• Through good business and volunteering practices, it is possible to have an impact on the conservation of marine ecosystems

June 8 marks International Oceans Day, whose theme this year is “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods.” The ephemeris recalls the fundamental role of the oceans for the survival and well-being of humanity, not only because of their capacity to provide food and employment for millions of people around the world, but also because of their relevance in climate regulation, carbon sequestration and global environmental balance.

For this reason, Carlos Morales Vargas, FIFCO’s Communication Manager, explains that “protecting the ocean is a responsibility that concerns us” when pointing out how the company has paid attention to the impact of its business on the seas, both in operations that include coastal activities, as well as in others.

In accordance with its sustainability strategy, FIFCO contributes to the fourteenth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) called Life below water. This issue is addressed in several ways: the search for less polluting product packaging options for the marine environment, the implementation of good waste management practices, the conservation of natural marine-coastal areas, and through the contribution of volunteer works dedicated to preserve marine and coastal areas.

For example, in Playa Brasilito, through its Westin Reserva Conchal hospitality business, FIFCO has promoted marine-coastal conservation actions and training on environmental issues with nearby communities, with which they have achieved the Ecological Blue Flag seal. Additionally, the company’s high management standard in the area is recognized through the Tourism Sustainability Certification of the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT).

According to Morales, it should be considered that many business or social practices outside the sea can have an impact on the oceans, so it is important that companies map out the potential risks of production or management with the capacity to impact marine ecosystems.

Oceans under pressure

Oceans cover more than 70% of our planet’s surface. In addition to being home to an immense variety of species, they play a fundamental role in climate regulation, oxygen production, food supply and economic sustainability. However, despite their importance, they face numerous threats. Pollution, overfishing, climate change and ocean acidification are just some of the issues that threaten the health and vitality of marine ecosystems.

Ocean pollution is a growing concern. Every year, tons of plastic waste and other chemical products are thrown into the oceans.

In this sense, Morales explained that, in order to reduce the risk of ocean pollution, FIFCO has worked in the process of weight reduction and redesign of plastic packaging in order to achieve a percentage reduction of the amount of plastic placed in the market. In the last year, a total reduction of 556 MT was achieved as a result of this lightening effort. This means that, since the beginning of this process in 2010, 5,704 MT of PET plastic have not been sent to the market, which represents 204 million plastic bottles (reference weight of JET PET 600 ml container).

As part of the corporate sustainability goals for 2025, FIFCO will continue to reduce the plastic presentations of its products. Already in 2022, the corporate indicator that measures the presentation of plastic packaging versus other materials showed that 75 out of every 100 packages used by FIFCO are currently non-plastic.

Reducing pollution and emissions: an urgent task

Agencies such as the United Nations Environment Program and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) explain that since the 1970s, oceans have absorbed more than 93% of the increase in warming caused by climate change.

As Morales mentioned, “we know that caring for the oceans is an essential duty to maintain the balance and health of our planet, so if we want to preserve marine biodiversity and care for ecosystems, we all need to adopt more sustainable practices inland to prevent potential risks that could damage the seas forever”.

FIFCO reached 1 million volunteer hours

• Volunteer work is framed within the Elegí Ayudar (I Chose to Help) program and includes circular economy projects, social impact, conservation actions and environmental education.
• The “FIFCO Trasciende” (FIFCO Transcends) 2022-2025 Strategy develops 9 goals that include various conservation, adaptation and mitigation efforts in the face of climate change impacts.
• The Company also presented a new climate change adaptation strategy and started a pilot plan for electrification of its fleet.
• Hours allocated to social purposes: +210,843
• Hours allocated to smart consumption training: +26,733
• Waste collected: 40,258 tons
• Protected areas intervened through environmental volunteering: 20 national parks/reserves in 7 provinces
• Accumulated hours as of May 2023: 1,000,898 hours.

Source: FIFCO based on accumulated data for the last 5 years.