Here's a gradually expanding listing of recent buyer policy updates on palm oil. Update for Cargill, added to top of this and sequence for most recent from the top. Early updates include: Walmart on organic, MPONGOC, J&J and a listing of TFT clients, Kao and Greenpeace challenge to key India and China producers and Adelaide Zoo switch form "palm oil free" to certified frozen desserts; adds on supply-chain certification news and the Cargill-TFT link up. Interesting contrast between Krispy and Dunkin. Also a report from Forest Heroes which seeks to "saves the Sumatran Tiger." It has a "media hit" with its campaign on Kellogg's Frosties (which has a tiger mascot). Hershey joined TFT, and Greenpeace and UCS reactions added - basically with critique of lack of third party verification and strict deadline under the TFT program. Then Bunge shifted to traceability and set to avoid high risk sourcing zones. Mondelez sets out rules on online data mapping, deforestation, and labour rights.

27 Nov 2017: Ferrero says added EUR 1/person/year cost to EU consumers for low-contaminant & sustainable palm oil

Editor's note: Also interesting to chat with mill process engineer expert who wrote this: How Cancer causing substances crept into food products containing palm oil? 20/11/2017 By EnergyWise
http://rank.com.my/energywise/?p=800#sthash.INv6CAUi.dpbs 

Ferrero decided to directly obtain RSPO certified segregated palm oil, which keeps sustainable palm oil physically separated from non-sustainable palm oil and source it from certified sustainable plantations to the production line... "We also wanted a commitment from smallholders, (from whom RSPO was sourced), including (an assurance that they are) not using paraquat," he told Malaysia journalists after a talk on the food sector and sustainable palm oil policies at the European Palm Oil Conference on Thursday.... "So, the issue here is not in finding the right palm oil, because there is lot of palm oil in the market. The issue is whether the industry is ready to pay the right premium for the (RSPO) palm oil" he asked. Hence, for best practices in sustainable palm oil and low contaminants in palm oil, Ferrero pays a premium of 130 euros per tonne, which sums up to an additional 25 million euros, annually.... However, the impact of the price on the final product to the consumers is almost irrelevant, said Charrier. He said the company sourced 180,000 tonnes of palm oil or 0.3 per cent of the total global production annually. Out of which, 90 per cent came from Malaysia and the rest from other producing countries. "So, if all edible palm oil used in EU has the same premium as Ferrero, the extra cost would be 500 million euros per annum - that would go to the upstream of Malaysia and Indonesia. "Assuming this extra cost is fully passed to EU consumers, that would mean one euro per capita per year," he explained.... http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/709575-sustainable-palm-oil-it-takes-two-to-tango-says-ferrero.html

9 Dec 2016: Can the big brand buyers really get enough sustainable product?

Confidence in secure commodity supply chains 'misplaced' By David Burrows, 08-Dec-2016 -- Confident there’s enough soy, palm oil and beef to go around and your policies can weather the risks ahead on everything from climate change and deforestation to reputation and regulation? Think again, say the authors of two new reports. .... Almost three quarters (72%) of the firms believe they will be able to access a secure and sustainable supply of forestrisk commodities going forward. But this confidence may be “misplaced” for a number of reasons, CDP warned. For example, just one in five firms is looking at risks beyond the next six years, whilst only 30% of manufacturers and retailers can trace these commodities back to the point of origin. Fewer than half (42%) have evaluated the impact of the availability or quality of the commodities on their growth strategies further than 2020.... http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Confidence-in-secure-commodity-supply-chains-misplaced

7 Dec 2016: Mondelez International palm supplier requirements, worries about saturated fats formulations

US food and beverage multinational Mondelez International set out new requirements on 10 November for its suppliers of palm oil. Key new provisions in its updated Palm Oil Action Plan require suppliers to:
- Map and assess the risk for all supplying mills on Global Forest Watch (an interactive on-line forest monitoring and alert system)
- Provide assurance that no deforestation occurs on their own concessions and exclude third-party suppliers who do not immediately cease deforestation
- Work with recognised third-party experts to protect labour rights
http://www.ofimagazine.com/news/mondelez-sets-new-requirements-for-palm-oil-suppliers?

Findings point to risk from saturated fats outside some reduction guidelines, Harvard-Unilever study confirms link between sat fats, heart disease & importance of reformulation By Nathan Gray+ 28-Nov-2016 -- However, it goes further than previous studies by identifying links between specific saturated fatty acids – including stearic acid, which some countries such as France do not currently include in saturated fat legislation…. “Research from us and others has shown that some dairy products (such as yoghurt) and odd-chain fatty acids circulating in the blood seem to have health benefits rather than health harms, and this requires further study.”
http://mobile.foodnavigator.com/Science/Harvard-Unilever-study-confirms-link-between-sat-fats-heart-disease-importance-of-reformulation

And back in 2013…Industry saturated fat pledge is a ‘mixed message’ and ‘bit of hype’, says obesity expert By Caroline Scott-Thomas+ 28-Oct-2013 -- A food industry pledge to reduce the saturated fat content in a range of foods is a ‘bit of hype’ and will fail to change diets unless more companies sign up, according to trustee of the National Obesity Forum Tam Fry.... The UK Department of Health’s public health minister Jane Ellison announced the pledge on Saturday, under which some of the signatory companies have pledged to remove saturated fat from their products, and others have said they would reduce saturated fat content.... “It’s hugely encouraging that companies providing almost half of the food available on the UK market have committed to this new Responsibility Deal pledge and they are leading the way to give their customers healthier products and lower fat alternatives,” Ellison said in a statement.... According to the DoH, cutting saturated fat consumption by 15% could prevent around 2,600 premature deaths a year in the UK, from conditions such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.... http://mobile.foodnavigator.com/Policy/Industry-saturated-fat-pledge-is-a-mixed-message-and-bit-of-hype-says-obesity-expert

10 July 2016: Michelin goes for Greenpeace's HCS Approach

Greenpeace France’s reaction to Michelin Zero Deforestation Commitment Press release - June 13, 2016 -- Michelin Group, world leading tyre manufacturer and first world buyer of natural rubber just published a zero deforestation procurement policy based on the methodology High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach   http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/Press-Centre-Hub/Greenpeace-Michelin-Zero-Deforestation-Commitment/

13 December 2015: Hershey- TFT update, Proforest sourcing guidelines, Proforest - AAK, Vopak Vlaardingen, the first RSPO terminal worldwide. Croda and BASF. Uptake problem. Rabobank forecast. Swedish initiative.

