San Francisco, CA – Global consumer goods companies remain critical drivers of deforestation and human rights violations in supply chains, particularly in producing forest-risk commodities like palm oil, soy, and paper used in packaging. The annual Keep Forests Standing Scorecard holds some of the world’s largest consumer brands accountable for contributing to deforestation, land rights violations, and increasing threats facing human rights defenders. The 10 corporations evaluated are all implicated in ongoing forest destruction and human rights violations worldwide, with only one company––Unilever––barely receiving a passing grade.
This year’s 2024 report highlights the continued failure of many brands to implement meaningful change, even as the climate and biodiversity crises grow more urgent. The 2024 scorecard comes at a critical time. The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to be implemented in 2024, has been delayed for a year, further postponing efforts to curb deforestation linked to consumer goods. The international NGO Global Witness reports each year on killings of land and environmental defenders around the world and has documented a concerning rise with agribusiness as one of the top sectors responsible.
“Forest defenders are facing increasing threats, with 196 murdered in 2023 alone,” said Daniel Carrillo, Forest Campaign Director with Rainforest Action Network (RAN). “The growing violence against Indigenous leaders and activists is a direct result of companies failing to take responsibility for their supply chains. It’s time for the world’s largest consumer brands to step up and take real action to protect forests and respect human rights.”
2024 Keep Forests Standing Scorecard Findings
The latest scorecard assesses the actions of 10 major consumer goods brands: Colgate-Palmolive, Ferrero, Kao, Mars, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Nissin Foods, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever.
- Unilever stands out as a leader in the 2024 scorecard with a C grade, maintaining its score from the previous year. Unilever has demonstrated leadership by publishing a cross-commodity grievance tracker.
- Colgate-Palmolive is a strong performer in the middle of the pack. It has joined other leading brands by publishing a grievance log and committing to zero tolerance for violence and intimidation against human rights defenders, a critical issue as defenders face growing threats. Other companies in this group, such as Kao and Mars, made incremental progress in previous years but this year failed to improve their performance. All three brands still need to take decisive action to stem the tide of deforestation.
- PepsiCo moved backward in the 2024 scorecard, reflecting a failure to advance independent verification of their No Deforestation, No Peatland, No Exploitation (NDPE) policies and publish a grievance tracker. Nestlé has also regressed, rolling back progress in holding bad actors accountable in its supply chain.
- Ferrero, Mondelēz, Nissin Foods, and Procter & Gamble round out the laggards in the scorecard and remain among the worst performers in addressing deforestation and human rights violations. These companies continue to fall short in making the systemic changes necessary to halt the destruction of forests and protect Indigenous communities from exploitation.
The Keep Forests Standing campaign urges global companies to take immediate, concrete actions to stop the expansion of commodities they source into the world’s last rainforests and ensure protections for Indigenous communities fighting to protect their lands from corporate exploitation.
“As the climate crisis accelerates, corporations must align their policies and actions with the urgency of the moment. Forests continue to fall, and frontline communities are under siege. Consumers, investors, and civil society are demanding more than just promises—they are demanding action from the world’s most influential brands that are profiting from destruction,” said Carrillo.