John Buchanan
John Buchanan serves as Deputy Director of Conservation International’s Center for Regenerative Economies and Vice President of Regenerative Commodity Systems. In these roles, he leads CI’s global efforts to accelerate the transition toward regenerative economic models that restore and steward nature while supporting the development needs of communities, businesses, and governments.
John directs CI’s Regenerative Commodity Systems program, which partners with leading companies across the food, fiber, retail, and agribusiness sectors to design and implement climate- and nature-positive sourcing strategies. His work connects corporate supply chain commitments with on-the-ground landscape and jurisdictional initiatives in collaboration with CI field programs and partners in Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, and other regions. These initiatives integrate regenerative production practices with the protection and restoration of critical natural areas, strengthening both ecological and livelihood outcomes.
John and his team also oversee CI relationships with major companies in commodity sectors including coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, shrimp, tuna, and the fashion industry - supporting their efforts to advance sustainable, resilient, and deforestation-free sourcing.
With more than 30 years of experience in the food and agriculture sector, John has been a prominent leader in global sustainability initiatives. He has served on the Board of Governors of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, co-organized the Landscapes for People, Food and Nature Initiative, and spent four years on the Steering Committee of the Keystone Field to Market Initiative. Before joining Conservation International in 1997, John worked for six years in the food packaging industry.
John holds a degree in political science and French from Washington and Lee University and is fluent in Spanish.