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Forests Supply Chain Challenge



Driving collaboration for deforestation-free, restorative supply chains

The Forests Supply Chain Challenge (FSCC) makes it easy for Supply Chain program Forests members to partner with their suppliers. CDP facilitates the solicitation and selection of projects that generate the greatest shared value.

How does it work?



Suppliers propose projects in response to question SF2.1 in the forests questionnaire.



CDP reviews and ranks these proposals.


CDP discusses promising projects with the corresponding member.


Based on feedback, CDP convenes a meeting with the member and the appropriate suppliers to determine whether to move forward. The company and its supplier will then plan and implement the project.



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How will it help me?


Projects typically cover a range of topics that advance priority interests and create clear value for both members and suppliers:

  • Improving systems that trace commodities back to their production unit
  • Increasing supplies that are certified as free from deforestation
  • Redesigning products to use resources more efficiently and reduce costs
  • Engaging hundreds or even thousands of producers across an entire landscape
  • Protecting nature and the ecosystem services that underwrite a business


Participants also benefit from increased visibility through CDP communications.

This can include recognition on the FSCC webpage, highlighting in blog and social media posts, featuring as a case in a webinar or report, or playing a role in an event like a regional workshop.

What is the Supply Chain program?


The program is one of CDP’s major mechanisms for scaling change up to the global level.

The program leverages the power that large purchasers have through their procurement. They can request suppliers to provide products that avoid deforestation and minimize carbon, water, and biodiversity footprints, and to disclose this information. The program’s 280 members successfully encouraged over 16,000 companies to disclose through CDP in 2022. So each member is responsible for, on average, 59 other companies disclosing. This is the same multiplier that the FSCC draws upon when soliciting potential projects – one member can easily obtain dozens of promising proposals. .

Learn more here

What projects are eligible?


Projects must involve a member’s supply chain.

Projects that involve landscape and jurisdictional approaches, or protection and restoration activities, are eligible so long as the project includes at least some portion of the supplier’s sourcing or production region.

Beyond that, projects can involve any combination of place-based activities (things like supplier operations, traceability protocols, or monitoring technologies) or non-place-based activities (such as policy development, target setting, or financial assistance). Projects can involve any of the seven forest risk commodities that CDP tracks, and any of CDP’s 15 key performance indicators for forests.



What projects are preferred?

CDP uses several criteria to differentiate and rank proposed projects based on deforestation impacts and strategic improvement opportunities. Projects that cover other topics are still welcome and encouraged. The criteria include:

1. Priority topics

Whether the project involves traceability, certification, landscape & jurisdictional approaches, and/or smallholder engagement

2. Priority commitments

Whether the project involves cattle, soy, or palm oil

3. Priority regions

Whether the supplier’s headquarters or the project itself is located in Latin America or Southeast Asia

4. Nature Positive

Whether the project involves activities that protect or restore forests or other ecosystems

5. Cross-thematic

Whether the project involves one of CDP’s other focal areas – climate, water, biodiversity, or plastics

6. Degree of specificity

Whether the description provided by the supplier indicates that the project has been well thought-out, or is even already being implemented

What is the timing for the work?

The following timeline shows you, in the top half, the major phases and milestones of the annual disclosure process, while the bottom shows the same information for the FSCC.

The main steps include:

  1. Leading up to and during the disclosure process, Supply Chain members should encourage their suppliers to carefully answer question SF2.1.
  2. Within three months after the disclose cycle ends, CDP will schedule a call with each member to review their ranked proposals.
  3. After this, CDP will schedule a call with the member and relevant supplier(s) to help determine whether to move forward with a project(s).
  4. An active project may then involve communications at any point in the year.


Who can I contact?

Your Supply Chain account manager is the best starting point. You can also contact the appropriate regional liaison:


Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) underwrites the FSCC. Established in 2008, NICFI provides up to €275 million annually to protect the world’s rainforests, and thereby mitigate climate change, safeguard biodiversity, and achieve sustainable development. Two of its seven strategies include fostering deforestation-free commodity markets and deforestation-free financial markets.