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- What is the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?
- What does the RSPO do?
- Who are the stakeholders?
- Why is promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm important?
- Why become a member of RSPO?
- What is the role of members?
What is the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?
Formed in 2004, the RSPO is a not-for-profit association created by organisations carrying out activities in and around the entire supply chain for palm oil, to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through cooperation within the supply chain and open dialogue with its stakeholders. The RSPO aims to bring together members of the community working on palm oil to discuss and to cooperate towards this common goal.
What does the RSPO do?
The RSPO works on the following tasks:
- Research and develop definitions and criteria for the sustainable production and use of palm oil
- Undertake practical projects designed to facilitate implementation of sustainable best practices
- Develop solutions to practical problems related to the adoption and verification of best practices for plantation establishment and management, procurement, trade and logistics
- Acquire financial resources from private and public funds to finance projects under the auspices of the RSPO
- Communicate the Roundtable's work to all stakeholders and to a broader public
Who are the stakeholders?
The RSPO unites stakeholders from seven sectors of the palm oil industry:
Players in the Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain
Why is promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm important?
According to the RSPO, global vegetable oil production totals 95 million tonnes per year, of which over 28 million tonnes are produced by the oil palm, the world's second largest oil crop after soy oil.
It is widely recognised that palm oil is an important and versatile raw material for both food and non-food industries, which contributes to the economic development of the producing countries and to the diets of millions of people around the world.
With palm oil having the highest yield per hectare than any other oil or oilseed crop, it is accepted that there are environmental pressures on its expansion to eco-sensitive areas, particularly as palm oil can only be cultivated in tropical areas of Asia, Africa and South America. Therefore, it is vital that production and use of palm oil is done in a sustainable manner based on economic, social and environmental viability.
From the 1990s to the present time, the area under palm oil cultivation has increased by about 43%, most of which is in Malaysia and Indonesia - the world's largest producers of palm oil. While better managed plantations and oil palm smallholdings serve as models of sustainable agriculture, in terms of economic performance as well as social and environmental responsibility, there is serious concern that not all palm oil is being produced sustainably at present.
Development of new plantations has resulted in the alteration of large areas of forests with high conservation value and has threatened the rich biodiversity in these ecosystems. The use of fire for preparation of land for palm oil planting has been reported to have contributed to the problem of forest fires and climate change in the late 1990s. The expansion of palm oil plantations has given rise to social conflicts between the local communities and project supporters in many instances.
Why become a member of RSPO?
By becoming a member of RSPO, organisations can contribute to RSPO's efforts to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil and get recognition for their commitment to RSPO's objective.
Below is a list of companies from the food and grocery sector that are members of the RSPO:
- Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
- Tesco Stores Ltd
- ASDA stores
- Co-operative Group
- Marks & Spencer
- The Boots Group plc
- Musgrave
- Waitrose Ltd
- WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC
Click here to search for RSPO members
What is the role of members?
Members are expected to:
- Actively and constructively communicate and support the continuation of the Roundtable process and the implementation of Roundtable projects
- Develop and implement plans of action to their best ability within their own organisations in accordance with the framework of the Roundtable process, to promote sustainable palm oil production, procurement and consumption
- Operate transparently and inform the Roundtable regularly on plans, activities and results in promoting sustainable palm oil production, procurement and consumption
(All information sourced from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil website)
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