The Certification for Sustainable Tourism program in Costa Rica recently recognized UGA’s satellite campus in Costa Rica as one of its “Four Leaves”-level institutions operating in the country. Run by the Costa Rican Tourism Board, the CST awards excellence in natural, cultural and social resource management. To receive level-four recognition, UGA Costa Rica scored better than 80 percent in all four categories related to sustainability: impact on the biological/physical surroundings; building and materials management; external client relations and outreach; and socioeconomic impact on the local community.
This most recent award made special note of the program’s dedication to the social impact on the community. In the socioeconomic component, UGA Costa Rica received a perfect score of 100 percent, indicating a high level of respect and responsibility for local employees, while it scored 97 percent in the external client outreach category and more than 90 percent in care for the biophysical environment. Thirty-eight of the campus staff members are from the surrounding community, and they are involved in an extensive program of outreach and education on important sustainability issues. UGA Costa Rica has been involved in the CST program since 1998.
