The Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) on three key actions for companies in 2025 to remove deforestation from agricultural and forestry supply chains

This statement was originally posted on the Accountability Framework initiative website.

2025 is a milestone year for efforts to halt destruction of forests and other natural ecosystems. Numerous companies, financial institutions, and industry associations, as well as leading global frameworks such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the UN High Level Expert Group on Net-Zero, have set a 2025 target date for removing deforestation from agricultural and forestry supply chains. The AFi recommended this target date and continues to urge companies to meet this goal.

This target date reflects the urgency of ending deforestation and ecosystem conversion to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss while supporting sustainable development and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Further, impacts from deforestation and conversion pose a direct threat to economic activities that generate over half of the world’s GDP, while directly threatening crop production and producer livelihoods in many regions. Deforestation and conversion are also growing business risks for companies that produce or source soft commodities.

Many companies have set ambitious commitments to eliminate deforestation or conversion in line with the AFi’s recommendation, and some have achieved them or are coming close. Others have not yet committed to time-bound action to address these critical risks and impacts in their businesses.

For all companies that produce or source agricultural or forestry commodities, ending deforestation and conversion must remain a top priority. The Accountability Framework provides global, consensus-based guidelines for how to do so. In line with the Framework, the 22 organisations that make up the AFi Coalition call on all companies to take the following measures in 2025:

1. Prioritise rapid progress, including fulfilment of existing commitments: Companies should advance as far as possible towards eliminating deforestation and conversion linked to their supply chains in the remainder of the year by transforming supply chains in a sustainable and inclusive manner, prioritising areas with the greatest impacts and risks. Actions may include improving traceability, monitoring systems, and procurement practices, as well as providing support to producers, engaging with suppliers, and investing in sourcing landscapes and jurisdictions, as described in the Accountability Framework.
2. Communicate ambitions, milestones, and plans:
   • Companies without existing time-bound commitments for relevant commodities should set and publish no-deforestation and no-conversion policies in alignment with the Framework, including a target date for fulfilment of the commitment that is as ambitious as possible, and that supports achievement of global goals for climate and nature.
   • If a company has set 2025 as the target date for fulfilling its commitment and has not met it (or expects not to meet it), the company should retain this target date in published materials and disclosures throughout the 2026 disclosure cycle, when progress made by the end of 2025 will be communicated. In its disclosures, the company should identify gaps relative to fulfilling its commitment by the target date, what the company is doing to close them in specific segments of its supply chains, and when the commitment will be fulfilled.
   • For both existing and new commitments that have target dates beyond 2025, companies should set and publish annual quantitative milestones indicating expected year-on-year-progress until the commitments are fulfilled. These should be accompanied by implementation plans that identify specific actions companies will take to meet stated milestones and target dates, considering challenges associated with each relevant segment of their supply chains.
3. Disclose progress: In 2025 and annually, companies should disclose risk, performance, and progress related to eliminating deforestation and conversion from supply chains. Disclosures should cover the full scope of the company’s production and sourcing, including quantitative information on deforestation- and conversion-free product status according to the AFi’s recommendation. CDP provides a thorough and Accountability Framework-aligned set of disclosure indicators and is open for the 2025 disclosure cycle from 16 June through 15 September.

In addition to addressing deforestation and conversion, responsible supply chains also require fully respecting internationally-recognised human rights, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and workers. The Accountability Framework guides companies to take an integrated approach to commitment-setting, implementation, and disclosure to address environmental and human rights impacts.

The Accountability Framework provides consensus-based guidance to support companies at all stages of their journeys through setting, implementing, and disclosing on commitments. Updated guidance, including on the topic of setting and fulfilling commitments, will be published this year.