What companies, financial institutions, and governments must do to accelerate and scale deforestation- and conversion-free supply chains

Guiding Principles & Asks

Some of the world’s most valuable natural ecosystems – forests, savannahs, grasslands and peatlands, among others – are being destroyed at an alarming rate, endangering life and livelihoods around the globe.

These crucial natural ecosystems help regulate the environment, maintain biodiversity, and support food security, as well as human health, rights and livelihoods.

Much of this destruction is caused by unsustainable production of soft commodities like beef, soy, palm oil, wood fibre, cocoa, coffee and rubber.

We urgently need to shape deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF) commodity supply chains to have any chance of tackling the twin crises of climate breakdown and nature loss.

Halting deforestation and conversion is also fundamental in protecting ourselves from new infectious diseases and future pandemics as human activities that encroach upon wild places increase the risks of emergence or resurgence of zoonotic diseases.

We need swift and far-reaching action. While many private and public sector actors have made commitments to eliminate deforestation and conversion from supply chains, these have yet to deliver real change on the ground.

Previous measures such as improving individual supply chains and sourcing commodities only from responsible suppliers have not proven effective. We need broader supplier engagement and more ambitious collaboration within and across sectors to achieve change.

Our Vision, Guiding Principles & Asks clearly define what companies, financial institutions, and governments must do to create deforestation- and conversion-free supply chains at the necessary pace and scale​.