More Than 260 Companies Hold Validated Forest Land and Agriculture Science-Based Targets

More than 260 companies worldwide have set validated Forest, Land and Agriculture science-based targets through the SBTi, with a further 1,000 companies committed to setting one, according to SBTi data and a new report by WWF-US analysing the first 149 validated FLAG targets. The pace of FLAG target setting doubled in 2025 compared to the prior year.

The WWF-US report, The First 100+ FLAG Targets, analysed publicly disclosed information from 149 companies with validated FLAG targets by the end of 2024. It found that companies setting FLAG targets span every region and nearly every link in the food and agriculture value chain — from producers and processors to retailers and global brands. Among the companies analysed, 85% reported taking steps to reduce agricultural emissions through practices such as regenerative farming, 82% are tackling food loss and waste, three in four have begun addressing land-use change and deforestation, and nearly half are exploring shifts toward more plant-based product portfolios.

The FLAG sector is responsible for approximately 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is simultaneously one of the sectors most vulnerable to physical climate impacts. Climate-related disasters cost the agricultural sector around $123 billion annually, equivalent to 5% of its total GDP, with each year of losses translating to an average daily dietary energy loss of 148 kcal per person globally. By 2030, heat stress alone is projected to eliminate the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs, creating significant operational and supply chain risks for companies reliant on agricultural inputs.

The report highlights the no-deforestation commitment as the most challenging element of FLAG target setting. At the time of the report's development, 24 companies had already achieved and committed to maintaining no-deforestation, while 125 others had committed to meet the December 31, 2025 deadline across primary deforestation-linked commodities. The SBTi is working with partners including the Accountability Framework initiative and the Science Based Targets Network to strengthen implementation guidance. For Indian companies in food processing, textiles, and consumer goods with land-intensive supply chains, the FLAG framework represents a material and growing compliance consideration.

Key figure — $123 billion — annual cost of climate-related disasters to the global agricultural sector