School: Purchase of paint for school renovation, benefiting 180 students and teaching staff. 

• Miguel Carballo School: Donation for paint renovation, benefiting more than 40 students and teaching staff. 

• Senderos de la Hacienda MTB Recreational Race: Participation in the night race and contribution to the Tacares community for infrastructure projects. 

• Benjamín Mayorga Children’s Soccer School: Donation of uniforms, balls, and other sports equipment, benefiting more than 50 boys and girls. 

• Concepción Naranjo Integral Development Association: Improvement of the community hall’s infrastructure, including the reconstruction of the sports field. 

• Zarcero Municipal Band: Sponsorship of its participation in the Rose Parade in the United States. 

• Student Band of the Eduardo Pinto School of Tacares: Purchase of instruments. 

Impact on the Planet 

At Evolution Free Zone, our commitment to sustainability drives our efforts in environmental stewardship, waste management, and educational outreach. In 2023, we cooperated with several entities to organize school workshops focused on biodiversity care and integrated solid waste management, benefiting more than 100 students from the Eduardo Pinto, La Cataluña, Silvestre Rojas, and María Teresa Obregon schools. 

Additionally, we initiated a tradition that will continue to enhance the park’s beauty. On Arbor Day, CODE staff, future Evolution Free Zone operators, students from nearby educational centers, community members, and environmental organizations participated in the planting of 350 trees. This initiative is part of our Planting Program, which aims to enrich the “El Achiote” Interurban Biological Corridor by promoting biodiversity connectivity, harmonizing with the environment, and avoid habitat fragmentation for local flora. 

We also helped the Foundation for the Development of Ecology and Environment of the Potreros de PUAX (Fundema) on various initiatives, including a camera trap project. This project aims to identify mammal wildlife corridors in the Western Region and provide crucial data for decision-making in wildlife conservation projects. 

Read: Evolution Free Zone’s efforts in flora and fauna conservation 

As Evolution Free Zone continues to grow as an ideal location for business growth, each year demands more complex management of waste generated by each of the construction projects. For example, in 2023, earthwork involved the efficient management of 109,358.56 cubic meters of reusable material that was removed and transported to other areas of the property where it was needed. In addition to earth material, other valuable materials such as plastic, wood, metal, and debris were managed. 

Evolution Free Zone’s 2023 Milestones 

We had an exceptional 2023, where our achievements have strengthened us as the fastest-growing business ecosystem in Costa Rica. In our first year of construction, six renowned companies in the Life Sciences and Smart Manufacturing industries, including AVNA (formerly Okay Industries), Intricon, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Inari Medical, Accudyn Products Inc., and Trelleborg Healthcare & Medical, chose us to establish their operations in Costa Rica, generating a future of thousands of development opportunities for the Western Region of Alajuela. 

All of the companies investing in our High-Tech Business Park share common characteristics: buildings that meet world-class quality standards, promote global ideas, and are supported by experienced human talent committed to ongoing research and development. 

The proposal to innovate in construction, meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and occupational health, and build architecturally distinctive works has been fully realized in Evolution Free Zone,” said Esteban Solano, Engineer at CODE Development Group, developer of Evolution Free Zone.

It was also a highly active year from a construction standpoint, involving large-scale projects. Among the most significant was the temporary relocation of Route 1. Formerly, the road had only two lanes towards San José and one towards the Western zone of the country. Now two lanes per direction will be added, as well as an elevated bridge, and an access network through marginal roads at the bottom to the access and exit roundabout to and from Evolution Free Zone.  

These milestones earned us international recognition as an ‘Emerging Star Project’ and an honorable mention for ‘ESG Practices’ from fDi Magazine. 

Read more Evolution Free Zone news 

Would you like to know more about our sustainability efforts and CODE’s triple impact commitment?  

Explore the comprehensive sustainability strategies that make Evolution Free Zone a leading investment destination. Download our Sustainability Report today to learn how we drive meaningful impact across people, the planet, and prosperity.  

Download the Sustainability Report Here