Netflix Agrees to Support 15-Year Carbon Offset Agreement With American Forest Foundation

Netflix Partners with American Forest Foundation for Carbon Credits and Conservation

Netflix has made a significant move towards sustainable business practices by entering into a 15-year contract with the American Forest Foundation (AFF) for purchasing verified carbon credits from AFF's Fields & Forests program.

The Fields & Forests project, which aims to convert underutilized farmland into working forests, is a unique initiative that combines environmental impact with intergenerational wealth for participants. By enrolling 2,500 acres, committing $2 million in direct payments to landowners, and being on track to plant 1.4 million trees, the program is already making a difference.

The U.S. South, with its vast tracts of privately owned farmland, represents one of the most significant opportunities for scaled afforestation. The Fields & Forests model offers a test case for how private capital, rural communities, and climate objectives can align.

John Ringer, Senior Director of Project Finance and Environmental Markets at AFF, said, "The partnership demonstrates what's possible when business and nature come together." Netflix's financing approach provides a potential blueprint for future corporate participation in nature-based solutions.

The agreement is structured through milestone prepayments, where Netflix advances funds tied to measurable outcomes such as acres enrolled. This approach ensures that the program's success depends on mobilizing capital to overcome structural barriers faced by smallholders.

The AFF-Netflix partnership highlights three critical lessons for corporate sustainability officers and investors: structure matters, scale requires community buy-in, and long-term commitments are strategic. Securing credible, verifiable credits over 15 years positions companies ahead of shifting regulatory landscapes.

Structured partnerships like F&F's, with clear verification standards and community benefits, are designed to restore trust. AFF assumes responsibility for planting, monitoring, and long-term management of the enrolled land, while landowners receive annual payments over 30-year contracts.

One such landowner, Alisha Logue from Georgia, stated that the program has provided a way to protect and ensure her family's legacy. The partnership between Netflix and AFF will support the initial 6,000-acre rollout of the Fields & Forests program and lay the groundwork for scaling across the U.S. South.

By 2032, the program aims to expand to 75,000 acres, producing an estimated 4.8 million carbon credits. Ringer also stated that with the right investment and science, natural climate solutions can be both a powerful and credible tool to address conservation challenges.

The deal comes at a moment of heightened scrutiny over carbon markets, with integrity concerns slowing corporate adoption. However, the AFF-Netflix partnership, with its focus on community engagement, long-term commitments, and verifiable outcomes, could pave the way for more corporations to invest in nature-based solutions.

Netflix Agrees to Support 15-Year Carbon Offset Agreement With American Forest Foundation