National Commitments

Denmark

Driver for action

On the back of much media attention on palm oil and soy products during 2013 and 2014, the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Environment attempted to set up a national initiative. However, the move was rejected by business because of targets deemed to be too restrictive for the market’s sustainability leaders – and too onerous for those that yet to commit fully to adopting sustainability principles.

So, it was left to businesses themselves to form national commitments. As a result, there is not a single national initiative in place in Denmark, but rather two separate ones: the first run by the Danish Chamber of Commerce (which covers retailers); the second led by the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) (which covers food producers).

Commitments

The Confederation of Danish Industry-led initiative made a commitment in June 2014 to buy 100% CSPO by 2016, including the purchase of GreenPalm certificates, and to have 100% segregated certified palm oil by 2018.

Progress

There has been progress amongst the larger retail companies towards transforming their palm oil supply, with the three main supermarkets (accounting for 90% of the market) advancing with their efforts. Most of the large retailers are already covering all privatelabel food products with certificates and moving towards mass balance.

However, there is a general lack of consumer information and interest. As in Norway and Sweden, companies and associations are cautious when it comes to reaching out to consumer for fear of provoking the ‘no palm oil’ movement.

More information can be found here:

www.di.dk
www.danskerhverv.dk/CSR www.huiledepalmedurable.org

 

France

Driver for action

In France, two major events have made the food industry reconsider its approach to palm oil. In 2010, a number of NGOs raised awareness of its negative impact on the environment. At the same time, the media reported criticism from some nutritionists about palm oil and its effect on the nation’s health due to its high saturated fatty acid content. French Senator Yves Daudigny even called for an extra tax on palm oil of €300 per tonne in addition to an existing €100 levy (a move which was later rejected by the French Parliament).

Some companies opted to remove palm oil from their products. But others chose to take action by forming the French Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil in 2013.

Commitments

• Consisting of 12 members (including global leaders such as Nestlé and Unilever and medium- sized companies such as Labeyrie Traiteur Surgelés and Royale Lacroix), the Alliance has two main goals: to give French citizens information on palm oil; and to encourage the use of palm oil produced in highly sustainable conditions, by mobilising the industry as a whole.
• Alliance members have also made two major commitments: to use 100% RSPO-certified palm oil in their products by the end of 2015; and use 100% sustainable palm oil, according to stricter criteria, by 2020. Stricter criteria include traceability, no peat, no deforestation and no conflict.

Progress

Since 2014, the Alliance has managed to position itself as a key reference point in the palm oil debate, recognized by all the stakeholders involved (NGOs, media, key opinion leaders, scientifics, governments, growers, producing countries, refiners, companies, retailers and final users). The Alliance has also become a strong channel of communication to promote a sustainable and traceable palm oil under the criteria defined by its members.

More information can be found here:

www.huiledepalmedurable.org

 

Germany

Driver for action

FONAP was set up in 2013 with the goal to increase the proportion of segregated CSPO in the German, Austrian and Swiss markets. The Forum only focuses on sustainability aspects and does not have a health dimension.

Commitments

• The members of The German Palm Oil Forum (FONAP) have made a public commitment that by the end of 2014 they will use only certified sustainable palm oil in their products, in all supply chain options.
• Owing to the different chemical properties and the resulting application profiles of palm oil, palm kernel oil and their corresponding derivatives, different courses of action are required to achieve the Forum’s eventual goal: 100% segregated, certified palm oil and palm kernel oil for the markets in the target area (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). In all cases, the ‘tipping point’ – the point in time when the amount of certified oil supplied to Germany and Europe exceeds the amount of non-certified oil – should be reached as soon as possible.
• All members have specified their commitments for the years 2015 and beyond. Besides the commitment on the use of 1005 certified palm oil, there are new commitments with regard to the use of specific supply-chain options for specific products and also towards taking bigger responsibilities for their own supply chains.

Progress

FONAP conducted a monitoring report in 2014, based on 2013 figures provided by their members. According to that data, progress so far shows that amongst the Forum’s members they have achieved: 52% CSPO in the food sector; 30% across all sectors; 50% in the cosmetics, personal and home care sector; 10% in the chemistry and pharmacy sector; and 1% in the feed sector.

Most of the sectors are still far from reaching their target; the only one which is close to 100% CSPO is the margarine producers.

FONAP includes food manufacturers and retailers, but it also has quite a large number of cosmetic, personal and home care members. The notable absentee is the animal feed sector.

More information can be found here:

www.forumpalmoel.org/en/fonap.html

 

Italy

On 29th October 2015 the European Palm Oil Conference (EPOC 2015) held in Milan welcomed the launch of the Italian Union for Sustainable Palm Oil (Unione Italiana per l’olio di palma sostenibile). The Union has just begun work on the task of raising awareness of the benefits and contribution of certified sustainable palm oil for the food industry. Industry associations such as Aidepi and Assitol and manufacturers such as Ferrero and Nestlè are already members of the Union, and its aim is to achieve the 100% CSPO goal by 2020. President of the Italian Union is Giuseppe Allocca.

