Centre For Sustainability

What Centre For Sustainability does

Centre For Sustainability, operating under the brand "Fins and Leaves," is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Wageningen, Netherlands. It carries out biodiversity conservation and community development projects in biodiversity hotspots rich in rainforest habitats, mangroves, and coral reefs, with active field operations in the Philippines (Palawan), Madagascar, Suriname, and Kenya (Tsavo East). The organization's stated mission is inclusive development that combines conservation, improved livelihoods, and environmental education for indigenous and local communities dependent on these ecosystems. Impact metrics cited by the organization include acres of virgin rainforest and tribal land protected, endangered Almaciga trees raised from seed and reforested, and hatchery-bred Grouper juveniles distributed to small-scale farmers, though specific figures are not disclosed.

The organization runs a project portfolio rather than commercial products. Current projects include the Mentor Program, the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative, and the Tsavo East Community Development Initiative (TECDI). Past projects include the Cleopatras Needle Critical Habitat, the Student Program, the Saving the Almaciga Tree Project, Environmental Education Programs, Sustainable Fish Farming in Suriname, and the Grouper Livelihood Program. It does not develop proprietary technology platforms; scientific output is delivered through peer-reviewed publications in outlets such as Palawan Scientist, Monthly Agriculture, and the Journal of Natural History.

The organization is funded through donations and international development grants, including confirmed USAID funding for at least the 2021 Tiger grouper hatchery protocol study with Western Philippines University. Distribution is field-based: direct community engagement at the local level, academic partnerships for research, and grant-funded project implementation globally. The organization operates with an 11–50 employee footprint, and revenue figures are not disclosed, consistent with a small non-profit without investor reporting obligations.

Name

Centre For Sustainability

Legal name

Fins and Leaves

Website

https://centreforsustainability.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre For Sustainability (operating as Fins and Leaves) is a Netherlands-based non-profit founded in 2008 that runs biodiversity conservation and community development projects in the Philippines, Madagascar, Suriname, and Kenya, funded by donations and international development grants such as USAID.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Biodiversity conservation
• Community development
• Environmental education
• Sustainable livelihoods
• Habitat protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Wageningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Funded through donations and international development grants including USAID funding for conservation and community development projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Centre For Sustainability is a non-profit organization that safeguards biodiversity hotspots and supports the communities that depend on them for survival. It delivers inclusive development projects focused on improved livelihoods, conservation, and education in areas rich in rainforest habitats, mangroves, and coral reefs, with international operations in the Philippines, Madagascar, Suriname, and Kenya.

Product overview

Centre For Sustainability (operating as Fins and Leaves) is a non-profit organization focused on biodiversity conservation and community development. Rather than a commercial product portfolio, the organization operates conservation and development projects including the Mentor Program, Philippine Taxonomic Initiative, Tsavo East Community Development Initiative (TECDI), Cleopatras Needle Critical Habitat, Student Program, Saving the Almaciga Tree Project, Environmental Education Programs, Sustainable Fish Farming in Suriname, and Grouper Livelihood Program. The organization does not offer commercial products or services in the technology sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Philippine Taxonomic Initiative Taxonomic research initiative in the Philippines to discover, document, and publish new plant species, contributing to biodiversity science and conservation knowledge.
• Tsavo East Community Development Initiative (TECDI) Community development project in Kenya's Tsavo East region focused on supporting local communities through conservation and livelihood programs.
• Saving the Almaciga Tree Project Reforestation project focused on raising endangered Almaciga trees from seed and replanting them in the Philippines to restore native forest habitat.
• Grouper Livelihood Program Sustainable aquaculture program distributing hatchery-bred Grouper juveniles to small-scale farmers, supporting marine conservation and alternative livelihoods.
• Sustainable Fish Farming in Suriname Sustainable fish farming initiative in Suriname supporting local livelihoods while reducing pressure on wild fish populations.
• Environmental Education Programs Environmental education programs designed to raise awareness and build capacity for conservation among local communities in project areas.
• Cleopatras Needle Critical Habitat Conservation project protecting the Cleopatra's Needle Mountain Range critical habitat in northern Palawan, including research on locally endemic amphibians.
• Mentor Program Mentor program providing guidance and capacity building to individuals and communities engaged in the organization's conservation and development work.
• Student Program Student program supporting educational and research opportunities for students participating in conservation projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Acres of virgin rainforest and tribal land protected
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Western Philippines University (WPU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated on USAID-funded study published in 2021 on Protocol development for the improved hatchery production of Tiger grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus in Palawan, Philippines. Joint research effort for marine conservation and sustainable aquaculture.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: A large international conservation NGO focused on biodiversity hotspots, sustainable landscapes/seascapes, and community well-being. Mirrors Fins and Leaves' hotspot-plus-livelihoods thesis but at global scale with significantly more resources and corporate partnerships.
• Fauna & Flora International: A globally established conservation organization operating biodiversity hotspot projects across multiple continents with strong species- and habitat-protection programs. Comparable to Fins and Leaves in mission and species focus (e.g., amphibians, endangered trees), but substantially larger in scope, funding, and headcount.
• The Nature Conservancy: A major environmental NGO working on land and water conservation globally, including tropical forests, marine systems, and partnerships that support local livelihoods. Highly relevant to Fins and Leaves' forestry, marine, and community-livelihoods thesis, but operating at much larger scale and budget.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Operates field conservation programs for wildlife and wild places in more than a dozen biodiversity-rich countries, often via partnerships with local communities. Comparable to Fins and Leaves on international footprint, protected-area work, and species focus, though at much greater scale and budget.

Emerging players

• Wetlands International: A not-for-profit specializing in the conservation and restoration of wetlands, including mangroves, which directly overlaps with Fins and Leaves' mangrove habitat focus in Suriname and the Philippines. Less of a direct peer than the others because it does not run community livelihood programs at the same depth.
• Reef Check Foundation: A coral reef-focused nonprofit that uses volunteer-based monitoring and partnerships to protect tropical reef ecosystems. Comparable to the coral reef conservation dimension of Fins and Leaves' mandate, with overlapping volunteer/education engagement and tropical-coastal geography.

Direct peers

• Blue Ventures: A marine conservation NGO that pairs biodiversity protection (especially coral reefs and mangroves) with community-based sustainable aquaculture and livelihoods in tropical coastal communities. Highly comparable to Fins and Leaves because both blend marine conservation, hatchery/aquaculture work (e.g., grouper), and inclusive community development in countries like Madagascar.
• Rainforest Trust: A conservation NGO dedicated to protecting tropical rainforests through land purchase, protected-area establishment, and partnership with local organizations. Closely comparable to Fins and Leaves on tropical rainforest protection and endangered-species reforestation (e.g., Almaciga), though focused mainly on land acquisition rather than community development.
• Rare: An environmental NGO that pairs community-led behavior change campaigns with protected-area management and sustainable livelihoods in biodiversity hotspots. Comparable to Fins and Leaves because both use the inclusive-development model (conservation plus livelihoods plus education) in target geographies like the Philippines and Latin America.

Regional players

• Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative (SAI) Philippines / SEAFDEC: Regional aquaculture research and development institutions active in the Philippines that work on grouper and other tropical species hatchery protocols. Comparable to Fins and Leaves on the grouper-hatchery technical program, though primarily research-focused rather than running community livelihood and conservation programs of equal emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CSPalawan
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fins-and-Leaves-1974307225947719
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-sustainability

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre For Sustainability