Hershey Expands Sustainable Sourcing Efforts with New Deforestation Commitments December 03, 2015  •New Pulp and Paper Policy expands commitment to help prevent deforestation  •Palm Oil Tracing Update: Tracing to mills nearly complete and mapping to plantations ahead of schedule... “Preventing deforestation has never been more important,” said Susanna Zhu, Chief Procurement Officer at The Hershey Company. “We continue to learn more about the geography of our palm oil supply chain and are having productive conversations with suppliers about our expectations. While we’re pleased with our palm oil sustainable sourcing progress so far, we know there is more work to be done. This effort, along with our Pulp and Paper Policy, will help us continue to ensure that we’re achieving our high sustainable sourcing standards.” ...Beyond pulp and paper sourcing, Hershey’s additional efforts to reduce its impact on deforestation include the company’s ongoing work with The Forest Trust (TFT) to trace its palm oil supply chain to mills and plantations. As of the second quarter of 2015, Hershey has traced its supply chain to approximately 90 percent of all the mills where the company’s palm oil is processed. Additionally, Hershey has achieved 10 percent traceability of its palm volume to the original palm oil plantations. These results keep Hershey ahead of schedule to deliver planation-level traceability by the end of 2016.   http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151203005301/en/Hershey-Expands-Sustainable-Sourcing-Efforts-Deforestation-Commitments

Proforest - New guide to responsible sourcing published 04.11.2015  - Proforest publishes new practical guide to implementing responsible sourcing commitments http://www.proforest.net/en/news/new-guide-to-responsible-sourcing

Sourcing palm oil responsibly: our partnership with AAK. 21.10.2015 With Proforest's support, palm oil giant AAK has achieved 100 percent traceability of its palm oil to mill. Here, Proforest director and co-founder Neil Judd talks about the partnership, what it means to be a 'critical friend' and the Proforest approach to responsible sourcing. AAK partnered with Proforest in May 2014... http://www.proforest.net/en/news/sourcing-palm-oil-responsibly-our-partnership-with-aak-on

Vopak Vlaardingen, the first RSPO terminal worldwide 03 December 2015, Vopak Vlaardingen is the first terminal in the world to obtain RSPO certification. RSPO stands for 'Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil '. This organisation was created ten years ago, with the aim of developing standards for sustainable palm oil production, in order to promote and enhance the production and consumption of sustainable palm oil https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/news-and-press-releases/vopak-vlaardingen-the-first-rspo-terminal-worldwide

Croda bags Certified Sustainable Palm Oil for its global manufacturing facilities By Simon Pitman+, 09-Nov-2015  With the growing importance on sourcing and processing sustainable palm oil, Croda has fulfilled requirements for all of its manufacturing facilities to comply with industry standards. http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Formulation-Science/Croda-bags-Certified-Sustainable-Palm-Oil-for-its-global-manufacturing-facilities

Low uptake of sustainable palm oil  7 November 2015... Only half of RSPO-certified palm oil finds a buyer. THERE is a sluggish uptake of sustainable palm oil, and the frequent excuse is that nobody wants to pay the premium. What is the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) response to this?... Bek-Nielsen (who is RSPO co-chair, MPOA): People generally do not like broken promises. Growers are no exception and the growers who committed themselves to the RSPO in many instances feel short-changed. The producers have taken a leap of faith undergoing an herculean task (not without costs) to live up to the standards of sustainable palm oil set in force by a number of stakeholders, amongst them NGOs and multinationals like WWF, Conservation International and Unilever to mention a few....http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2015/11/07/low-uptake-of-sustainable-palm-oil/?style=biz


Palm oil demand growth offers opening for niche certified producers By RJ Whitehead, 05-Nov-2015 Global demand for certified sustainable palm oil will double in five years, growing from 5.3m tonnes in 2014 to 11m by 2020, predicts Rabobank. http://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Markets/Palm-oil-demand-growth-offers-opening-for-niche-certified-producers

Swedish initiative for sustainable palm oil in chemical products by Joakim Persson / on November 1, 2015  Suppliers, manufacturers and retailers in Sweden have joined together in an initiative enabling a long-term switch to more sustainably produced, certified and traceable palm oil in both cosmetics and hygiene products such as detergents and cleaning products, reports http://scandasia.com/swedish-initiative-for-sustainable-palm-oil-in-chemical-products/

Is RSPO certification becoming irrelevant? By Niamh Michail+, 28-Oct-2015 Companies are increasingly demanding certified palm oil using criteria that are stricter than current RSPO standards – does the mean the RSPO certification is in danger of becoming irrelevant? http://www.foodnavigator.com/Policy/Is-RSPO-certification-becoming-irrelevant

BASF’s 'new palm positioning' on RSPO certification in Asia By Michelle Yeomans+, 27-Oct-2015 BASF is expanding its commitment to only source RSPO-certified sustainable raw materials with upstream traceability for palm oil and palm kernel oil fractions and edible oil esters by 2025. http://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com/Business-Financial/BASF-s-new-palm-positioning-on-RSPO-certification-in-Asia

