Opening of Roche Costa Rica Campus demonstrates confidence in the country and its commitment to excellence

  • The company’s operations in the country will be consolidated in a single location, continuing to promote innovation and patient well-being worldwide.
  • Roche is expanding its presence in Costa Rica and expects to create more than 200 new jobs by 2025.

June 4, 2024, San José. The inauguration of the Roche Costa Rica Campus marks a milestone in the company’s history in the country, consolidating the local administrative operations of its various business divisions in a building designed to enhance its capacity for innovation in developing health solutions. The campus, with an investment exceeding $100 million, has 21 floors, and its design prioritizes environmental and accessibility aspects in line with Roche’s sustainability vision.

Since establishing itself in the country in 1973, Roche has contributed to the local economy and development. The decision to continue growing in the country through the Roche Costa Rica Campus demonstrates its commitment to generating value for Costa Rican society and recognizes the strengths of local talent and the favorable business environment for foreign investment.

“The expansion of our operations in Costa Rica is a significant milestone. Our new Campus symbolizes Roche’s dedication to fostering a culture rich in innovation and creativity. This development highlights our ability to provide advanced health solutions to our patients and partners around the world,” stated Carsten Reibe, Global Director of Roche Services & Solutions.

The Minister of Foreign Trade, Manuel Tovar, commented: “The inauguration of Roche’s new campus in Costa Rica is a historic milestone that consolidates our position as a center of innovation and development in life sciences in Latin America. This investment not only reinforces Roche’s commitment to high-quality health and well-being in our country but also strengthens a collaborative ecosystem that promotes research, the development of cutting-edge medical solutions, and the expansion of opportunities for all Costa Ricans.”

Strengthening the presence in Costa Rica also reflects the company’s long-term vision, consolidating its position as an ally of the country. Roche’s business vision closely aligns with generating partnerships that create value for patients, the health system, and the company itself, within the framework of its sustainable growth strategy, promoting economic growth and job creation to achieve equitable access to innovative health solutions.

“We congratulate Roche on the opening of this new center that consolidates its administrative operations in the country. Roche Costa Rica Campus is a testament to the company’s confidence in the country, our investment climate, and the specialized human talent we offer. From PROCOMER, we reaffirm our commitment to Roche in each establishment and post-establishment process, as well as in boosting the country’s competitiveness so that its operations develop successfully,” said Laura López, General Manager of PROCOMER.

An Investment for the Future

The construction of the Campus began in November 2021, aligning the company’s purpose with investment, offering creative solutions, and improving patient care while adapting to environmental changes. The Campus will house approximately 1,300 people from the Pharmaceutical and Diagnostic divisions for various Latin American countries, along with Roche Services and Solutions Americas, which provides comprehensive and strategic end-to-end services in areas such as finance, procurement, information technology, and specialized human resources services, expanded in 2021.

Additionally, the Roche Costa Rica Campus is designed to support future expansion plans. By 2025, the company is expected to exceed 1,500 employees with the creation of approximately 200 new jobs in areas such as finance, information technology, and human resources.

Opting for Sabana Norte as the Campus location was carefully considered due to its easy access to public transportation, suitable location, multiple access routes, and attractive amenities for employees. The area is also rapidly developing into an innovative and high-tech center, making it a desirable and strategic location for companies and organizations. With this decision, Roche aims to strengthen collaboration with its stakeholders and enhance its contributions to the country.

Innovation in an Inclusive, Diverse, and Environmentally Friendly Environment

Roche Costa Rica Campus follows the company’s sustainability philosophy, focusing on both people and the environment. It will provide a collaborative environment with flexible and agile spaces to foster a culture of agility and experience exchange among different teams and departments, driving innovation. The building is inclusive and designed for the mental well-being of employees.

Constructed under the standards of LEED Platinum Certification, the building applies principles in six categories: Sustainable Building, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation in Design. It also features sustainable technologies for air conditioning, lighting, and rainwater collection, among other environmentally friendly aspects.

In terms of people focus, Roche Costa Rica Campus is the first building in the country’s service industry to receive Fitwel Certification, ensuring an integrated approach to how design and operations can improve health, happiness, and productivity. Additionally, with the advice of todoaccesible.com, the space will be 100% accessible, with Braille signage and floor guides for visually impaired individuals.

With Roche Costa Rica Campus, we will continue to build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with the country and our strategic partners.

Campus at a Glance

  • Total investment: Over $100 million
  • Total building area: 75,070.76 m²
  • Office and amenities area: 32,831 m²
  • 21-story vertical campus
  • 7 levels of work areas
  • 2 levels of amenities
  • 1 level of Wellness Center
  • 6 levels of upper parking
  • 3 levels of underground parking
  • 1,200 workstations
  • First building in this industry to use ammonia for air conditioning, providing greater comfort and efficiency
  • Rainwater collection system, photovoltaic panels for converting solar energy into electricity, and a green roof supporting local biodiversity
  • Use of natural light and materials free of cadmium, lead, or mercury
  • Carbon-neutral carpet system and furniture

About Roche

Roche is an international company pioneering the research and development of medicines and diagnostic products to advance science and improve people’s lives. Integrating pharmaceutical and diagnostic areas under one roof has made Roche the leader in personalized medicine, a strategy aimed at providing each patient with the most appropriate treatment in the best possible way.

Roche is the world’s largest biotechnology company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, and neurosciences. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and cancer histological diagnostics, and is at the forefront of diabetes management.

Founded in 1896, Roche seeks better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, and contribute to the sustainable development of society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. The World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List contains more than 30 medicines developed by Roche, including antibiotics, antimalarials, and cancer drugs. For the twelfth consecutive year, Roche has been recognized in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) as the most sustainable company in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences industry group.

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel (Switzerland), operates in over 100 countries. In 2020, it employed more than 100,000 people, invested 12.2 billion Swiss francs (CHF) in research and development (R&D), and had sales of 58.3 billion CHF. Genentech (USA) is a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group. Additionally, Roche is the majority shareholder of Chugai Pharmaceutical (Japan). For more information, visit www.roche.com.

For more information on this press release, contact [email protected], [email protected], or phone 7065-3851.