Sustainable Palm OilResponsible Production and Sourcing

“How we select and source our ingre-dients can be a catalyst for change. Our goal is to source 100 percent of our palm kernel oil from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms by the end of 2015. We chose Rainforest Alliance certification because its compre-hensive social and environmental commitments most closely match our company’s goals.”

Ella RosenbloomSenior Manager, Sustainable Food

Supply, Clif Bar & Company

At least half of the items found in any supermarket contain palm oil, palm kernel oil or their

derivatives—from cleaning supplies and personal care products to baby food and chocolate. Yet this ubiquitous com-modity presents a complex dilemma for companies. On the one hand, growing global demand for this inexpensive and versatile ingredient drives economic growth in developing countries. On the other, conventional production methods fuel rampant deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, habitat destruction and the displacement of indigenous forest communities.

Forward-thinking companies can count-er these negative impacts by sourcing responsibly produced palm oil. In

doing so, they are taking an important step to secure their supply chains with traceable, certified sustainable palm oil and safeguarding their reputations—while also improving environmental and social performance.

Sustainable palm oil production can benefit local communities, businesses and countries. A “positive palm” future is one in which degraded lands are restored, palm oil yields are increased without destroying forests, and respon-sible smallholder farmers are included in the supply chain. These measures can help restore critical ecosystems, improve farmer livelihoods and pave the way for more companies to source palm oil sustainably.

A Positive Future for Palm Oil

The Rainforest Alliance – Your Sustainability Expert

Since 1987, the Rainforest Alliance has partnered with producers, businesses, NGOs, governments and scientists to create innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental crises. We have a long and proven track record in sustainable agriculture (includ-ing the entire palm oil supply chain), forestry and tourism, as well carbon services. For example:

• Forestry: We co-founded the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) and remain the world’s largest FSC-accredited certifier, evaluating businesses around the world from South America to Southeast Asia.

• Agriculture: With the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), we developed certification standards for more than 80 crops, and the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal of approval appears on thousands of products across the globe.

• Sustainable Palm Oil Standards: The Rainforest Alliance is a mem-ber of the Roundtable on Sus-tainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels (RSB). After the SAN standard was adapted for palm oil in 2008, we have applied it in both plantation and smallholder landscapes with positive results.

• Traceability and Third-Party As-surances: We’ve worked with lead-ing companies—such as Unilever, Clif Bar & Company, and others—to improve traceability and claims verification, educate manufacturers and build supplier capacity.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Through our engagement with The Consumer Goods Forum, the Tropical Forest Alliance and others, we’re actively shaping the market for sustainable palm oil and other tropical commodities.

Our Services for Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing

The Rainforest Alliance can help your business in many ways:

• Develop responsible sourcing policies and supplier requirements

• Map your supply chains all the way to origin and assess risks

• Explain certification standards and audit requirements for farms and supply chains

• Implement sourcing policies, improve traceability and facilitate supplier compliance

• Achieve independent third-party assurances for your sustainability claims

• Monitor and evaluate your achievements against your policies

• Communicate your goals and progress to external stakeholders

To find out how the Rainforest Alliance can help you with sustainable palm oil sourcing, please contact:

North & South America: Nicole Pasricha +1.647.479.2510•npasricha@ra.org

Europe, Middle East/Africa & Asia: Eric Servat+44.788.102.5306•eservat@ra.org

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.

USA • Bolivia • Cameroon • Canada • Costa Rica • Ecuador • Ghana • Guatemala Honduras • Indonesia • Kenya • Mexico • Nicaragua • Peru • United Kingdom

orangutan photo © Paul Hillman

233 Broadway, 28th FloorNew York, NY 10279-2899T: +1.212.677.1900 F: +1.212.677.2187www.rainforest-alliance.org

1. Large and small Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil farms in Central and South America—such as Daabon, Hondupalma and Agrocaribe—are now supplying palm oil products to both export and local markets.

2. In West Africa, we’re working to integrate small producers

into responsible supply chains and make their production more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.

3. As part of a consortium with Proforest and Daemeter Consulting, we’re helping Unilever trace its palm oil supply chain back to Southeast Asia and assess its suppliers for social and biophysical risks.

4. In the Pacific region, we’re assisting New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. to prepare for Rainforest Alliance certification of its operations in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

A Snapshot of Our Global Experience in Palm Oil

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