 

Netherlands

Driver for action

On 2 December 2015 the ‘Dutch Alliance on Sustainable Palm Oil’ (DASPO) was launched. The DASPO is the successor of the Dutch Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil which was created in 2010 initially because there was a lack of CSPO uptake. Growers had made the first move by starting to produce CSPO and there was a need to match th​at​ effort downstream.

​The members of the ​​​DASPO are​: Dutch Bakery and Confectionery Industry (VBZ), Dutch Convenience Food Association (AKSV), Dutch Food Retail Association (CBL), Dutch Food Industry Federation (FNLI), Dutch Potato Processors Association (VAVI), International Margarine Association for the Countries of Europe (IMACE-NL), MVO - The Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry, The Dutch Feed Industry Association (Nevedi), The Association of Dutch Producers of Edible Oils and Fats (Vernof).

IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative is partner of the ​DASPO.

Commitments

DASPO members commit themselves to: 1) maintain the commitment towards the level of 100% sustainable palm oil processed in the Netherlands and destined for the Dutch market. 2) Stimulate their members to use physical sustainable palm oil, palm kernel oil, fractions and derivatives in RSPO (Identity Preserved, Segregated and Mass Balance) - or equivalent - to process or buy for the Dutch market. 3) To plea for, and stimulate the continuous improvement of certification systems for sustainable palm oil such as the RSPO - or equivalent - in line with relevant developments.

Progress

In 2014, Task Force members took important steps towards their commitment: 72% of the palm oil processed by the Dutch food industry was sustainable. This is an 11% increase compared to the 2013 reporting. Positive developments have led to many sectors processing around 80% sustainable palm oil. Also, the percentage of segregated palm oil has grown with 8%. Furthermore, the feed sector initiated important actions to reach the Task Force commitment. The demand for sustainable palm oil outside the Netherlands is therefore also important for the Dutch production. To support the European demand, IDH (The Sustainable Trade Initiative) and MVO – the Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry, recently launched the ‘European Sustainable Palm Oil’ (ESPO) initiative. The Task Force supports this initiative and its objective to work together on sustainable palm oil on a​ ​European level. To read the full 2014 report click here

More information can be found here:

www.taskforceduurzamepalmolie.nl

 

Norway

Driver for action

The National Initiative in Norway was set up in response to mounting pressure from Norwegian civil society to tackle the problems associated with palm oil – both from an environmental and health standpoint.

Prominent NGOs, such as the Rainforest Foundation, were highly influential in raising the debate and pressuring companies to do something about palm oil. The Norwegian food and beverage association was responsible for bringing together food and retail sector companies to make a commitment to sustainable palm oil in 2014.

Commitments

Members of the National Initiative in Norway have committed to either reduce use of palm oil in products or to use only RSPO CSPO by 2015. They have further committed that by 2018 any palm oil products used will be segregated and traceable. The Norwegian commitment applies both to imports of palm oil or finished products consumed in Norway.

Progress

According to the initiative, the goal to use only RSPO certified palm oil by 2015 is “likely to be met”. However, the secondary goal of establishing fully segregated, traceable palm oil by 2018 is not so certain.

The main sectors involved in the drive to increase the use of sustainable palm oil in Norway are the food and retail sectors. The food sectors are largely represented by the big, international manufacturers; whilst the retail sector comprises three of the four major retailers. In terms of personal care products, the major Norwegian supplier is on board with the initiative and the rest of the players in the cosmetics sector are international companies, not based in Norway.

The animal feed sector is not formally involved with the Norwegian network.

More information can be found here:

www.nho.no/palmeolje/forside/

 

Sweden

Driver for action

The key driver for change in the Swedish market has been NGO pressure. Here, as in Norway, NGOs push for both certification and also replacement of palm oil in products and have led industry to take a closer look at the provenance of its ingredients.

The process to form the Swedish initiative on sustainable palm oil started a few years ago and was mainly driven by a limited number of companies with interests in increasing use of sustainable palm oil in Sweden. The Swedish food industry federation embraced the vision of these outriders and the initiative was set up in 2014.

Commitments

• The main goal of the Swedish initiative on sustainable palm oil is to achieve 100% CSPO in the Swedish food sector by the end of 2015, via any supply chain delivery method, including Book and Claim.
• There is a separate initiative within the detergent industry which is adopting a similar statement to that of the food industry.
• While other sectors are not currently part of the initiative, the retailers have adopted their own individual commitments, but not through an association as there are only three or four major retailers in Sweden.

Progress

Each company commits to report how large volume of palm oil they use and the share that is certified according to the principles of RSPO, and also how large volume that is ‘segregated’.

