Governance

The legacy of Don Eduardo Gómez as president of CORBANA:Leadership and vision in the Costa Rican banana sector. The banana sector in Costa Rica has historically been a pillar of the national economy, and few names resonate as strongly in this industry as that of Don Eduardo Gómez Bodden (1935-2024), our founder.His career, marked by over six decades of tireless work and strategic vision, leaves an indelible mark on the development of Costa Rican bananas. A Leader Forged in ExperienceDon Eduardo dedicated 40 years of his life to the United Fruit Company, later known as Chiquita Brands. During that time, he acquired a profound understanding of banana production, marketing, and logistics—experience he later applied to his personal project when founding Grupo Esfuerzo. With his first farm in 28 Millas de Batán, he established himself as an independent producer focused on exporting high-quality bananas to the demanding European market.Thanks to this role, he became a key figure in the history of the National Banana Corporation in Costa Rica. In this organization, he held the following positions: Vice President: From October 2003 to October 2012 (three consecutive terms) President: From October 2012 until his death in 2024 (also three consecutive terms) As a director of CORBANA, Don Eduardo took his leadership to new heights, facing challenges that tested his visionary capacity and commitment to the well-being of the banana sector. Challenges in Leading CORBANA His tenure at CORBANA was marked by significant challenges: Transforming Global Markets: Even before the liberalization of exports in the European market in 2020, Don Eduardo led strategies to face a potential oversupply that could reduce prices. At the same time, he pushed for the opening of new markets to diversify the placement of Costa Rican bananas and promoted the sector’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 2030 Agenda. Phytosanitary Protection: Faced with the threat of the Fusarium Tropical Race 4 fungus (FOC R4T), which poses a devastating risk to banana plantations, he led efforts to create regulations in collaboration with the Government. Health of Workers: He dealt with the risks of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya, promoting control and prevention campaigns to protect communities and workers in the sector. Natural Disasters: Flooding in the Caribbean region was another recurring challenge. His management prioritized investments in infrastructure and protective works to ensure the sustainability of banana farms in these vulnerable areas. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: In a globally adverse context, Don Eduardo implemented strict sanitary protocols to maintain production without compromising the health of workers, ensuring the continuity of exports, and led the sector through a profound economic impact, helping sustain the country’s agricultural exports. A Legacy of Commitment and VisionDon Eduardo was not only a strategic leader but also a human being deeply concerned about the well-being of those around him. His devotion as a husband and father was reflected in his work ethic and commitment to the development of banana communities. As the founder of Grupo Esfuerzo, he laid the foundation for a company recognized internationally for its quality and responsibility. As president of CORBANA, his vision allowed the Costa Rican banana sector to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging global market. Don Eduardo Gómez Bodden’s legacy will endure in the Costa Rican banana sector. His inspiring leadership, profound knowledge, and ability to face adversities are examples for future generations of producers and leaders, who will need to uphold this model of sustainability, innovation, and social commitment. WhatsApp Email

In order to maintain the levels of excellence, quality and acceptance in the international markets where we commercialize our banana, Cavendish variety, we have been implementing a strong certification plan that allows us to validate our production processes, product or management systems. Below you will find a brief presentation of the certifications obtained by Grupo Esfuerzo and the compliance with the international standards in various fields. Global GAP Set of standards arising in Europe and concerning the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), that ensure food safety, environmental impact, health, security and welfare of the workers and animals. Currently, this is the world’s leading assurance program in agricultural production. GlobalGAP.+Add-on Evaluation that GlobalGAO reinforced in order to adapt to the new quality requirements in the agricultural production and the supply chain. It improves the positioning of the producer and gives greater security to the consumers. Regarding the Cavendish banana, this standard establishes preventive protocols, specifically in biosecurity, to avoid the disease known as ‘Foc 4’. GRASP Focused on people, this tool manages the good practices in risk assessment. It is a voluntary standard designed to ensure that the social and labor regulations are properly carried out in the farms or productive plants, and it is linked to the standard of Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA). GRASP calls for assessment, improvement and demonstration Social Practices in Human and Labour Rights, Protection of Children and Youth, Enforcement of Labour Law, Equal Access to Education and Free Representation of Workers. FSMA Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA), ley emitida por la FDA de Estados Unidos para ampliar el radio de acción de las medidas para prevenir la contaminación vinculada a la inocuidad de alimentos, tanto para humanos, como para animales. Por su enfoque preventivo regula a proveedores de alimentos e importadores extranjeros y gira en torno a cinco principios: prevención; inspección y conformidad; respuesta; importación y alianzas reforzadas (colaboración con actores gubernamentales, nacionales y extranjeros). Rainforest Alliance It is a seal given to agricultural products, forest products and tourism companies after complying with a certified program which means that the product or ingredient was made under methods based on sustainability.  It verifies the best practices in forests, climate, human rights, and livelihoods. For agricultural products, the seal attests that the product was grown on farms certified according to the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agricultural Standards or the Sustainable Agricultural Code of Conduct (UTZ).  Carbono Neutral Verification given by the Neutral Carbon Country Program (PPCN) of the Costa Rican Climate Change Directorate for companies and organizations that report their greenhouse gas inventories and demonstrate a series of actions to reduce, remove and offset emissions. The goal is to support the country’s efforts for decarbonization. Biodiversity Check Agrícola Verification given by the Neutral Carbon Country Program (PPCN) of the Costa Rican Climate Change Directorate for companies and organizations that report their greenhouse gas inventories and demonstrate a series of actions to reduce, remove and offset emissions. The goal is to support the country’s efforts for decarbonization. SMETA It is an assessment and audit of good practices in ethical trade aimed at demonstrating the buyers/consumers, interested in knowing under which conditions a specific consumer product is produced, that it complies with certifiable ethical standards in the areas of health and safety, labor standards, environment, and business ethics. BASC Voluntary program which seeks safe international trading. It allows the company to comply with an adequate management of control and safety of all its productive processes, packaging, shipping and freight transportation whose destiny is the foreign market. This certification establishes controls so that the international mobilization of the product is not used for drug smuggling or trafficking. WhatsApp Email