Tree Huggers

• The “Forest 500 Report 2025” by Global Canopy reveals that only 3% of major companies with influence over forest-risk commodities are taking adequate action on deforestation, with beef identified as the biggest driver
• The assessment identified 24 “persistent laggards” that have never made any deforestation commitments despite a decade of evaluation, while some companies like meatpacking giant JBS are backtracking on previous pledges.
• Only 9% of companies promise zero tolerance for violence against forest defenders, despite more than 2,000 people being killed while protecting land or environment since 2012, highlighting the gap between environmental and human rights commitments.
• The European Union Deforestation Regulation taking effect at the end of 2025 will require companies to prove their products aren’t linked to deforestation before selling in EU markets, potentially driving meaningful corporate action ahead of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil in November.

archived (Wayback Machine)