Many of Asia’s major palm oil players have reaffirmed their commitment to improve sustainability standards in the palm oil industry. But key players also say there are many obstacles ahead – and some are expanding into Africa to take advantage of what could prove a much more lucrative market. Greening industry operations was the focus
The proclaimed aim of the EU’s palm oil ban is to halt deforestation, but by refusing to honour producers that have switched to sustainable agricultural practices, the EU risks doing more harm than good, argues Prof Gernot Klepper. In January, the European Parliament (EP) voted to ban the use of palm oil for the production of biofuels
One year since the launch of the world’s first certification programme for palm oil-free products, 705 products globally have been declared free from the controversial edible oil. But what has going palm oil-free achieved? The global movement to avoid palm oil is growing. In the one year since the International Palm Oil Free Certification Accreditation Programme (POFCAP) was
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. The haze currently enveloping Southeast Asia has refocused the
Golden Agri-Resources has unveiled the palm oil industry’s most productive seeds, which promise to deliver three times the yield of the industry average. The company says its ‘breakthrough’ seeds could help an unsustainable industry bring an end to deforestation. Singapore-listed palm oil giant Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) on Monday announced that it has developed the industry’s most productive seeds.
An investigation by Indonesian activists has shown that palm oil grown on destroyed tiger and elephant habitats is present in the supply chains of industry giants such as Wilmar, Musim Mas, and Golden Agri-Resources. The world’s biggest palm oil companies have made public commitments to stop deforestation, but their supply chains remain tainted with palm oil
Mongabay spoke to experts in the field to investigate how much investors and financiers in the palm oil sector care about their clients’ sustainability. Within the sustainability sector, finance is increasingly being seen as a powerful lever to help companies “green” their operations. In response to NGO and consumer pressure, a growing number of corporate banks
Recognising that environmental issues in the palm oil industry have their roots in social problems is a big step towards resolving them, say experts. Why, then, have environmental concerns overshadowed social issues in media reports and activist campaigns? When Southeast Asia was hit by the worst haze crisis on record in 2015, Singapore’s gleaming skyscrapers were blanketed in a murky
Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation produces 2.43 million tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil a year. The challenge is finding a buyer for it, says chief sustainability officer Dr Simon Lord in this interview with Eco-Business. As the company that claims to produce more certified sustainable palm oil than any other, Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation knows more than
Versatile, cheap, and useful, palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. But it has also caused deforestation and community conflict in the tropical countries where it is cultivated. A better way is possible – Eco-Business explores the rise of sustainable palm oil. It is almost impossible for most consumers to go