PepsiCo’s palm oil pledge should not exempt Indofood, NGOs say - The global food and beverage giant recently promised to source deforestation-free palm oil, but green groups say the commitment should apply to joint venture partners that sell its branded partners. That includes Indofood, Indonesia's largest food company. by Mongabay.com  29 October 2015 http://www.eco-business.com/news/pepsicos-palm-oil-pledge-should-not-exempt-indofood-ngos-say/

A new business model for palm oil? The recent haze in Southeast Asia has sparked renewed calls for alternatives to palm oil products. In this interview, Forum for the Future founder Jonathon Porritt tells Eco-Business why the industry - which also provides thousands of livelihoods worldwide - needs a new business model, not boycotts.  By Vaidehi Shah  16 October 2015 http://www.eco-business.com/news/a-new-business-model-for-palm-oil/

19 October 2015: BASF, PepsiCo, Cargill

BASF Expands Production Capacity for Emollients and Waxes in China NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2015/10/08 - BASF will expand its emollients and waxes production capacity with a new plant at its site in Jinshan, Shanghai - Care-Chemicals.BASF.com. DE000BASF111 http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/155355/

BusinessCase: Sustainability Initiatives Have Saved PepsiCo Over $375M Since 2010 September 25, 2015; The water, energy, packaging and waste-reduction initiatives have been tallied up, and PepsiCo, Inc. asserts that its environmental sustainability initiatives have saved the company more than $375 million since its goals were established in 2010. The company proudly announced this week that it also delivered double-digit net revenue and operating profit growth during the same time period, demonstrating a solid business case. The results of PepsiCo’s Performance with Purpose commitment are detailed in its 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Report, and first-ever sustainability microsite, howwillwe.com. PepsiCo says the microsite is “an interactive and immersive experience” to engage users in discussion around how we will grow sustainably, thrive in a changing environment, and create opportunity. http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/hannah_furlong/businesscase_sustainability_initiatives_have_saved_pepsico_o

Cargill Marks Anniversary of No-Deforestation Pledge With New Forest Policy; Greenpeace Wants More September 18, 2015 by Sustainable Brands; On Wednesday, just a few days from the first anniversary of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) — an international, multi-sector commitment to safeguard the world’s forests and to help tackle climate change signed by Cargill and other major multinational companies, governments, and civil society organizations at last year’s UN Climate Summit — Cargill released a new Policy on Forests. Backed by forest protection action plans for Cargill’s priority commodity supply chains, the policy sets a comprehensive approach for the company in its efforts to prevent forest loss. “Deforestation is a global issue, but a local challenge. We’re committed to working with farmers, government, business, advocacy organizations and consumers to help craft and implement solutions tailored to the diverse landscapes we seek to protect,” said Paul Conway, Cargill’s vice chairman. “Our Policy on Forests is one of the ways we are working to feed a growing population while also sustaining vital forest ecosystems for generations to come.” http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/business_models/sustainable_brands/cargill_marks_anniversary_no-deforestation_pledge _

 

13 September 2015: Starbucks, Oregon Zoo

Starbucks and palm oil, wake up and smell the coffee  Sponsored by: RSPO By Hanna Thomas Tuesday 25 August 2015 16.31 BST; Consumer action is vital if we’re going to tackle deforestation and social exploitation in the palm oil supply chain http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/25/starbucks-palm-oil-campaign-2015-sumofus-consumers-deforestation-commitments

Oregon Zoo to only sell food made with responsibly produced palm oil Posted:  Aug 25, 2015 4:34 AM Updated:  Aug 25, 2015 4:34 AM   By FOX 12 Staff Vivian, a Malayan sun bear, climbs a log at the Oregon Zoo. Sun bears are one of many species threatened by deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations. Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.Vivian, a Malayan sun bear, climbs a log at the Oregon Zoo. Sun bears are one of many species threatened by deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations. Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.
PORTLAND, OR  Read more: http://www.kptv.com/story/29868099/oregon-zoo-to-only-sell-food-made-with-responsibly-produced-palm-oil#ixzz3lbatuHP3

7 September 2015: Clorox's commitment

Clorox Company’s New Palm Oil Commitment is a Step Forward September 3, 2015; WASHINGTON (September 3, 2015) – The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today commended the Clorox Company for committing to responsibly sourcing palm oil in its supply chain by 2020; Clorox Company uses palm oil in product lines such as Burt’s Bees and Green Works, which the company markets as “natural” and environmentally friendly. “This is a win for forests,” said Lael Goodman, an analyst with UCS’s Tropical Forests and Climate Initiative. “Clorox’s competitors, including Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive, have already issued deforestation-free palm oil commitments, so it’s good to see Clorox follow their lead, especially since they market some of their products as green. ” Earlier this year, UCS scored 10 major personal care companies on their palm oil sourcing standards. http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/clorox-company-new-palm-oil-commitment-is-a-step-forward-0524#.Ve2OJoywqrQ

24 August 2015: Why are companies hiding their sustainable credentials? FoodNavigator (some details)

Why are companies hiding their sustainable credentials? By Niamh Michail, 29-Jul-2015; Eco-labels make food taste better and consumers feel better about themselves. They boost a company's image and consumers are willing to pay more. And yet despite these benefits, only around half of total RSPO certified palm oil is sold as certified sustainable according to a report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), while just 35% of cocoa certified by the Rainforest Alliance, UTZ or Fairtrade bear a certification logo. For sugar the figures are even lower – in 2012 only 16% of certified sustainable cane sugar was sold as such, said the Food Climate Research Network (FCRN ). But why would companies go to pains to certify a key ingredient and then not inform their consumers?....

