Woolworths joins Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

Woolworths has joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in order to promote and raise awareness of the need for sustainable palm oil production. This commitment includes purchasing certified sustainable palm oil certificates for the tons of palm oil used in its foods and beauty products. By buying these Green Palm certificates, the group is contributing to RSPO efforts to incentivise Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil producers to become certified sustainable producers. The group has also undertaken to replace palm oil with alternatives where possible and has further committed to using only certified sustainable palm oil by 2015.

Orangutans are losing their natural habitat to oil palm plantations.

It is the first South African company to become a member of the RSPO, a global organisation which has developed a set of standards that address the legal, economic, environmental and social requirements of producing sustainable palm oil.

Palm oil depletes natural reserves

Around the world, more palm oil is produced than any other vegetable oil. It's found in everything from food products to toiletries and cosmetics. Worldwide, some 47 million tons of palm oil are used annually. Currently, the majority of palm oil - over 80% - is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia. Oil palm is grown most often on newly cleared rainforest or peat-swamp forests rather than on already degraded or abandoned agricultural land, something the RSPO is closely monitoring and working to end. In both countries, the number of critically endangered and threatened land mammals - most notably the orangutan - has increased significantly.

In addition to the effect deforestation has on the habitats of endangered species and in speeding climate change, the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations has also resulted in disruption to human settlements and conflicts between local communities and palm oil producers.

RSPO objectives

The RSPO, which has some 300 members around the world, was formed in order to address these challenges and promote the sustainable production of palm oil by:

Researching and developing definitions and criteria for the sustainable production and use of palm oil;
Undertaking practical projects designed to facilitate implementation of sustainable best practices;
Developing solutions to practical problems related to the adoption and verification of best practices for plantation establishment and management, procurement, trade and logistics;
Involving the entire supply chain to support sustainable palm oil.

Accolades from WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the conservation organisation, which was instrumental in the formation of the RSPO, has welcomed the news that Woolworths has become a member. "We commend the group for taking the lead on this issue and strengthening its already evident commitment to responsible product procurement. In joining those in the RSPO, it is helping to promote socially and environmentally responsible palm oil production and mitigate the spread of forest conversion in Southeast Asia. South African consumers also stand to benefit from the opportunity to choose products that are not associated with harmful practices," said Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF South Africa.