Consultation with frontline Defenders sets an important precedent
Rainforest Action Network (RAN) welcomes Procter & Gamble’s new disclosure of its approach to protecting Human Rights Defenders, developed through extensive consultation with frontline Defenders and civil society organizations. This is important progress toward the protections that RAN has called for through its sustained campaign. P&G must now transparently provide more detail on its procedures and demonstrate that they work in practice by delivering true protections and remedies to Human Rights Defenders who are facing unprecedented violence and killings.
P&G’s direct consultation with frontline Defenders to develop its protection procedures sets a precedent that global consumer brands must follow. It reflects the Zero Tolerance Initiative’s expectations that those facing threats help shape corporate responses.
“People risking their safety to stand up for their communities, lands, and forests must help shape the protections they need,” said Peter Cooper, Senior Corporate Engagement Specialist at RAN. “P&G has taken that seriously by listening directly to frontline Defenders. At a time when Defenders are facing an escalating wave of violence globally, every brand must work with them to turn commitments into protection.”
P&G’s commitment to proactive engagement recognizes Defenders’ essential role in identifying risks before further harm occurs. Continued collaboration can help the company recognize warning signs and respond before threats escalate.
The disclosure also outlines welcome commitments to preventing retaliation and responding to grievances. However, the brief summary says little about the procedures developed through the consultation process. RAN calls on P&G to explain who is responsible for responding to threats, how quickly they must act, and what consequences suppliers face for non-compliance. Public reporting must allow scrutiny of the company’s response while protecting Defenders’ safety.
The scale of the crisis is stark. According to UN reporting on preliminary OHCR data, approximately 950 Human Rights Defenders, journalists and trade unionists were killed or forcibly disappeared worldwide in 2025 – more than double the number a decade earlier. Defenders in forest-risk supply chains face violence, intimidation, and criminalization. P&G and other brands must act to prevent and address abuses throughout their supply chains and require protections across the entire operations of supplier corporate groups.
“The measure of success is whether Defenders are safer and can defend their lands without fear,” said Cooper. “That requires timely action on threats, accountability for suppliers, and remedy for those harmed – with Defenders themselves helping judge whether those responses are working.”
Notes to editors:
Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) are individuals or groups who peacefully promote and protect human rights. They include Indigenous Peoples and community members defending their lands, forests, livelihoods, and collective rights.
The Zero Tolerance Initiative (ZTI) is a global coalition led by Indigenous Peoples and local community representatives working to address the root causes of killings and violence against Human Rights Defenders linked to global supply chains.