Over a billion rural people rely on them for food, shelter, fuel and medicine. The forestry sector provides jobs to millions, linking us to an increasing array of consumer goods that can be traced back to the forest, such as furniture, paper, clothing, sponges and even chocolate. We never cease to find new ways to derive value from our forests.

Today, forests around the world are under assault. They are sick, they are burning and they are disappearing. Above all, our economic development has placed enormous pressure on the world’s forests. Nations often rely on natural resource extraction and agricultural expansion to meet ever-growing national and international demand. This provides people with livelihoods, infrastructure and social services. However, land development also leads to a loss of biodiversity, fertile soil and ecosystem services, which threatens the welfare of generations to come.

We believe in forestry and land development that is good for people, nature and the economy. To achieve this balance, we urge all to leave intact what remains intact, restore what can be restored and act as responsible stewards of our finite forests.

Since 1999, we have worked in value chains of key raw materials linked to forests - wood, pulp and paper, biomass, charcoal, palm oil and soy, to name a few. Over the years, we have helped more than 60 companies to set up No Deforestation, Peat and Exploitation (NDPE) policies and put them into practice. With businesses and civil society, we have innovated the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach - paving the way for a concrete definition of deforestation. Working in tension points within value chains, we engage key actors; giving organisations practical tools to manage complex issues and move forward in their sustainability journey.