GreenPalm, the sustainable palm oil certificate-trading programme, is growing from strength to strength, but working with palm growers committed to sustainable farming, from large plantations to small holders, remains a primary objective. This is the message that GreenPalm will be taking to the 11th Annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil (RT11) in Medan, Indonesia from the 11^th to the 14^th November, 2013.
 
Since 2008, GreenPalm (Book & Claim) membership has grown to over 700 registered manufacturers, retailers and certified growers. The programme has facilitated the transaction of over 6.5 million palm certificates representing Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified sustainable palm oil, and over 1 million PKO certificates representing RSPO-certified sustainable palm kernel oil. The result is that, collectively, RSPO-certified palm growers have directly earned a premium of over $43 million over the past five years.
 
Such statistics make it clear that GreenPalm has an important role to play in the ongoing battle against rainforest destruction all too often associated with palm farming. However, Bob Norman of GreenPalm believes that there needs to be a clear global strategy that is less focused on Western consumers, and more focused on what is happening on the ground:
 
“We need to continue working hard to keep the issue high on the agenda in Europe, the US and Australia. However, the greatest consumers of palm are actually based in Asia where palm oil is used in vast quantities as a frying medium.
 
“This means that, whilst we should still be lobbying key stakeholders in the West, the focus must always remain on the ground. We mustn’t be too introspective; we need to engage growers at all levels.”
 
 “We need to win the hearts and minds of those involved in growing palm. The RSPO-certification process educates growers in sustainable techniques that not only protect their immediate environment, but also improve their yields. Increased production is perhaps the single greatest benefit of RSPO certification.”
 
“GreenPalm gives an additional incentive of enabling growers to earn a premium for their efforts  and access a wider global market. China and India are key players in the market and it is important to ensure that they are integrated into the process at every level.”
 
GreenPalm is an efficient solution for supporting RSPO-certified palm because it bypasses the supply chain and directly supports RSPO-certified growers. Manufacturers can off-set their palm use by buying GreenPalm certificates representing an equivalent volume that has been produced in line with RSPO principles and criteria. Suppliers stay the same but manufacturers can directly support sustainable palm productions at its source, enabling growers to earn a premium for utilising sustainable farming methods.
 
“This makes GreenPalm the fastest, simplest and most transparent method to show support for positive changes in the palm oil industry where it matters most – on the ground,” says Bob.
 
Ends
 
For more information, visit www.greenpalm.org or follow @greenpalmoil on Twitter.
 
For further editorial information, please contact:
Rebecca Platt. [email protected], 01482 649343
Julie Leydon: [email protected], 01482 649343 

Thailand, July 10, 2013 - Thailand, the third largest palm oil producer in the world, joined the ranks of other markets producing Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification scheme. The other CSPO producers are Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Brazil, Colombia and Ivory Coast.

RSPO is delighted to announce the signing of an MOU with the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs & Native Produce (CFNA).  The agreement, signed in Beijing on the 30th May, is an important milestone for RSPO in China and further cements the strategic relationship between both organizations. 
 

http://www.rspo.org/news_details.php?nid=171   

Kuala Lumpur, 5 June 2013 – Today, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) celebrates the second anniversary of its Trademark which is used on product packaging to highlight the presence of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) and help consumers make an informed choice. So far, the RSPO has issued 121 RSPO Trademark licenses to companies from 24 countries. The Trademark has gained traction in Europe and the US. Looking at the future, RSPO will focus its efforts on further leveraging the Trademark in China and India - the world's two biggest consumer markets of palm oil. 
 

http://www.rspo.org/news_details.php?nid=162   

International, May 21, 2013 - The revised Principles & Criteria (2013) of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has received widespread support following its ratification by the organization's membership at the recent Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

http://www.rspo.org/news_details.php?nid=161

JAKARTA, 6 MEI 2013 - The resolution on the revised Principles & Criteria (2013) of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), an international certification scheme and multi-stakeholder association for sustainable palm oil was ratified by its members at the recently held Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 222 RSPO members (almost three times the required quorum) from the seven sectors voted at the EGA, including proxies. There were equal numbers of growers and consumer goods manufacturers as the two largest sectors represented at the EGA, followed closely by Processors & Traders and the other sectors from Retailers, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Banks.  

 

http://www.rspo.org/news_details.php?nid=157