Mondelēz has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights across all operations.
In order to drive real change, Mondelēz should apply its commitment to palm kernel oil, verify traceability to known palm oil plantations, require independent third-party verification of supplier compliance, and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (June 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Requires compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, including joint-venture operations, suppliers and oil traded on the open market
Requires suppliers to publish a policy and “be able to demonstrate policy implementation by year end 2015, or to have time-bound plans in place”
Requires suppliers to achieve traceability to the mill level by the end of 2015
Requires verification of supplier compliance with the RSPO standard “plus credible third-party verification of criteria outside recognized standards” which includes no destruction of rainforests and peatlands
Has a commitment to “give priority to supplies that meet our sustainability principles, and eliminate supplies that do not.
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
Advocates for palm oil sector reforms with peers and other decision makers
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
Does not apply to Palm Kernel Oil (PKO)
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No deadline for verified compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent third-party verification of supplier compliance with social safeguards beyond inadequate RSPO auditing
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders beyond published policies
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd., is the ‘worst performing’ laggard as the company has not yet taken even the first step to address its Conflict Palm Oil problem by adopting a palm oil commitment. As a matter of urgency, Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. needs to adopt a global responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment:
No public palm oil commitment
Weaknesses:
No responsible palm oil commitment that requires suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Kraft Foods Group is a laggard company with a weak palm oil commitment that relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system and lacks requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Kraft Foods Group needs to adopt a globally responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment:
Kraft states that: “To offset the use of conventional Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil products”, [it purchases] GreenPalm certificates and “starting in January 2015, [Kraft] began a transition of [its] directly procured Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil volumes to [RSPO] mass balance products.”
Weaknesses:
No additional requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Ongoing reliance on discredited GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Note: Since the launch of our campaign on the Snack Food 20 Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company have merged as one company called The Kraft Heinz Company. The analysis of each company’s palm oil commitment are shown separately as the merger is yet to be confirmed and The Kraft Heinz Company is yet to release an updated palm oil procurement policy. As a matter of urgency, The Kraft Heinz Company needs to adopt a global responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Krispy Kreme has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, Krispy Kreme should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Requires palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Sets a deadline for compliance in global operations by the end of 2016
Commits to “only source from suppliers whose operations are legally produced, fully traceable to the plantation level and verified as free of deforestation, expansion onto peatlands, and the violation of human and labor rights”
Requires suppliers that are not in compliance “to submit a viable action plan for closing any identified gaps, or risk removal from the brand’s supply chain.”
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
Does not clearly state if verification will be undertaken by an independent third-party
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirements for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Nissin Foods is a laggard company with a weak palm oil commitment that relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system and lacks requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Nissin Foods needs to adopt a global responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (August 2013):
Has a public commitment to reach a “goal of utilizing 100% usage of sustainable palm oil starting with the USA by the end of 2015.”
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No additional requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil,
The Hershey Company has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, The Hershey Company should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, verify traceability to known palm oil plantations in high and low-risk regions, and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Expects to achieve traceability to the mill level by first quarter 2015 and to map its palm oil supply chain to individual plantations in high risk regions in 2016
Has commissioned a second-party to verify traceability to known plantations in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
Has a commitment to “assess which suppliers present the highest risk for engaging in deforestation and will require that these suppliers commit to implementing responsible expansion procedures to the plantation level in 2016”
Has a commitment to “Work with suppliers to [remediate violations to its policy], and, where necessary, find alternative suppliers”
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress annually towards full implementation of commitment and has published the names of its top four suppliers - Cargill, IOI Group, AAK and Fuji Oils
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No commitment to verify traceability to known plantations in low risk regions
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No requirements for transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
Risk assessments only assess risk of deforestation and lack social indicators needed to identify and prioritize areas of significant social conflict risks eg. human rights and labor rights violations and outstanding grievances.
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Hillshire Brands Company is a laggard company with a weak palm oil commitment that relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system and lacks requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Hillshire Brands Company needs to adopt a global responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (2010):
Has a commitment “to support palm oil produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner by purchasing GreenPalm palm oil certification” for 12.5 percent of the total volume of palm oil used in [their] products.
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No additional requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across growers’ entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
In August 2014, Hillshire Brands was acquired by Tyson Foods, a company that also lacks a global time-bound responsible palm oil procurement policy.
ConAgra Food has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights across entire operations.
In order to drive real change, ConAgra should commit to verify traceability to known plantations, require independent third-party verification of supplier compliance, and publish a time-bound plan that includes performance-based milestones that will be need to be met to cut Conflict Palm Oil by its 2015 deadline.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
“Traceability to the extraction mill and validation of fresh fruit bunches to the plantation estate”
Applies to all branded products in all countries where its products are made and sold
Sets an assertive deadline to only source from responsible suppliers of palm oil for global operations by the end of 2015
Has a commitment to “move to suspend or eliminate palm oil purchases from supplier in question [that is] seriously violating the stated principles...if that supplier does not acknowledge and immediately move to acceptably remediate the concern”
Requires compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress annually towards full implementation of commitment
Encourage suppliers to regularly update their progress
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
Have not committed to verify traceability to known plantations in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
No requirement for independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
Lack clear requirements for transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Grupo Bimbo has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights across entire operations.
In order to drive real change, Grupo Bimbo should commit to independent third-party verification of compliance for all its suppliers and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2015):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests; protect and restore peatlands; avoid the use of paraquat; uphold human and labor rights; avoid recruitment fees for workers and resolve conflicts including by providing redress for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold Requires palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level.
