Intel Corporation has pledged to protect 150 hectares (more than 370 acres) in the upper elevations of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, specifically in San Isidro de Coronado, San Jose.
“At Intel, we continuously strive to improve our operations and minimize the impact on the environment. By financing cooperative projects to support local water basins, we are seeking to restore the freshwater that we consume to reduce the gap in our hydrological balance. As part of the Corporation’s 2030 RISE strategy, the sustainability goals include achieving net positive water by funding projects that restore more than 100% of the freshwater that we consume worldwide and this project supports that effort,” stated Aníbal Alterno, the Regional Environment, Health and Safety Manager for Intel.
The project will be made possible by a partnership between Intel Costa Rica and FUNDECOR (The Foundation for the Development of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range) through the first private-public water and civil society fund in Costa Rica : “Agua Tica“. The intent of this project is to protect the forest, enhancing water quality and quantity as well as recognizing the importance of supporting ecosystems and water sources.
“Water is essential for the semiconductor manufacturing process. We use ultra-pure water to eliminate impurities from the silicon wafers; recovered and industrial water to make the manufacturing facility systems work. Intel incorporates environmental yield objectives in all its operations because they are a part of our RISE (Responsible, Inclusive, Sustainable, Enabling) strategy. This strategy aims at creating a more responsible, inclusive, sustainable world, enabled through technology and collective actions,” concluded Timothy Scott Hall, Government Affairs and Public Relations Manager for Intel Costa Rica.
Intel has more than 32 water restoration projects that are designed to replenish the environment in the United States, India and now Costa Rica.
Significant Contributor
Currently, Intel Costa Rica employs 2,400 people in two main categories.
- The Research & Development Center: This is currently the major R&D center in the country and is dedicated to designing, prototyping, testing and validating integrated circuit solutions.
- The Global Service Center: The center designs, executes, and improves multifunctional business processes throughout the world in Finance, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing, Quality, and Information Technology.
FUNDECOR is one of the large pioneers in sustainable development and responsible management of natural resources in Costa Rica. It supports and advises communities, companies, and institutions ranging from joint construction to even knowledge with Integrated Landscape Management, citizen participation and construction and innovative solutions using projects for human well-being and housing in the territory itself, fostering greater resilience to climate change and the challenges in the context. www.fundecor.org
