Social Dimension of Eco-Industrial Parks Zona Franca del Cauca – Showcasing Lab 4.0

About Zona Franca del Cauca

Zona Franca del Cauca (ZFC), located in Puerto Tejada, Colombia, is one of the priority industrial parks and a beneficiary of the Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme (GEIPP). The park operates in a region with a history of armed conflict and limited economic opportunities. It hosts 32 companies across manufacturing, food, plastics, metalworking, and logistics sectors, generating over 7,500 direct and 14,000 indirect jobs. ZFC emphasises good park management practices as well as environmental, economic, and social inclusion, in line with the International Eco-Industrial Park Framework developed jointly by UNIDO, the World Bank, and GIZ.

About Lab 4.0

As part of its community engagement, ZFC launched Lab 4.0, a training program designed to equip children and youth with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) skills aligned with Industry 4.0 demands. Since 2021, the program has trained 536 children (44% female, 56% male), with 55% being children of company employees, supported by an investment of over USD 130,000.

About the event

Date: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Venue: Rotunda, Vienna International Centre

The event aims to:

• Showcase Colombia’s leadership in sustainable industrial development through the implementation of the EIP approach with the example of the Zona Franca del Cauca.
• Promote youth innovation and STEAM education, with a live demonstration of the Arduino block-based programming game.
• Foster dialogue on eco-industrial parks and circular economy opportunities.
• Celebrate cultural identity, strengthening regional and global connections through Colombian music and dance.

For more details on the GEIPP Programme, scan the QR code.