roundtable on sustainable palm oil
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was created in 2003 by the World Wildlife Fund in conjunction with government and corporate interests invested in the palm industry, and other environmental groups. The mission of the RSPO is to advance sustainable palm farming practices and to promote social responsibility. Each year the RSPO hosts an international conference that brings together industry leaders, government bodies, NGO’s, and environmental organizations to discuss the issues brought on by palm agriculture and to find solutions to its problems.
RSPO Palm Trace
In line with our vision: “To transform markets to make sustainable palm oil the norm”, welcome to RSPO PalmTrace. With the various significant milestones achieved with our member organizations in the past few years since certification began in 2008, we now are ready to progress to the next level to enhance and increase the visibility of the traceability of RSPO CSPO. Our collective mission: To advance the production, procurement, finance and use of sustainable palm oil products. To develop, implement, verify, assure and periodically review credible global standards for the entire supply chain of sustainable palm oil. To monitor and evaluate the economic, environmental and social impacts of the uptake of sustainable palm oil in the market. To engage and commit all stakeholders throughout the supply chain, including governments and consumers.
A few of the key elements to RSPO’s criteria for sustainable certification include:
- Environmental and wildlife assessments must be made for every plantation, and conservation plans established to protect native forests and animals
- A zero-burn policy for plantation operators who are members
- The right to use the land must be demonstrated, and is not being legitimately contested by local communities
- Farming practices maintain or improve soil fertility and stability, as well as maintain surface and ground water quality
- Integrated Pest Management techniques are used to combat pests and weeds
- Renewable energy is maximized
- Plans to reduce pollution and emissions are put into effect
- Members promote positive social programs
- Members commit to operating transparently
To learn more, visit rspo.org
Also, please read about the RSPO policy changes resulting from the 2018 annual RSPO conference here and here.