Top 40 supplier Gildan Activewear (asi/56842) donated $570,000 to refurbish the second largest park in Honduras as part of ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts that aim to improve communities where the Montreal-based company has operations. Inaugurated in May, the newly refurbished Majoncho Sosa Community Park is the largest in the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras – an area where Gildan is the biggest private employer, the company said. The park provides a modern, multi-sport space for the community.

YA SON 62 PARQUES PARA UNA VIDA MEJOR!!! pic.twitter.com/yzGAuSobe8

— Juan Orlando H. (@JuanOrlandoH) May 14, 2018

“We believe that active living through sport and fitness can provide a healthy outlet for youth, create a greater sense of community, and encourage people to improve their physical health,” said Claudia Sandoval, Gildan’s vice president of corporate citizenship. “The recreational sports facilities can provide a safe place for families and members of the community to play and be together in a positive environment.”

Gildan representatives, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, and members of the local community were on hand for the park’s dedication in mid-May. The facility features energy efficient LED lighting and has multi-purpose fields, playgrounds, a running track, kiosks for the sale of food, and bathrooms. There are also rest zones and green picnic areas.

Gildan donated the money as part of “Parques para una Vida Mejor” (Better Life through Parks) program. The Honduran government created the program in partnership with the private sector to recover public spaces, thereby encouraging citizen coexistence and healthy recreation, officials said.

Gildan says it has made sustainability and social responsibility a key focus. In 2016, for example, the apparel maker reduced energy usage intensity by 10%, mainly through the use of high-efficiency steam absorption chillers that harness thermal energy from BioMass steam systems to generate air conditioning for Gildan facilities. Additionally, Gildan leveraged renewable energy sources that reduced GHG emissions by 155,000 tons. In recent years, Gildan has earned a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the DJSI North American Index.