Transforming Colombian supply chains with the Accountability Framework

Colombia is at a decisive moment in the management of its forests and ecosystems. More than half of the national territory—nearly 60 million hectares—is covered by forests, placing the country among the top twelve worldwide for overall forest cover. 

Deforestation peaked at over 170,000 hectares annually in the years following a period of conflict that ended in 2016. It then dropped to a historic low of ~79,000 hectares in 2023, before rising again to ~114,000 hectares in 2024. Despite this increase, the figure remains among the lowest levels in two decades. The Amazon continues to face the greatest impact, accounting for more than two-thirds of total deforestation.

Persistent deforestation drivers include land grabbing, agricultural expansion, unsustainable livestock practices, construction of illegal roads, and illicit crops. These pressures also affect the Orinoquía and other regions where ecosystems undergo rapid transformation. To address these challenges, governments, companies, and civil society must act in coordination. 

How companies are using the Accountability Framework in Colombia

The launch of the Accountability Framework in 2019 gave companies a clear, consensus-based guide to transform their supply chains. As part of the AFi Coalition, WWF-Colombia uses the Framework to help companies translate their commitments into concrete action. 

The first pilot experience in Colombia took place in the dairy sector with Alquería, one of the country’s most recognised dairy companies, which is known for its commitments to sustainability and innovation. WWF supported Alquería in using the Framework as a roadmap to strengthen its role in the Colombia Zero Deforestation Agreement, reinforcing commitments to zero deforestation and páramo protection (High Andean Mountain ecosystems, essential for water supply). These efforts embedded supply chain responsibility into the company’s core business practices.

Following this successful pilot, several companies with agricultural supply chains have taken firm steps against deforestation, with WWF as a key ally. Through structured self-assessments based on the Accountability Framework, companies identified their strengths and gaps and then developed public commitments and realistic action plans tailored to their contexts. WWF has also worked with nine companies to strengthen practices across their supply chains. The organisation guided these companies in aligning their operations with the Accountability Framework Core Principles. This included establishing strong commitments, creating internal systems to support effective implementation, evaluating and tracing supply chains, managing compliance, and monitoring and verification. WWF also facilitated trainings and shared free tools to support practical implementation. 

As a result, companies in sectors such as cocoa, dairy, meat, and palm oil are building stronger deforestation-free supply chains. Several of these companies have made public commitments and now report progress, including: the well-known retailer Grupo Éxito, which is active in the beef sector; coffee exporter the Green Coffee Company; and smaller enterprises such as Lácteos del Hogar. 

Engagement in multi-stakeholder spaces

For WWF, multi-stakeholder spaces are key to driving change in supply chains. The organisation currently participates in all of Colombia’s zero-deforestation agreements (a voluntary pact among companies, government, and civil society to eliminate deforestation in key commodities), is an active member of the Colombian Roundtable for Sustainable Cattle Ranching, and served as technical secretariat of the World Economic Forum Tropical Forest Alliance Colombia until 2024. 

Within these spaces, WWF introduced the Accountability Framework as a reference tool, particularly in the zero-deforestation agreements for beef, cocoa, coffee, dairy, and palm oil. The Framework’s definitions of deforestation, as well as its guidance on how to develop commitments and establish monitoring processes, created common ground for alignment among diverse actors.

To strengthen these processes, WWF organised workshops and provided information on commitments, georeferencing tools, and deforestation risk analysis methodologies, supporting a total of 40 Colombian companies across the beef, dairy, palm oil, and coffee sectors. These contributions helped companies draft stronger zero-deforestation policies, identify risks, and align their supply chains with zero-deforestation goals.

Managing ongoing challenges

Despite this progress, significant barriers remain. Sectors like beef, cocoa, coffee, and dairy involve thousands of small producers and traders without reliable tracking records of their activities. Land tenure issues, illegal economies, and limited state control capacity make it difficult to verify private sector commitments. 

Within companies, lack of alignment between procurement, logistics, and sustainability teams often reduces commitments to paper policies with limited implementation. Weak management systems to collect data, monitor suppliers, or report progress further diminish impact. When commitments lack strong backing from senior management, companies struggle to allocate the human and financial resources required to drive change.

WWF-Colombia continues to work with companies to apply the Accountability Framework, strengthening internal governance, improving traceability systems, and embedding commitments into daily operations.

The business case for using the Framework

As a member of the AFi Coalition, WWF-Colombia continues to provide support based on the local context and the specific needs of each sector. The organisation has also developed practical tools such as guides and workshops, that simplify adoption of the Framework and generate tangible results. 

By adopting monitoring, traceability, and reporting systems aligned with international standards, companies can not only comply with regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), but also strengthen their legitimacy with consumers, markets, and communities. 

In the short term, companies gain credibility and access to markets that demand responsible products. In the medium term, they strengthen relationships with suppliers, improve traceability, and reduce reputational risks. In the long term, these actions consolidate global competitiveness, contribute to ecosystem resilience, and generate lasting positive impacts in rural landscapes and communities.

The opportunity is on the table: now is the time to move towards fairer, more responsible, and more sustainable agricultural supply chains in Colombia.

Want to learn more?

To find out more about the work WWF-Colombia is doing in its region, please visit its website or follow its LinkedIn page for updates.

To learn how the Accountability Framework can support your company in achieving responsible commodity supply chains, start here.