• some feature it in certain brands as upmarket and niche and up the price tag
• supply and demand are not always in sync and in part by a lack of industry commitment in certain consumer markets to sourcing and paying - RSPO
• Rainforest Alliance logo may only be used if the certified ingredient was a ‘core ingredient’ ... or if it made up at least 30% of the total product
• manufacturers weren't looking to conceal the sustainability of the ingredient – but rather the presence of the ingredient itself
• in some countries sustainability issues simply do not resonate with consumers – such as India and China
• Elsewhere it could be the exact opposite problem – that Western consumers are suffering from eco-label fatigue
• standardisation of sustainability will further reduce the need for companies to communicate their efforts

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Why-are-companies-hiding-their-sustainable-credentials

22 August 2015:  Interest in sustainably sourced palm oil in India is minimal

Without India, you can forget about achieving a sustainable palm oil sector - All eyes are on India, the world’s largest palm oil importer, and whether companies can help shift consumers towards sustainable choices; India’s 1.2 billion citizens consume approximately 15% of the global supply of palm oil. The vast majority of the commodity (95% according to WWF figures) is used as edible oil, with the remainder added to haircare and beauty products. The country imports nearly all of its palm oil, more than two-­thirds of which is sourced from Indonesia.... At the annual World Bank conference on land and poverty held in Washington in March, Prabianto Mukti Wibowo, assistant deputy minister for forestry in Indonesia’s economic affairs ministry said: “We know that our primary customers are not concerned about deforestation.”
Unlike the boycotts and consumer awareness in Europe and the US, interest in sustainably sourced palm oil in India is minimal, putting little pressure on the domestic market to shift to more sustainable sources. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/10/india-palm-oil-sustainability-deforestation-unilever-greenpeace

19 August 2015: Italian politicians defend palm oil, Why are companies hiding their sustainable credentials? FoodNavigator news. Consumer Goods Forum palm oil sourcing guidelines.

Italian politicians defend palm oil By Caroline Scott-Thomas+, 18-Aug-2015
Italian politicians have submitted two resolutions to parliament defending alm oil in the face of anti-palm oil campaigns, calling it a raw material of fundamental importance for Italian industry. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Policy/Italian-politicians-defend-palm-oil

Why are companies hiding their sustainable credentials? By Niamh Michail+, 29-Jul-2015; A sustainable logo is known to add value to a brand – so why are so many manufacturers not showing their Fairtrade, organic or sustainable credentials? http://www.foodnavigator.com/Ingredients/Carbohydrates-and-fibres-sugar-starches/Why-are-companies-hiding-their-sustainable-credentials

The Consumer Goods Forum Publishes Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines  Published: Tuesday, 11 August 2015 12:16  Consumer Goods Industry’s First Ever Set of Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines to Help Drive Implementation of ‘Zero Net Deforestation’ Resolution; PARIS, 11th August 2015 – The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) today announced publication of the first-ever ‘Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines’ (the “Guidelines”). This publicly available document is an important step in helping the consumer goods and retail industries to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020, as outlined in the CGF’s Deforestation Resolution.... http://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/the-consumer-goods-forum-publishes-palm-oil-sourcing-guidelines

20 June 2015: Nutella flap - Greenpeace defends position for maker which is part of POIG and apparent client of The Forest Trust (associated with Greenpeace in both)

Greenpeace says boycotting Nutella is wrong – it’s NOT destroying the planet by Lianna Brinded Jun. 18, 2015, 6:34 PM; Greenpeace says French ecology minister Segolene Royal is wrong – Nutella is not destroying the planet and a ban wouldn’t solve the world’s environmental problems.
A couple of day ago Royal went on French television network Canal+ and said that people should stop eating the popular hazelnut spread because harvesting one of its key ingredients, palm oil, leads to deforestation. But environmental activist group Greenpeace has now told news website Quartz that “a blanket boycott of this agricultural crop will not solve problems in its production.”
It also told the site that Ferrero, Nutella’s maker, is actually a supporter of the Palm Oil Innovation Group, which includes Greenpeace, other non-governmental organisations, and some palm oil producers. ..... http://www.businessinsider.my/greenpeace-no-nutella-boycott-segolene-royal-palm-oil-2015-6/#dr60qq8lz6WSXR8S.99

'Stop eating Nutella' urges French ecology minister Agence France-Presse, Paris | World | Tue, June 16 2015, 11:34 PM; France's ecology minister, Segolene Royal, has rankled the company that makes Nutella by urging the public to stop eating its irresistible chocolate hazelnut spread, saying it contributes to deforestation."We have to replant a lot of trees because there is massive deforestation that also leads to global warming. We should stop eating Nutella, for example, because it's made with palm oil," Royal said in an interview late Monday on the French television network Canal+."Oil palms have replaced trees, and therefore caused considerable damage to the environment," she explained.Nutella, she said, should be made from "other ingredients".The comments needled Ferrero, the giant Italian chocolate group that makes Nutella.Without referring to Royal directly, the company issued a statement Tuesday saying it was aware of the environmental stakes and had made commitments to source palm oil in a responsible manner.Ferrero gets nearly 80 percent of its palm oil from Malaysia. The rest of its supply comes from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Brazil. - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/16/stop-eating-nutella-urges-french-ecology-minister.html#sthash.woeyOPti.dpuf

7 June 2015: PepsiCo, Wal-Mart, others ask RSPO to strengthen standards; Europe set for 100% CSPO by 2020, segregated palm oil excludes small producers? Mondelez plan.

