This week, Partnerships for Forests (P4F) announces the launch of a new phase, building on a decade of progress in advancing the transition to regenerative business models across tropical forest landscapes.

Since 2015, the programme has demonstrated how innovative partnerships can unlock investment, restore forests, and deliver benefits for both nature and people. In its first phase, P4F supported more than 100 partnerships, mobilised over £1.3 billion in private finance, improved the livelihoods of 326,000 people, bringing 8.6 million hectares under sustainable management – proving that collaboration between businesses, communities, and investors can drive meaningful change.

From pilots to scale: A new approach

The challenge now is clear: “to move from pilot projects to scalable mechanisms that can boost forest-friendly business and serve thousands of producers,” says Kate McCoy, P4F Team Leader. This next phase introduces new approaches designed to achieve scale and adapt to shifting economic, political and investment landscapes, including:

  • Mobilising finance at scale – pioneering financial instruments that make nature and regenerative agriculture investable and benefit smallholder farmers.
  • Incubating incubators – supporting organisations that can nurture multiple early-stage ventures and accelerate their growth.
  • Harnessing technology and data – using digital tools and analytics to improve traceability, monitor impact, and reduce barriers for smallholders and businesses.

These innovations build on P4F’s core offering, which remains central to our mission:

  • Partnering with leading companies and pioneering entrepreneurs to provide advice and support as they build sustainable businesses that create jobs, drive growth, and protect and restore forests.
  • Creating supportive conditions through improved policies, regulations, and increased market demand for sustainable, forest-friendly products.
  • Placing smallholders at the heart of our efforts by increasing access to finance, resources, and markets – helping them build secure, prosperous, and sustainable livelihoods.

By combining these proven approaches with new scaling mechanisms, P4F aims to move beyond isolated success stories and enable widespread adoption of regenerative practices across commodity supply chains.

Context-specific strategies across regions

P4F continues to work across five globally important forest regions, with refreshed strategies tailored to each context, including a strengthened approach in the Congo Basin. We also lead cross-cutting initiatives that strengthen the global systems for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Each strategy adapts our wider approach to regionally unique challenges and opportunities: from supporting the logging and palm oil sectors pivoting to regenerative solutions in Southeast Asia, to scaling forest-friendly cocoa in West Africa and promoting sustainable cattle and soy production in Latin America.

Explore our regional strategies >

Why this matters

Deforestation and land degradation remain among the biggest threats to biodiversity and climate stability. At the same time, global demand for forest-linked commodities continues to rise. Scaling regenerative supply chains is essential to reconcile economic growth with environmental responsibility.

By focusing on systemic solutions – incubating incubators, leveraging technology, and unlocking finance – while continuing to partner with businesses, improve enabling conditions, and empower smallholders, P4F is helping create a future where forests thrive, businesses prosper, and communities benefit.