A new report by the financial sustainability analysts Chain Reaction Research conservatively estimates that JBS’ total deforestation footprint may be as high as 200,000 ha in its direct supply chain and 1.5 million ha in its indirect supply chain. Mighty Earth CEO Glenn Hurowitz released the following statement in response:
“This blockbuster report makes it clear that there is no longer any ethical justification for doing business with JBS. With as much as 1.7 million hectares of deforestation in its supply chain over the past 12 years – an area larger than the state of Connecticut, and the vast majority coming from its completely unmonitored indirect supply chain – JBS is a menace to our planet and the Indigenous peoples for whom these forests are home. Supermarkets have been politely asking JBS to change for more than a decade, but the forests keep burning. These retailers must put excuses aside and take action now, because their own customers are increasingly refusing to buy goods linked to environmental destruction.
“Costco, Stop & Shop, Carrefour, and any retailer that claims to care about sustainability or climate change has only one option: drop JBS now.”