PepsiCo, Wal-Mart, others seek stronger palm oil standards  6/1/2015 -  by Jeff Gelski The R.S.P.O. was formed in 2004 to promote the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through global standards and stakeholder engagement.
BOSTON — Multinational food companies and institutional investors representing more than $5 trillion in assets signed a June 1 letter seeking stronger environmental and social regulations to qualify for certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.
ConAgra Foods, Inc.; Dunkin’ Brands; General Mills, Inc.; The Kellogg Co.; Mars, Inc.; PepsiCo, Inc.; and Starbucks were some of the food companies signing the letter sent to  Datuk Darrel Webber, secretary general of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Retail chains signing the letter included Albertsons-Safeway and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Other consumer packaged goods companies signing the letter included Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Cos
http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Business_News/2015/06/PepsiCo_Wal-Mart_others_seek_s.aspx?ID=%7BDB137BFC-2038-469B-BE22-EFC05F644913%7D&cck=1

European Palm Oil Industry Sets Course for 100% Certified Sustainable Palm Oil by 2020  Published: June 4, 2015 6:52 a.m. ETAMSTERDAM, Jun 04, 2015 (PR Newswire Europe via COMTEX) -- AMSTERDAM, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Third European RSPO roundtable: regional objectives, tougher enforcement rules and innovative sustainability standards A new drive to address palm oil's global sustainability challenges emerged at RSPO's third European Roundtable held yesterday in Amsterdam, gathering an audience of around two hundred and eighty industries, NGOs and stakeholders from palm oil producing and importing countries. While all parties agreed that RSPO certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) is part of the answer and acknowledged the work done by RSPO so far, they did not see any room for complacency and stressed the importance of change. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-palm-oil-industry-sets-course-for-100-certified-sustainable-palm-oil-by-2020-2015-06-04-62035242

Could Europe’s drive to segregated palm oil exclude small producers? By Caroline Scott-Thomas+SCOTT-THOMAS, 02-Jun-2015 A European push toward segregated certified sustainable palm oil may inadvertently exclude smaller producers from the supply chain, says GreenPalm manager Bob Norman. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Policy/Could-Europe-s-drive-to-segregated-palm-oil-exclude-small-producers

Mondelez’s sustainable palm oil plan: “We want the whole supply chain to transform” By Caroline Scott-Thomas+, 01-Jun-2015 Mondelez International is on track to meet its goal of sourcing 100% traceable palm oil by the end of the year after reaching 70% traceability in 2014, says global director of sustainability Jonathan Horrell.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Mondelez-s-sustainable-palm-oil-plan-We-want-the-whole-supply-chain-to-transform

24 May 2015: Yum! Promised to Improve its Palm Oil Sourcing Policy Starting 2017, Colgate-Palmolive Releases 2014 Sustainability Report

Yum! Promised to Improve its Palm Oil Sourcing Policy Starting 2017 Byjason-seligman on May 19, 2015 The new policy sets December 2017 for putting up the latest safeguards when looking for palm oil sources. Yum!  said it will only source palm oil  from suppliers which set improvement in their carbon emission level and protect rainforests and peat terrains.  The giant fast food restaurant will implement the new roles in all its operations down to the restaurant levels. Greenpeace immediately praised the declaration, which led a crusade campaign in 2012 against the company’s paper pulp operation. Rolf Skar, Forest Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA said that Greenpeace wants Yum! to ” define more clearly terms like ‘high carbon stock forest’ and ‘best management practices’ for peat lands in order to make sure change really happens on the ground.” However, an advocacy organization called the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), on Wednesday gave a score card for the company, zero out of 100 rank on its palm oil policy, wanted Yum! to pledge much more that what is promising to do. http://www.investornewswire.com/yum-promised-to-improve-its-palm-oil-sourcing-starting-2017/7914/

Colgate-Palmolive Releases 2014 Sustainability Report That Details Progress on the Company’s Sustainability Strategy Submitted by: Colgate-Palmolive Company   Posted:  May 18, 2015 – 07:00 AM EST  NEW YORK, May 18 /CSRwire/ - Colgate-Palmolive has released its 2014 Sustainability Report titled, Giving the World Reasons to Smile. This annual report details Colgate’s long-standing commitments and achievements regarding sustainability and social responsibility around the world.  This year’s highlights include: • Colgate improved the sustainability profile in 72 percent of new products and the balance of its portfolio in 2014 (based on representative products evaluated against comparable Colgate products). • Colgate reduced greenhouse gas intensity by 19.7 percent and energy use intensity by 19.1 percent since 2005 and was named a U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for the fifth year in a row, with recognition for Sustained Excellence. http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/37959-Colgate-Palmolive-Releases-2014-Sustainability-Report-That-Details-Progress-on-the-Company-s-Sustainability-Strategy


16 May 2015: Forgot to post this before, a rather dramatic and unusual even ton an app to show products containing palm oil

'You will need to watch your back': The cowardly note threatening Aussie woman's family for developing app that shows which products contain jungle-wrecking palm oil By Freya Noble for Daily Mail Australia  Published: 13:30 GMT, 24 March 2015  | Updated: 15:18 GMT, 24 March 2015. A letter was sent to Lorinda Jane threatening her and her daughter. It claimed they knew where she lived and to 'watch her back.' She is President and Founder of not-for-profit Palm Oil Investigations (POI). POI are launching an app on Wednesday evening at 7pm. It tells consumers whether a product contains palm oil; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3009199/We-know-live-Threatening-anonymous-letter-sent-head-not-profit-just-DAY-release-organisation-s-app-tells-consumers-product-contains-palm-oil.html#ixzz3aHh1GjC9

1 May 2015: The Corporate Capture of Sustainable Development by Leslie Sklair; /khorreports-palmoil/2015/05/the-corporate-capture-of-sustainable.html

