Proforest announces new funding for BRIDGE programme

Proforest has launched a new phase of its BRIDGE programme – Building Recognition and Integration for Deforestation Governance and Equity.

BRIDGE is a global initiative to connect supply chain commitments with national and local action on deforestation. It builds on Proforest’s long-standing work with government and companies to address the disconnect between demand-side requirements and production-side realities. 

Commodity-driven deforestation continues, while many current approaches focus on narrowing supply chains. This can lead to market leakage and smallholder exclusion, limiting impact at scale. BRIDGE aims to support more inclusive, governance-led solutions, that reach the majority producers and strengthen national ownership.

The programme will work across producer countries – Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia and Indonesia – and demand-side markets including the UK, Europe and China.

A central focus of BRIDGE is bringing together governments and companies to build practical, nationally led pathways for action. 

• With governments, BRIDGE supports alignment between trade regulations, supply chain policies and national production systems. This helps improve policy coherence, reduce exclusion risks and strengthen forest governance.
• With companies, BRIDGE creates pre-competitive spaces for collaboration across commodities including palm oil, cocoa, timber and rubber. It supports companies to engage beyond their direct supply chains, promote investment in locally led solutions, and adopt scalable, smallholder-inclusive approaches to data and traceability.

By strengthening these partnerships, BRIDGE aims to move beyond isolated supply chain action towards shared, system-level solutions that deliver resilient supply chains, support sustainable commodity production, and achieve long-term reductions in deforestation.