Sustainable palm oil by year end
The first consignments of certified sustainable palm oil should hit Europe by the end of this year, according to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Under a new web-based system called GreenPalm developed by oils supplier AarhusKarlshamn UK, manufacturers keen to buy palm oil from sustainable sources would be able to buy certificates from plantations audited by the RSPO, said AAK UK president Ian McIntosh. "GreenPalm will host a web-based trading platform to facilitate the sale and purchase of GreenPalm certificates. Only RSPO certified plantations can initially offer GreenPalm certificates for sale on the GreenPalm programme. The proceeds from their sale should directly encourage plantations to strive for continuous improvements and ultimately lead to an increase in production of sustainable palm oil, with environmental, social and economic benefits."
The certificates and the oil would be traded separately, avoiding the need for a segregated supply chain (which would be prohibitively expensive), while allowing buyers to support the objectives of the RSPO by buying the certificates, he claimed.
