What is sustainable palm oil?

Certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) and palm kernel oil (CSPKO) is produced by palm oil plantations which have been independently audited and found to comply with the globally agreed environmental standards devised by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). These stringent sustainability criteria relate to social, environmental and economic good practice.

GreenPalm - sowing the seeds of sustainability

The RSPO was founded in 2003 and spearheads the global drive for environmentally-friendly production of this crucial crop. As the world’s leading initiative on sustainable palm oil, it is working on many fronts and in many countries. Members of the RSPO and participants in its activities come from a variety of backgrounds. They include:

Oil palm growers
Manufacturers and retailers of palm oil products
Environmental non-governmental organisations
Social non-governmental organisations

The principal objective of RSPO is “to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through cooperation within the supply chain and open dialogue between its stakeholders”.

Forty per cent of the world’s palm oil producers are members of the RSPO. Other members include:

It’s important to understand however that being a member of the RSPO does not commit you to buying or using CSPO or CSPKO. In turn buying from a member of the RSPO does not mean that you are automatically buying CSPO, CSPKO, or supporting sustainable production. AAK UK Ltd, a founder member of the RSPO, secured the first shipment of certified material into Europe in the Autumn of 2008 and the first orders have been processed.

See www.rspo.org for more detailed information and a full list of members.