22 April 2015: McDonald's supply chain commitment - refers to NY Declaration and HCS Approach

McDonald's to axe deforestation from its global supply chain - The fast-food giant announced it will work with its suppliers to end deforestation in its global supply chain. But do the super-sized claims stack up? by Siri Srinivas Tuesday 21 April 2015 22.06 BST; Global fast-food giant McDonald’s on Tuesday pledged to end deforestation across its entire supply chain..... The announcement follows recent similar pledges by Dunkin’ Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Yum Brands and many others. But the World Wildlife Fund, which advised McDonald’s on its new commitment, said it could have big influence on other fast-food chains...... “McDonald’s brings size and scale to the debate of sustainable sourcing. Their reach is large, they are global, they work closely with the suppliers and so this outreach can only help,” said David McLaughlin, vice president of agriculture at the World Wildlife Fund. .........In an eight-point commitment, McDonald’s promises not to contribute to deforestation in areas most critical to reducing carbon in the atmosphere, known as high carbon value and high carbon stock forests. These are areas of high environmental value, including high biodiversity, as well as high value to their communities, that are often in danger of being cleared to make way for plantations. The world’s largest fast-food chain also said it would not source commodities from peatlands, or swampy areas that store a lot of carbon and can end up contributing to greenhouse gas emissions when disturbed. This commitment will affect 3,100 of its global direct suppliers as well as its more complex network of indirect suppliers, said Michele Banik-Rake, director of sustainability for McDonald’s worldwide supply chain management.......Also on Tuesday, the company released a sustainable sourcing statement outlining how it will work with suppliers to ensure that the beef, poultry, coffee, palm oil and fiber-based packaging it uses do not contribute to deforestation.
In the commitment, the company also said it would respect human rights and verify where the raw materials used to make its products come from. The company said that it will suspend or eliminate purchases from suppliers who do not meet its requirements. McDonald’s will also evaluate its progress in annual reports......In a palm oil scorecard released by the Union of Concerned Scientists earlier this month, McDonald’s fared poorly on its palm oil deforestation record, but the company, like other major brands, recognized global gaps in sustainable sourcing, said Lael Goodman, the author of the report......While McDonald’s said that its policy is effective immediately, their actual targets for zero-deforestation may be five to 15 years away. This is in line with the New York declaration on forests that it signed at the United Nation’s climate summit in September, along with other global corporations, to end deforestation due to agricultural commodities by 2020 and the loss of natural forests by 2030. Critics of the New York declaration called the 2030 target for ending deforestation and 2020 target for agricultural commodities unambitious, but others said it was worth applauding as a step in the right direction. ....The supply chain hub is sponsored by the Fairtrade Foundation. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled “brought to you by”. Find out more here.... http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/21/mcdonalds-deforestation-global-supply-chain

Macdonald's Commitment on Deforestation: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/sustainability/sourcing/commitment-on-deforestation.html
Note: It talks of NY Declaration as well as the HCS Approach (Greenpeace-TFT-Forest Heroes and also used by Wilmar, GAR etc.)

4 April 2015: KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut adopt zero deforestation policy - with HCS and better labour policies - to apply to global restaurants, with Dec 2017 target.

KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut adopt zero deforestation policy for palm oil by Rhett A. Butler, mongabay.com  April 03, 2015; Yum! Brands, the company that owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, on Thursday announced a zero deforestation policy for its palm oil sourcing. The move came after aggressive campaigns by environmental groups that argued the chains weren't doing enough to ensure the palm oil they used to fry foods wasn't linked to human rights abuses, destruction of peatlands, and logging of rainforests. The policy sets a December 2017 target for establishing safeguards for palm oil sourcing. Yum! says it will only source from suppliers who bar plantation development in high carbon stock and high conservation value areas, like rainforests and peatlands; have disputes resolution processes in place; offer traceability to the mill level; and avoid underage workers and forced labor. The standards apply Yum!'s global fast food business, meaning it applies to all of its restaurants.Yum! has a similar set of guidelines for its paper and fiber sourcing..... The announcement was quickly welcomed by Greenpeace, which campaigned against the company's pulp and paper sourcing practices in 2012. “Yum! Brands’ new palm oil policy is a good sign it’s listening to customers around the world who want rainforest destruction taken off the menu.” said Rolf Skar, Forest Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA.  Skar added that Greenpeace still wants Yum! to "more clearly define terms like 'high carbon stock forest' and 'best management practices' for peatlands in order to make sure change really happens on the ground."... However the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), an advocacy group that on Wednesday released a scorecard giving Yum! a zero out of 100 rank on its palm oil policy, wanted more from the company..... http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0403-yum-brands-zero-deforestation.html#ixzz3WKZVJkHT

Zero Deforestation arrangement for Palm oil to be implemented by KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut  April 5, 2015; Yum! Brands, the organization that claims KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, on Thursday reported a zero deforestation arrangement for its palm oil sourcing. The move came after forceful battles by ecological gatherings that argued that the restaurants weren’t doing what’s needed to guarantee the palm oil they used to cook food wasn’t connected to human rights misuses, obliteration of peat lands, and logging of rainforests.... The strategy sets December 2017 as focus for creating shields for palm oil sourcing. Yum! says it will just come from suppliers who block farmstead advancement in high carbon stock and high preservation esteem ranges, in the same way as rainforests and peat lands; have debate determination forms set up; offer traceability to the plant level; and evade underage laborers and constrained work.... The benchmarks apply Yum’s! worldwide fast food business, the importance it applies to every last bit of its restaurants.
Yum! has a comparable arrangement of rules for its paper and fiber sourcing.... The declaration was immediately accepted by Greenpeace, which battled against the organization’s mash and paper sourcing practices in 2012.... http://www.esbtrib.com/2015/04/05/9032/zero-deforestation-arrangement-for-palm-oil-to-be-implemented-by-kfc-taco-bell-and-pizza-hut/

Some palm oil specialists point to the higher yield of palm oil and the larger area competitor oils use, a typical argument and rebuttal:

