NaturAceites Advances Zero-Deforestation Commitment in Guatemala

Being a good neighbor means more than sharing a territory; it also means taking care of it. For NaturAceites, this principle is reflected in its commitment to the conservation of the ecosystems surrounding its operations in northeastern Guatemala, recognizing their importance not only for production but also for neighboring communities.

Protecting ecosystems beyond productive areas

NaturAceites operates in a landscape located near the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve and the Bocas del Polochic Wildlife Refuge, two areas of importance for biodiversity and water availability in the region.

The Sierra de las Minas serves as a source of water for communities and productive activities in the Polochic and Motagua valleys.

Meanwhile, Bocas del Polochic is a 20,760-hectare wetland recognized as a Ramsar site. The area helps filter sediments and nutrients before they reach Lake Izabal.

Approximately 5,500 people live around the refuge, primarily from the Maya Q'eqchi' community, and depend on ecosystem services such as water, fishing and fertile land.

Within this shared landscape, NaturAceites has maintained a zero-deforestation commitment since 2016, complemented by tools designed to prevent and detect potential changes in forest cover.

Satellite monitoring to detect environmental risks

One of the tools supporting this commitment is satellite monitoring through Satelligence, which uses satellite imagery to identify deforestation and fire alerts.

The system allows the company to monitor an area extending up to 50 kilometers around points connected to its supply chain.

In areas that are not under NaturAceites' direct control, these alerts help identify potential events and report them to the corresponding authorities.

This approach allows technology and monitoring to support the company's environmental commitment with information that can be used to identify potential changes in the surrounding landscape.

Assessing conservation areas before developing new sites

NaturAceites also conducts High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments before developing new areas.

These evaluations help identify areas with environmental, social or cultural importance that should remain conserved.

Together with its zero-deforestation commitment and satellite monitoring, these assessments form part of the measures the company uses to address conservation and prevention across the landscapes where it operates.

Supporting biodiversity conservation in Bocas del Polochic

NaturAceites' conservation initiatives also include biodiversity-focused efforts.

Since 2022, the company has maintained an alliance with Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza to contribute to the conservation of the West Indian manatee in Bocas del Polochic.

This initiative adds to the company's efforts to ensure that conservation extends beyond its productive areas and becomes part of a responsible relationship with a landscape shared by communities, forests and wildlife.

Technology as a tool for responsible environmental management

Through monitoring, prevention and verifiable evidence, NaturAceites seeks to make conservation part of its relationship with the territory where it operates.

The company's approach combines its zero-deforestation commitment, satellite technology, conservation assessments and biodiversity initiatives to support responsible landscape management.

For NaturAceites, technology therefore serves as a tool to back its environmental commitment with verifiable information, with the aim of extending that commitment beyond its own plantations and contributing to a responsible relationship with the shared landscape in Guatemala.