Procter & Gamble

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have worked together for almost 50 years to conserve some of the most environmentally critical regions in the world. This collaboration not only propels TNC on the path to our 2030 goals, it also helps progress P&G’s sustainability objectives, which include helping to protect and restore landscapes near P&G's supply chains and advancing natural climate solutions.

Recognizing that this decade represents a crucial window for collective action to prevent climate change from worsening and halting and reversing nature loss, TNC and P&G have identified multiple projects that will deliver lasting impacts, including:

Scaling Restoration in Brazil's Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest in Brazil’s Mantiqueira region is home to plentiful sources that provide water and energy; however, 80% of native vegetation has been lost due to development and deforestation. The Nature Conservancy in Brazil has committed to creating the conditions necessary to restore 1.5 million hectares of unproductive land to forest. With support from P&G, TNC has focused on three areas of engagement necessary to successfully scale up restoration:

• Local Policy Implementation and Local Governance Establishment
  One of the cornerstones of TNC’s efforts is supporting local governance and public policies at the municipal and state levels. The active participation of these government entities is crucial to enable forest restoration, conservation initiatives and biodiversity protection. TNC has worked with municipal governments and landowners throughout Brazil on a number of initiatives, including implementing public policies and securing resources for restoration, identifying land in the region that could be restored, raising awareness of fire management and creating a baseline to monitor biodiversity in high-altitude areas.
• Strengthening the Forest Restoration Supply Chain
  The restoration supply chain encompasses the inputs and services needed to enable restoration, from seeds and tools to maintenance and monitoring. Under a partnership with the Viçosa University, TNC has defined the necessary efforts to increase the capacity of two municipal nurseries that create forest seedlings. We expect one of these nurseries will produce 75,000 seedlings, a portion of which will be directed to restoration initiatives supported by TNC, thus reducing restoration costs. Support to another nursery will enable the production of 20,000 seedlings that will be directed to neighboring pastures within rural settlements. Residents from these settlements are also working as seed collectors, so we expect that the availability of seeds and seedlings in the region will continue to support other restoration initiatives for many years.
• Leveraging Resources for Restoration
  To ensure that restoration efforts remain cost-effective, TNC collaborates with others to identify, create or expand financial strategies and funding sources that provide economic incentives to landowners whose forests help protect water supplies and sequester carbon. We have worked with the state of São Paulo, the Biota Institute and the São Paulo Research Foundation to support the design of a private climate fund—FINACLIMA-SP—aimed at developing blended finance arrangements and issuing biodiversity and restoration certificates to attract investors.

TNC also helps map out potential sites for restoration initiatives and facilitates in mobilizing landowners and other local groups to join the effort. For example, in Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, TNC is working with the state’s water and sanitation utilities to assist in the restoration of 2,000 hectares and 10,000 hectares, respectively.