Attan Akmar: A pound of palm oil is produced on a tenth of the farm area required to produce the same quantity of soy oil. It's soy oil that should be discouraged especially after millions of acres
Denise Jurcyk ·  Top Commenter · Chicago, Illinois: Well said but.... that was a long time ago and it was not forest but prairie. Which is , if slowly being replanted. Rain forest has so much diversity and large mammals that are threatened with extinction , we must save . We learned our lessons and it's time to save the rainforests and it's inhabitants and the planet. Maybe you should develop agricultural methods that can greatly increase the production on land already cleared. And Stop clear cutting the rainforest !Maybe science can replace the use of palm oil !
http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0403-yum-brands-zero-deforestation.html#ixzz3WKZVJkHT

3 April 2015: ADM Commits to No-Deforestation Policy for Soybeans, Palm Oil 

ADM Commits to No-Deforestation Policy for Soybeans, Palm Oil  'By'Shruti Date Singh  12:00 AM HKT  April 1, 2015; (Bloomberg) -- Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., a global supplier of agricultural commodities, has pledged to curb deforestation that results from the farming of soybeans and palm trees.  ADM is committing to developing ways to trace crops it processes, make those supply chains transparent and protect forests globally, according to Victoria Podesta, a spokeswoman for the Chicago-based company. The policy “combines a clear commitment to no deforestation with progressive action focused on our most critical supply chains,” Podesta said Monday in an e-mailed statement.  The policy for soy production is the first for that crop, said Lucia von Reusner, an activist for Boston-based Green Century Capital Management Inc., a mutual fund manager that focuses on sustainability. Suppliers representing about 96 percent of globally traded palm oil already have adopted such measures, Green Century said in a statement Tuesday.  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-31/adm-commits-to-no-deforestation-policy-for-soybeans-palm-oil

4 February 2015: LG Household & Health Care goes RSPO Segregated / SG at Ulsan and Onsan plants

LG Household & Health Care Acquires RSPO Certification by Jeana Shin 2 February 2015
LG Household & Health Care's two factories, in Ulsan and Onsan, South Korea, have received certifications from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an international certification body. This significant step elevates LG Household & Health Care to equal global companies like Unilever and Basf.... LG Household & Health Care started to build a system for producing surfactants, which use eco-friendly palm oil, from 2013 in its Ulsan and Onsan factories as the demands for RSPO-certified products increased recently in Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
It completed a system to use and manufacture the raw materials of palm oil that complies with RSPO Segregation requirements in every aspect of the process, from from raw material storage, production, product storage to shipment.... LG Household & Health Care plans to reinforce its overseas raw material business by exporting surfactant from its RSPO-certified palm oil.... http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/article/8839/rspo-certified-lg-household-health-care-acquires-rspo-certification#sthash.FFRnDOWf.dpuf

18 January 2015: PepsiCo Doritos targeted

PepsiCo Fires Back at Doritos Spoof Ad Viewed 1.5 Million Times By Duane D. Stanford  Jan 16, 2015 3:01 AM GMT+0800; PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) dismissed as a “stunt” a social-media video posted by environmental activists challenging the snack maker’s reliance on palm oil in Doritos.
The clip, which was released by SumofUs.org as a spoof of a Doritos commercial, alleges that PepsiCo’s palm-oil use destroys rain forests and kills animals. After the ad gained a following online, PepsiCo shot back yesterday, saying its policy on the ingredient is sound and the video distorts the truth. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-15/pepsico-fires-back-at-doritos-spoof-ad-viewed-1-5-million-times.html

22 December 2014: Big buyers and producers ratchet up pledges, RAN pushes traceability

Unilever, Cargill push to green their palm oil chain; Facing growing concerns about deforestation in Asia, companies are pledging to use green palm oil; But as more sustainable oil reached the market and the technology for tracing commodities improved, Unilever, Cargill and Nestlé among strengthened their pledges in the past two years to use only green palm oil... They were joined this year by more than 20 consumer goods companies—including Kellogg, Mars, Procter & Gamble  PG   and Johnson & Johnson  —which adopted zero deforestation policies. And in September at the U.N. climate summit, more than 30 companies including McDonald’s  MCD  and Wal-Mart Stores   committed to eliminate deforestation from their supply chain by no later than 2020.... It was part of a larger pledge at the summit by governments to half deforestation by 2020 and strive to end it by 2030. If fulfilled, the measure would eliminate between 4.5 million and 8.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year by 2030—the equivalent to removing carbon emissions produced by one billion cars.... Along with the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge, five producers this summer joined Cargill in signing the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto. The companies have signed onto a no-deforestation pledge and the establishment of a system to create a “traceable and transparent supply chain.” The companies, most of them based in Malaysia, also agreed to a moratorium on converting the most environmentally important high carbon stock forests until a study can be done to determine where those stocks are located......... Two investigations—one released in September by a coalition of environmental groups called Eyes on the Forest and another by Rainforest Action Network—illustrate the challenge ahead. The Eyes on the Forest investigation found scores of palm oil producers in Indonesia who have signed sustainability commitments caught sourcing oil palm from illegal plantations. Illegal produced palm oil from forests favored by endangered Sumatran tigers ended up in facilities of four producers as well as at ports these producers use to ship their products.... The RAN investigation implicated 40 palm oil growers operating in an Indonesia conservation area that his home to endangered orangutans as well as Sumatran tigers, rhinos and elephants. One major crude palm oil mill was caught sourcing from these growers and three large traders also sourced from them... “At the moment, there is no traceability at the plantation level in the global palm oil supply chain,” said Gemma Tillack, RAN’s agribusiness campaign director. http://fortune.com/2014/12/17/palm-oil-deforestation-unilever-cargill/

29 November 2014: Unilever and Cargill updates

Unilever to Use Only Sustainable Palm Oil in European Foods by End of Year
Company Pledges to Use Only Traceable, Sustainable Palm Oil World-Wide by 2020
http://online.wsj.com/articles/unilever-to-use-only-sustainable-palm-oil-in-european-foods-by-end-of-year-1416402241

