Intel's Costa Rica site has developed an entire Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) community awareness focus under the Sharing Intel Culture and Values Program. The Intel EHS professionals together with community groups and Belen's Municipality worked with neighboring companies to improve environmental performance and practices.
With the arrival of Intel to Costa Rica several safety paradigms were changed. We introduced new products with no adverse impact to the safety and health of our workers, or to the environment. No regulatory violations of any kind were recorded. Our environmental performance indicators continued to improve and injury rates were reduced to minimal levels while recycling and waste minimization went up. We continued enhancing our reputation as EHS leaders in Costa Rica by implementing even more programs for sharing our best–known methods with the entire country, and we won national awards in recognition to those efforts. Keeping EHS embedded in the way we do business and driving other companies towards a similar philosophy will be our challenges.
These changes of paradigms have been reflected in several awards. For example, for three years in a row, Intel Costa Rica has arranged an Environmental, Health and Safety Conference, which has been attended by community members, Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's), industry and government personnel. According to the Minister of Labor, "With the organization of this conference, Intel is ratifying its commitment to our country and our workers. It is a model that, for us, is highly satisfactory and we hope it is also stimulating for the rest of the companies."
The National Insurance Institute has also recognized Intel Costa Rica, for four years in a row, with the National Safety Award, "Preventico." This is the most prestigious safety and health award presented by any government institution in the country. The site also received the White Flag Award, presented by the Ministry of Health, for outstanding health and safety performance.
As we have continued to grow, we have also continued to expand our resource reduction strategies to lessen our environmental impact. In Costa Rica, we have installed a new flow-control system that will reduce site water use. We reuse treated water on the site to conserve even more water.
Intel Costa Rica has significantly increased its solid waste recycling performance and is now recycling about 70 percent of the solid waste it generates. The revenue generated from solid waste recycling is donated to the community public schools. Intel is working with the community schools in reproducing its recycling program.
Intel's Costa Rica site has developed an entire Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) community awareness focus under the Sharing Intel Culture and Values Program. The Intel EHS professionals together with community groups and Belen's Municipality worked with neighboring companies to improve environmental performance and practices.