Thread by @ICIJorg

What’s ICIJ’s newest investigation, #DeforestationInc, all about? A thread 🧵 (1/12):

#DeforestationInc, starts with the products that are ubiquitous in our daily lives — the paper towels in our kitchens, the timber furniture in our homes, the cardboard boxes goods are transported in. All these items can be traced back to forests. (2/12)

Many forest products boast green labels — stamps of approval from auditors that are supposed to ensure materials come from environmentally sustainable sources. #DeforestationInc shows that this certification system is failing, with alarming frequency. (3/12)

Take, for example, auditors @KPMG — our reporting shows the ​​firm vouched for an Indonesian company with a supply chain beset by deforestation allegations and for a project in Canada that led to an Indigenous forest’s “death by a thousand cuts” (4/12)
icij.org/investigations…

ICIJ found dozens of companies that promoted their green credentials, all the while parts of their operations were linked to questionable suppliers or facing allegations of environmental wrongdoing. Here are three case studies: (5/12)
icij.org/investigations…

What’s more, we found that the industry remains largely unregulated despite its growing influence on what forest-product companies tell consumers and investors about the sourcing of their products and their commitment to helping end the global climate crisis. (6/12)

You can read the main findings of the investigation here: icij.org/investigations…
Catch up on some of the key questions and answers around this industry here: icij.org/investigations…
And of course, you can reach out to us if you know more here: icij.org/leak
(7/12)

This extensive investigation of the industry and the auditors that are supposed to hold forest-products companies to account would not have been possible without ICIJ’s global collaborative model. This investigation brought together 140 journalists from 27 countries. (8/12)

Working together, reporters ​​examined inspection records, environmental violation data and court filings, concerning companies in at least 50 countries. They reported from forests, mills, warehouses, and even boat shows around the world (more on yachts in a bit!) (9/12)

Investigations like #DeforestationInc take not just a dedicated team, but also time — 9 months, in this case — and resources. You can support our groundbreaking work with a donation or by becoming an ICIJ Insider with a monthly recurring gift: icij.org/donate/monthly… (10/12)

In the coming days, we’ll be hosting a special live event for our ICIJ Insiders, going behind the #DeforestationInc stories with the reporting team. Become an Insider today to receive your exclusive invitation. icij.org/donate/monthly… (11/12)

And about those yachts ⛵️… we’ll have a new story tomorrow on the widely condemned trade in Myanmar teak — a highly-desired timber for luxury boat decks and high-end furniture that has become a vital revenue source for Myanmar’s brutal military regime. Stay tuned! 📰 (12/12)