Chiquita has earned the Blue Flag Award again.
“Chiquita is honored to receive the Blue Flag Award for the 12th year in a row, which reinforces our overall commitment to promoting biodiversity across all operations,” Raul Gigena Pazoz, human resources and sustainability director for Chiquita, said in a news release.
The award was based upon efficient energy use, waste management, water quality and use of organic and biodegradable elements in the Nogal Nature and Community Reserve in Costa Rica. The Blue Flag Ecological Program honored Chiquita with the award in its Natural Spaces category.
“Nogal is located within the Mesoamerican Biological corridor in Central America, which is the third largest biodiversity hot spot in the world,” according to the release.
The Nogal Nature and Community Reserve program is overseen by Costa Rican authorities and encourages protection of the 720 plant and 339 vertebrae animal species, reforestation for wildlife shelter and natural disaster protection and community support through education and infrastructure.
“We recognize our responsibility to act as a ‘good neighbor’ to the farming communities in which we cultivate our bananas, and hope to act as a positive example of responsible production for others to follow,” Pazoz said in the release.
The environmental protection, development and education steps Chiquita is taking are part of its Behind the Blue Sticker approach.
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