Using certifications to protect ecosystems

Students from the School of Business at UC Berkely are in El Salvador to learn and provide assistance working with SalvaNatura, a Salvadoran NGO whose mission is to conserve and protect the ecosystems in El Salvador's (few) protected natural areas. Their blog describes how they will be working in the area of "sustainable certifications":

In addition, we have come to understand how sustainable certifications such as Rainforest Alliance complement SalvaNATURA’s other services, which include managing national parks, conducting environmental research, and providing environmental education programs.

For our client, the challenges are immense. The organization is dedicated to the preservation of the environment and natural areas of El Salvador, a country with 98% deforestation. Yet the opportunities are immense as well, especially given the growing demand for certified products like coffee from consumers, farmers, as well as international companies such as Kraft, McDonalds, and Walmart.