Green Plus Issu 14

COLUMN
and consumers often have little way of finding
out the palm oil content in the products they
purchase. Companies can build and improve
their trustworthiness by being able to trace
the palm oil they use, back to plantations that
meet credible standards. Sharing best practices
and developing innovative solutions would be
extremely important to push forward the sustainable
palm oil agenda. With smart collaborations,
groups with different perspectives
can find common ground and turn a rapidly
growing industry into a successful model for
sustainable development.
Responsible sourcing will earn a brand the
priceless but intangible trust and respect of its
customers. Ensuring that social and economic
development do not come at the expense of
irreversible deforestation is one of the great
challenges which businesses must be held
accountable for. The risk of inaction may seem
insignificant now, but if brands are to grow,
they have to be proactive rather than reactive.
The Asian markets will shape the global palm
oil industry.When consumers in Asia demand
certified sustainable palm oil products, the
agenda will surge forward resulting in larger
national and multinational brands to certify
with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
(RSPO). Smallholders manage a significant
amount of palm oil land. In Malaysia, smallholder
farms cover about 38% of the total area
of oil palm cultivation, of which 24% are organised
smallholders while 14% are independent
smallholders. With their average annual yield
of 17 tonnes palm oil per hectare, including
them as a key piece of the puzzle will help
balance economic growth with healthy forests.
In some producer countries where deforestation
is not illegal, regulatory reform is
required. Transforming the RSPO Principles
and Criteria into law, can be a start to put a
framework in place. Governments can work on
developing scientific tools, financial incentives,
and policy and regulatory measures to help
shift palm oil production to already degraded
lands. Companies would have to compensate
for forest lands they have damaged and
undertake efforts for the conservation and restoration
of High Conservation Value (HCV)
and High Carbon Stock (HCS) areas. The
renouncement of peat clearance for new plantations
and support for independent smallholders
would be equally important.
Countries can take a leaf out of the books
of the European Union (EU) which has mandated
that retailers identify specific vegetable
oils on food labels. Palm oil has often been
hidden as generic vegetable oil and other misleading
synonyms on food labels.
And while it is commendable to see a host
of celebrities coming together to address palm
oil-linked deforestation, the next crucial step
would be for non-celebrities like you and I,
to send a message to retailers, suppliers and
organisations. Regardless of whether we manufacture,
retail or consume, we are all standing
on the same side. That is because we are
all standing on the same planet.
Greenplus TM MARCH 2016
67