2019-20 Report: Rainforest Action Network

Donation: $50,000

Our donation supported the efforts of the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) in Sumatra, Indonesia, where they worked to make corporations accountable for their supply chains. RAN’s mission is to raise awareness of illegal deforestation and the clearance of the associated peatlands while helping protect Indigenous people from human rights abuses and violence stemming from these illegal land grabs.

RAN is committed to saving the rainforests. Rainforests help prevent global warming by absorbing the greenhouse gases that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere while providing the moisture to maintain a constant level of global rainfall. They also provide a biodiverse habitat for countless animal and plant species.

Over the last year, RAN has successfully pressured some corporations to adopt and implement “No Deforestation, No Peatland, and No Exploitation” commitments, while exposing others that are expanding into intact forests. Just recently, because of the constant exposure by RAN, two palm oil companies worked with Indonesian organizations and local governments to create a sanctuary for Sumatran rhinos.

RAN also works hard to keep global brands responsible in their practices. For example, they rank companies on how well — or how poorly — they fulfill their deforestation promises (which resulted in Kellogg’s issuing a revised palm oil and deforestation policy). And they secured a palm oil sourcing policy from PepsiCo Inc., which pledges that their supply chain will no longer include any deforestation, peatland destruction, or human/labor rights abuses.