The presence of an active NGO scene is a strong enabling factor, pressuring companies to stick to their commitments. However, while the large companies are moving forward with their commitments, the smaller companies are “lagging behind”, according to the initiative.

More information can be found here:

www.livsmedelsforetagen.se

 

United Kingdom

Driver for action

In October 2012, UK Government and trade associations with a significant membership interest in the supply or use of palm oil made a statement of their various commitments to sourcing sustainable palm oil under the overall heading ‘The United Kingdom is working towards achieving 100% sourcing of credibly certified sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015’. The UK Government has played a leadership role, supporting the commitment to sustainable palm oil, and has had a significant impact on the level of uptake in the UK.

Organisations that have signed up to the UK statement represent oil processors and distributors, food and drink manufacturers, retailers, animal feed manufacturers, contract catering and hospitality sector, renewable energy sector, cleaning products industry, speciality chemicals sector, WWF and ZSL.

Commitments

• The commitment made by these organisations is to achieve 100% sourcing of sustainable palm oil from credible sources by the end of 2015.
• Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) feed sector committee confirmed in 2014 that their companies would purchase sustainable palm oil for all new contracts procured from autumn 2014

Progress

On 17th November 2015 DEFRA announced new figures that show UK imports of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) rising to as much as 93% of all palm oil imported. The results of the Report show that imports of segregated and mass balance certified sustainable palm oil and purchases of GreenPalm certificates by UK companies in 2014 were equivalent to an estimated proportion 72% (increasing from 55% in 2013) or 93% (increasing from 71% in 2013) of UK palm oil imports (excluding derivatives and finished goods) depending on the baseline trade data used. The challenge now for the UK is to keep the momentum beyond 2015 and push on to the 100% CSPO target for Europe in 2020.

More information can be found here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-statement-on-sustainable-palm-oil-three-years-on-progress-report

 

Southeast Asia Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (SASPO)

Driver for action

SASPO (SOUTHEAST ASIA ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL) was founded in 2016 by seven founding members; ASEAN CSR Network, Ayam Brand, Danone, IKEA, Unilever, Wildlife Reserves Singapore and WWF-Singapore. The alliance was officially incorporated in 2017 and is the first business initiative in ASEAN focusing on sustainable palm oil. Through capacity building, workshops and educational resources, SASPO lowers the barriers for businesses to adopt sustainable sourcing policies.

In 2017, SASPO experienced a 200% spike in new members. Our members represent a great mix of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), local and regional chains, and multinational corporations (MNCs), accounting for more than 80 brands and 200 food and beverage properties. Bringing to consumers their everlasting favourites while adopting more and more sustainable palm oil into their palm oil supply chain, our member companies are now leading in their respective industries in the realms of sustainable sourcing.

Commitments

• SASPO aims to increase availability and usage of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil in Southeast Asia through education and awareness activities for businesses and consumers.
• Members have pledged to source 100% physical RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil.

North American Sustainable Palm Oil Network (NASPON)

Driver for action

Members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) formed the North American Sustainable Palm Oil Network (NASPON) in December 2017 to bring together associations, civil society organizations, consumer goods manufacturers, food-service retailers, retailers, and palm oil traders and producers committed to increasing the use certified sustainable palm oil and certified sustainable palm kernel oil (CSPO) in North America, with the goal of continuing progress toward 100% CSPO both in this market and across the globe.

As an independent network, NASPON members will work collaboratively to find industrywide solutions to secure certified sustainable palm oil in their products and to ensure respect for human and labor rights, local communities and biodiversity throughout the palm oil supply chain.

Commitments

NASPON’s mission is to be a platform to collaborate, educate, inform and build momentum to help North American companies to make and deliver on commitments to source sustainable palm oil. Membership is restricted to RSPO members and organizations deemed by the Network to be working towards the 100% CSPO in North America.

Further, by joining NASPON, organizations will work best towards the achievement of the following:

• To engage with RSPO and/or other relevant standards/initiatives to publicly reinforce our commitment to CSPO in North America; recognize only credible CSPO standards or the equivalent for our company sustainable sourcing policies where feasible; and participate in programs to promote responsible sourcing in producer countries.
• To actively promote CSPO and engage with stakeholders throughout the supply chain to support the recruitment of important industry and civil society stakeholders, and organizations in our supply chains; and provide a clear market signal by utilizing physical CSPO (Identity Preserved, Segregated, Mass Balance) or Book and Claim supply chains with the goal of being 100% certified.
• To share insights on technical and market developments on CSPO, including participating in key NASPON meetings, conference calls and promotions; working collaboratively to find solutions issues that imped the uptake of physical CSPO in the North American market; and identifying internal and external opportunities and/or resources to support the acceleration of sustainable practices in our sourcing geographies.

Progress

To be updated at the end of 2018.

More information can be found here:

please email dan.strechay@rspo.org for more information.