Cargill Publishes First Palm Oil Progress; Cargill today released its first progress report on sustainable palm oil. The report lays out the company’s action plan to achieve a fully sustainable supply chain. "Sustainability has long been part of our palm ... http://wc4.net/t?r=1453&c=3870773&l=36989&ctl=4C3B20C:FCB2C9F06EB032236D766D156048A097F0CE68744B36A4D6&

3 November 2014: National buyer platforms

Norwegian Food Industry Commits to Sourcing Only Certified Sustainable Palm Oil by 2015, RSPO News, 03 October 2014; "The Norwegian Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil has agreed criteria to promote sustainable palm oil in Norway and contribute to the prevention of deforestation. The Alliance, which consists of most major food & drink producers and retailers in Norway, has committed to using only sustainably produced and certified palm oil that meets the RSPO Principles & Criteria, by the end of 2015. As of today, the signatories include: Coop Norge AS, Findus Norge AS, Hennig-Olsen Is AS, Ica Norge AS, Mills DA, Mondelēz Norge AS, Nestlé Norge AS, Nordic Choice Hotels AS, NorgesGruppen ASA, Orkla ASA, Umoe Restaurants AS, Unilever Norge AS...They also commit that by 2018 they will either phase out palm oil or switch to segregated or traceable CSPO, and publish their progress reports annually. Norway is the eighth European country to officially launch a National Initiative, a commitment by the main industrial actors to source only certified sustainable palm oil. Similar national platforms already exist in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark...."
http://www.rspo.org/news-and-events/news/norwegian-food-industry-commits-to-sourcing-only-certified-sustainable-palm-oil-by-2015

2 November 2014: Bunge goes with traceability and signals Sarawak / high risk zone shift?

Bunge updates its palm oil sourcing policy in October 2014 for traceability. This can be differentiated from RSPO certification which was the key program .  As buyers face issues in implementing their near term pledges (often set for next year, 2015) for sustainable palm oil, there are shifts to extend deadlines and perhaps the more common new trend is to shift from sustainability (certification) to traceability.

The latter is now frequently associated with the TFT (Greenpeace associated) programs for customized (by supplier) trade terms for B2B dealings. In contrast, RSPO certification (part of WWF's roundtables / "market transformation" program) uses a multi-stakeholder model and its heavy NGO influence is commonly thought to have contributed to policy escalations that trouble supply-chain players with rising cost of compliance amidst a seeming glut of certificates, and perhaps more crucially the problem of it achieving inclusivity of small producers and smallholders. Hence, the competition for new programs for the palm oil sector, by other NGOs.

On NGO reactions to Bunge's move, the UCS campaign gives it a good nod (it is "impressed" and says this "will have huge implications for peatlands"), as does Forest Heroes ("it gives a clear signal to rogue actors in the palm oil industry"). Forest Heroes' Glenn Hurowitz is widely reported to have had a key role in negotiation Bunge's new policy (he says that Bunge's move is akin to a new "green revolution" to delink agriculture from deforestation). 

However the timeline for implementation has not been set. "We are currently in the process of developing an implementation plan in collaboration with suppliers and expect to release it in the coming months," a Bunge spokesperson told mongabay.com. UCS concern is likewise on the deadline and says "while it rightly prioritizes tracing palm oil from high risk areas, it does not require that all palm oil be eventually traced back to the original plantation."

UCS notes that "Bunge’s commitment is particularly important because they source much of their palm oil from Sarawak, Malaysia, a peat-rich area" and it is reports that Bunge is among the biggest buyers from Sarawak.

We're not sure yet if this represents a sign-on with The Forest Trust, a key provider of traceability programs for Wilmar, GAR and Cargill. A check today on its blog ( http://between2worlds.com/) and its website ( http://www.tft-forests.org/search/?cx=014285459649207030104%3Api_nr-53-oq&cof=FORID%3A10%3BNB%3A1&ie=UTF-8&sa=&q=bunge) yields no recent news on Bunge.

The key Bunge document is here: http://www.bunge.com/citizenship/bunge-palm-oil-sourcing-policy.pdf. Excerpt:


Forest & Biodiversity Preservation: Protection of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas as defined by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) P&C 5.2 and 7.3 and High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests as defined by the HCS Steering Group

Reduction of GHG Emissions: 

•      Protection of peat areas, regardless of depth1
•  Application of RSPO best management practices for peat on existing plantations
•  No burning

Labor Protections, Human Rights and Free, Prior & Informed Consent (FPIC)2

•  Prohibition of forced and child labor, discrimination and harassment of workers
•  Protection of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
•  Respect of local and indigenous community rights and application of FPIC for land purchases and use
•  Support of the Food and Agriculture Organization Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure

Legal Compliance

•  Compliance with all relevant national and local laws

News links:

• Palm Oil - Bunge Citizenship; Due to its low cost and versatility, palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world and can be found in common food products and household goods. www.bunge.com/citizenship/sus_palm_oil.html;
• Agribusiness Giant Bunge Commits To Deforestation-Free ...5 days ago - The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is impressed with Bunge's willingness to ensure the palm oil it sources protects forests and peatlands ...http://www.ucsusa.org/press/2014/agribusiness-giant-bunge-commits-deforestation-free-palm-oil-0440#.VFXFbZ2wpD8
• Bunge commits to deforestation-free palm oil - Food Navigator 5 days ago - Agribusiness giant Bunge is the latest multinational company to commit to deforestation-free palm oil supply – going beyond the requirements ...http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Bunge-commits-to-deforestation-free-palm-oil
• Bunge commits to zero deforestation palm oil - Mongabay 4 days ago - Agribusiness giant Bunge has joined the growing ranks of companies that have established zero deforestation policies for their palm oil supply ...http://news.mongabay.com/2014/1028-bunge-zero-deforestation.html