Costa Coffee has released an online tool designed to help students learn about communities in coffee-growing countries.

Launched in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance to support teachers, students aged 11-14 will discover more about communities and economies. Costa for Schools is free to use and includes community case studies and an interactive map, teaching students about the journey of a coffee bean from start to finish.

Andy Marshall, Costa corporate responsibility director, said: “Costa baristas across the country are often asked by teachers to talk to students about the origins of our beans, so we thought it was time to put a nationwide resource in place so that all teachers can access the same insight from Costa.”

Costa for Schools is specifically designed in line with current UK secondary curricula. The programme also provides teachers with usable lesson plans and curriculum guidance, usable across secondary geography teaching.

Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, said: “The coffee trade is something everyone should know about as part of a wider awareness of the impact our lifestyles have on the cultures and environments of others.

“The Costa for Schools website makes this essential knowledge engaging, highlighting the important role of certification schemes such as the Rainforest Alliance, and puts it into a context that students can understand.”