Roundtable on

Sustainable
Palm Oil
Transforming the markets
to make sustainable palm
oil the norm

Global demand for vegetable oil Why is palm oil

is growing fast so popular?
Source: Oilseeds - World Markets
and Trade, USDA, January 2017

(MT)
Relatively
70
Palm
cheap
60

50 Soybean
40 Most
30 Rapeseed versatile
20
Sunflower
10

0 High
yielding
4

7
00

00

00

00

00

00

01

01

01

01

01

01

01

01
-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2
03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

The expansion of planta�ons to meet global demand for

vegetable oils could happen at the expense of forests,
wildlife and communi�es.

Percentage of Population Living

Below National Proverty Line
Source : CIA World Factbook

>60%

50-60%

40-50%

30-40%

20-30%

10-20%

<10%
Areas suitable for oil palm cultivation
No data
(Source: CIA World Factbook)

Global Biodiversity
GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY : SPECIES NUMBERS OF VASCULAR PLANTS
180° 160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60° 40° 20° 0° 20° 40° 60° 80° 100° 120° 140° 160° 180°
80° 80°

60° 60°
California-Current

Canary-Current

40° 40°

Holarotis

20° 20°

Paleotropis
0° 0°
Benguela-Current

20° 20°
Peru-Current

Neotropis

40°
Capensis 40°

Australis

60° Areas suitable for oil palm cultivation 60°

Antarctis
80° 80°

W. Barthlott 1996, 1977

Diversity Zones (DZ) : Number of Species per 10.000km2 W. Barthiott N. Biedinger, G. Braun F.Feig, G. Kier,
W.Lauer & J. Mutke 1997
DZ 1 (<100) DZ 5 (1000-1500) DZ 9 (4000-5000) modified after
DZ 2 (100-200) DZ 6 (1500-2000) DZ 10 (≥5000) W. Barthiott, W. Lauer & A. Placke 1966
Department of Botany and Geography, University of Bonn
DZ 3 (200-500) DZ 7 (2000-3000) Capensis floristic regions German Aerospace Research Establishment, Cologne

Cartography: M. Gref
Sea surface temperature
Department of Geography, University of Bonn
>29°C >27°C cold currents

The RSPO was

established in 2004 to
2004
promote the
production and use of
sustainable palm oil for
People, Planet, and
Prosperity.

Oil Palm a membership-based

organisation Environmental
Growers
NGOs

Palm Oil
Processors Social
and Traders NGOs

Banks /
Consumer Goods Investors
Manufacturers

Retailers
INTERNATIONAL
CERTIFICATION
SCHEME
TRADEMARK

HOW RSPO OPERATES

ORDINARY MEMBERS AFFILIATE MEMBERS SUPPLY CHAIN MEMBERS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA)

BOARD OF RSPO SECRETARIAT

GOVERNORS

STANDING COMMITTEES

WORKING GROUPS/
TASK FORCES

8 PRINCIPLES
for growers to be RSPO certified
Environmental responsibility
1 Commitment to
transparency 5 and conserva�on of natural
resources and biodiversity

Compliance with Responsible considera�on of

2 applicable laws and
regula�ons
6 employees, and of individuals
and communi�es affected by
growers and mills
Commitment to
3 long-term economic and
financial viability 7 Responsible development of
new plan�ngs

Use of appropriate best Commitment to con�nuous

4 prac�ces by growers
and millers
8 improvement in key areas of
ac�vity

RSPO WORLDWIDE IMPACT

t
illion m

a
nh
illio
12.46 m

+19%
es
7m

tri
un
2.6

co

i lls
92

of palm oil globally is

7m
s,

3 4
cer�fied by the RSPO
er

s,
mb

a nie
me

mp es
cili�
(Source: based on USDA
c o
32

78 fa benchmark for 2016)

,647
38

4
an ies,
mp
0 co As of end-2017, RSPO certified palm
1,99 countrie
s
ver 54
nses in o oil plantations cover an area
677 lice
approximately 34 times the size of
Singapore island - and this
CSPO Volume Grower’s Certification continues to grow fast.
Certified Production Supply Chain Certificates
Area
Trademark Licensees
Membership

COMMITTED TO SMALLHOLDERS

89,192
Individual Smallholders Supported
317,577
Hectares of Smallholders Certified Area

RSPO supports smallholders to improve their livelihoods by targeting

improved management practices, better quality fresh fruit bunches,
increased yields and access to markets.

Thailand
Guatemala
13,142 ha
3,487 ha
Costa Rica
14,374 ha
Papua New Guinea
Malaysia
Colombia 57,868 ha
102 ha
13,029 ha 2,927 ha

Solomon Islands
Brazil Ghana 711 ha
34,146 ha 2,984 ha Indonesia
Ecuador 152,235 ha
10,030 ha 7,469 ha
1,668 ha Ivory Coast
405 ha Sum of Area Cer�fied by Scheme Smallholders
Sum of Area Cer�fied by Independent Smallholders

RSPO Smallholders Support Fund grants up to 100%

of certification cost to smallholders.

Globally produced Costa Rica

RSPO certified Others 1.28%
sustainable palm oil 6.88%
Papua New Guinea
5.72%
Indonesia
54.92%

Malaysia
31.20%

Some of the brands carrying

the RSPO Trademark License

Sweden
Norway
Denmark
Germany
United Kingdom
Netherlands
France
USA
China
Belgium

India

Italy
Countries where Switzerland
some industries
commi�ed to
100% RSPO cer�fied Australia
sustainable palm oil

Na�ons showing
posi�ve momentum

Some of the global companies who have committed to

100% RSPO certified sustainable palm oil

Find out more at www.rspo.org

Published in May 2018 by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
@rspotweets
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)