AFi Wrapped: What we achieved in 2025
15 Desember 2025
Celebrate progress over the past 12 months with the AFi
As 2025 comes to an end, the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) is looking back at this pivotal year—one defined by fast-evolving regulations, mounting climate pressures, and rapidly-approaching compliance deadlines. Many companies have spent the year working to embed climate- and nature-positive strategies into their day-to-day operations, all while aiming to stay on track with their 2025 no-deforestation commitments.
Much of the spotlight fell this year on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), with many companies investing in due diligence and traceability systems to show that their products are deforestation-free. Whilst the recent second 12-month delay—now pushing implementation back to 31 December 2026—gives companies more time to comply, it does not lessen the urgency of the task. This year, the AFi worked closely with civil society and technical partners to keep deforestation, ecosystem conversion, and human rights on the agenda, particularly for events such as the UNFCCC COP30 summit in Brazil.
Guided by stakeholder feedback, we made important revisions to the Accountability Framework, the AFi Self-assessment Tool, and published two new e-learning platform modules. These help companies turn their ambitions into tangible results.
“While 2025 brought new headwinds, including the delay and weakening of key regulations, the urgency to act in protecting forests, natural ecosystems, and human rights is greater than ever,” said AFi Director Jeff Milder. “Companies and others need a clear path forward to address risk and drive positive impact, despite regulatory uncertainty."
Here's a look back at what we achieved this year:
In 2025, the AFi…
Offered a roadmap for company action post-2025
With many initiatives, like the AFi and SBTi, setting 2025 as the target year for eliminating deforestation from supply chains, this year was a pivotal moment. In May, we published a statement on behalf of the AFi Coalition, outlining key actions companies should take to meet their end-of-year goals. Building on this work, we followed up in December with the new Operational Guidance on Commitments and Progress Pathways. The guidance helps companies to set credible commitments, define milestones, create action plans, and maintain progress in 2026 and beyond.
Strengthened our guidance on human rights
This year, we launched two revised guidance documents focused on human rights. In June, we released the updated Operational Guidance on Respecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, followed by the Operational Guidance on Workers’ Rights in July. These resources support companies to identify, prevent, and address human rights risks in their supply chains. Both guidance documents are grounded in a globally-recognised human rights due diligence process, aligned with the OECD Guidelines and the UN Guiding Principles.
Emphasised the role of addressing land use change in climate change mitigation
In November, we championed the role of forests for climate mitigation on Forest Day at UNFCCC COP30. In addition, in a new analysis conducted with AdAstra, the AFi found that for key commodities—like Brazilian soy, Ghanaian cocoa, and Malaysian palm oil—deforestation and conversion drive around two-thirds of total emissions. The modelling showed that most companies that produce or source agricultural or forestry products can make their biggest climate gains by eliminating land use change from their supply chains.
Intensified our focus on nature
Increasingly, corporate action on climate, forests, and water is focused on addressing broader nature-related risks and impacts. As a result, the AFi published a package of new content on this topic, including a web page, a blog and an Explainer. These resources outline how companies can link their no-deforestation efforts with nature-related accounting and disclosure.
Deepened understanding of non-forest ecosystem conversion
In 2023, we kicked off a new workstream in collaboration with World Resources Institute to better identify, map, and conserve non-forest ecosystems, like grasslands and savannahs. In 2025, we progressed this effort, hosting workshops with expert stakeholders in Australia, Colombia, as well as through a capstone meeting of the project's Expert Working Group in Washington, DC. We also launched a new page on non-forest on ecosystem conversion on the AFi website to act as a hub for all outputs from this workstream. Finally, the journal Nature Communications published a study co-authored by two members of the AFi team that identified key global ‘hotspots’ of ecosystem conversion.
Highlighted regional impacts and success stories
As the AFi is a global programme, this year we showcased the many impacts of our work across different regions. This includes blogs on how the Accountability Framework is being used in Australia, Colombia, and to support rubber smallholders and EUDR readiness in West Africa. We also co-authored an article with global companies Bunge and PepsiCo for the World Economic Forum, and published a Q&A with Musim Mas—both on the role of the private sector in a forest-positive future. Finally, we published a case study of the Responsible Commodities Facility, which supports UK retailers deliver on no-deforestation commitments for their Brazilian supply chains.
Increased awareness of the AFi and the Accountability Framework
As a grant-funded, non-profit programme, raising visibility and understanding of our work is essential. This year, we saw an 83% increase in the companies applying, aligning with, or committing to follow the Framework in some capacity. Also, we onboarded five new delivery partners to support company alignment. Our global reach also continued to grow, with our LinkedIn followers growing by 35% and our web traffic increasing by 25% compared to 2024.
Looking ahead
“I’m proud of what the AFi and its Coalition has achieved in 2025. Looking to next year and beyond, our initiative will continue to provide the clarity, guidance, and alignment that enable companies and all stakeholders to achieve the worldwide transition to responsible supply chains,” said Milder.
To that end, we will continue updating and adding to the Accountability Framework next year, including new guidance on monitoring and verification, supply chain management, and traceability.
We'd like to wish all AFi Coalition members, delivery partners, and Framework adopters a happy holiday and a wonderful new year. We’re eager to get started in 2026!
