1 million trees to restore forest ecosystems.

Pledge by Clif Bar & Company

This pledge will take place from 2020 to 2025

Pledge overview

Forests are critical natural ecosystems; they help clean our air and water, provide habitat for wildlife, support a healthy climate, and much more. Wildfires, drought, and other climate change–related impacts have put forests at risk. To help restore forest ecosystems, Clif Bar has been supporting tree planting programs since 2004 and has planted over 250,000 trees in areas impacted by wildfires and drought. Clif Bar is expanding this effort and is committing to planting an additional 750,000 trees to reach its goal of 1 million trees by 2025. Over the next 5 years, this commitment will be featured on CLIF winter seasonal flavors and a portion of proceeds will be dedicated to supporting tree planting efforts, particularly in high-elevation forest ecosystems.

Actions in this pledge

Restoring and growing trees and forest landscapes

• Reforestation
• Agroforestry
• Urban tree planting

Our goal is to achieve a total of 1 million trees planted by 2025 we are currently over 1/3 of the way to reaching our goal. By the end of 2024 we hope to have achieved 80% of our goal. Our employees at our bakeries in Idaho and Indiana also participate in local reforestation efforts in their area. Progress is monitored annually, and reporting shared in our public All Aspirations report. We plan to work in collaboration with our partners, including American Forests, to understand and monitor the reforestation, agroforestry and urban tree planting programs and their impact on forest ecosystems.

Enabling activities for trees and forest landscapes

• Nursery and seedling development
• Sustainable forest management
• Market development for sustainable forest products

In support of our efforts to conserve and restore natural resources and commitment to sustainable packaging, we are working to increase the amount of renewable and/or recycled materials used in our plastic packaging – with a goal to have 25% of our plastic packaging be made with renewable or recycled materials. Similarly, we work with our packaging providers to source recycled content fiber and FSC certified fiber.

Our ecologically and socially responsible approach

Our primary tree planting partner is American Forests. American Forests utilizes “climate smart” reforestation methods that account for changing climate conditions and developing seedlings and planting plans that adapt to these environments. American Forests also creates place-based partnerships to develop science-based forest restoration plans and projects and bring these plans to life by advocating for local, state and federal policies and programs, as well as funding to support them. Similarly, we support American Forests Urban Forestry program which provides multiple benefits for climate, wildlife and people. This program is done in collaboration with local non-profits and neighborhoods and directly addresses the issue of Tree Equity and the need to support urban forestry in all communities.

In our sourcing practices, we purchase organic and/or Rainforest Alliance certified cacao, supporting more sustainable cacao agroforestry practices.

Our partners

American Forests

Our locations

We are working at locations across United States of America (USA).

Our implementation progress

Pledge implementation progress reporting is managed in collaboration with IUCN’s Restoration Barometer, and is required annually from the year following pledge publication.

Clif Bar pledge implementation progress report 2022 (with supporting documentation)

Clif Bar pledge implementation progress dashboard 2023 (with supporting documentation)