Has commissioned a second-party to ‘map and assess” their supply chain and “will work with other third-parties to achieve and verify company-wide compliance"
Has a commitment to “work with suppliers to create a corrective action plan with reasonable time commitments to meet our requirements ” and “where suppliers fail to meet time-bound requirements” terminate contracts.
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress biannually towards full implementation of commitment and regularly disclosing a list of top suppliers and sourcing countries
Expects suppliers to adopt their own “time-bound responsible palm oil policies”
Encourages public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across growers’ entire operations
No requirement for all suppliers to undergo independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Dunkin’ Brands has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, Dunkin’ Brands should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil from its global operations.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Requires palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
Applies to all branded products or in all countries where products are made and sold
Requires independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, on the destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
Requires “current and potential suppliers to complete a supplier code of conduct survey to help identify social and environmental risks in [their] supply chain and to ensure continued adherence to [the company’s] policies and standards”
Sets a deadline to source palm oil that is fully traceable to the plantation level, RSPO certified and compliant with the responsible palm oil principles in its policy by December 31, 2016 for its US operations
Has a commitment to “disqualify any suppliers in serious violation of its policy, and which do not take immediate remedial action to correct those violations”
Has a commitment to publicly report on progress annually, or on an interim basis as needed, towards full implementation of it commitment
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Nestlé has been recognized as a front runner since 2010 when it released a responsible palm oil commitment that required its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, Nestlé should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, strengthen its requirements on upholding human and labor rights and publish a time-bound plan with an assertive deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (May 2010 and August 2013):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands, and abuse of human and labor rights
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Aims “to continuously increase the amount of palm oil that [the company] can trace back to plantations”
Commits to achieving 95% traceability to the mill and 75% responsibly sourced palm oil by the end of 2015.
Has commissioned a second-party to verify traceability to known plantations in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
Accepts RSPO certification “as verification of compliance with the Nestlé RSGs, with the exception of the requirements on peatland and high carbon forest which must be independently verified”
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress annually towards full implementation of commitment
Advocates for palm oil sector reforms with peers and other decision makers
Phasing out reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No assertive deadline for cutting Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with social safeguards beyond inadequate RSPO auditing
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Campbell Soup Company has committed to cut deforestation from its supply chains but its palm oil commitment is still reliant solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system and lack requirements for suppliers to uphold human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Campbell Soup Company needs to adopt a global responsible palm oil procurement policy that includes a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (May 2014):
Has a commitment to “purchase 100% certified sustainably sourced palm oil by 2015”
Requires that palm oil purchased “has not led to deforestation, degradation or the destruction of wildlife habitats; the loss of High Conservation Values Areas (HCVA); [the loss of] forest areas of ‘high carbon’ value; or the destruction of peatlands.”
Aims to “purchase 100 percent CSPO through a combination of segregated where feasible and mass balance as [they] strive toward a fully segregated supply chain with clear transparency and traceability”
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No requirements for suppliers to end the abuse of human and worker rights
2015 deadline only requires CSPO so the company still lacks an assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil by the end of 2015
No clear requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
Unclear if policy applies to all branded products and global markets
No commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies solely on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Kellogg Company has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, Kellogg Company should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations and publish a time-bound plan that includes performance-based milestones that will be need to be met to cut Conflict Palm Oil by its deadline of 2015.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (February 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Requires palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
Requires independent third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
Sets an assertive deadline to source only responsible palm oil in global operations by the end of 2015, buts provides an option for noncompliant suppliers to work towards compliance after this deadline
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
Requests its suppliers demonstrate a progressive reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions of the plantations they own and report on the greenhouse gas emissions of their operations
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
Allows non-compliant suppliers to remain in supply chain after 2015 deadline if they have an action plan in place
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Hormel Foods Corporation is a laggard company because its palm oil commitment lacks clear requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Hormel Foods Corporation should strengthen its current commitment and publish a time-bound plan to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (May 2014):
Purchases 100% of its palm oil from RSPO certified sources
Has a commitment to only purchase fully traceable palm oil by the end of 2014 and report progress towards this goal
“Shares the goal of [its] suppliers of developing a sustainable palm industry in order to: protect rainforests; protect ecosystems; protect peatlands; protect high carbon stock forests; protect human rights; improve social standards; and help feed the world in a sustainable way”
“In the event an audit or other credible source reveals a supplier is in violation of [its] policy, Hormel Foods will implement corrective actions. If reasonable/appropriate corrective actions cannot be agreed to, Hormel Foods will suspend or discontinue purchases from the supplier”
Has a commitment to "purchase only sustainable palm that is fully traceable to the plantations by 2019"
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No clear requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across growers’ entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
Unclear if commitment to transparently report on progress applies to full implementation of its commitment
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
General Mills has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights.
In order to drive real change, General Mills should require compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, and publish a time-bound plan that includes performance-based milestones that will be need to be met to cut Conflict Palm Oil by its 2015 deadline.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (July 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests and peatlands
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Sets an assertive deadline to source “palm oil from responsible and sustainable sources” in global operations by the end of 2015
“Traceability to the extraction mill and validation of fresh fruit bunches” to the plantation estate
Has commissioned a second-party to verify traceability to known plantations in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
Has a commitment to “move to suspend or eliminate palm oil purchases from [a] supplier [that is] seriously violating the stated principles...if that supplier does not acknowledge and immediately move to acceptably remediate the concern”
Has a commitment to transparent reporting on progress towards full implementation of commitment
Encourages public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders and has publicly listed its top three suppliers - ADM, Agropalma and Bunge.
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for independent third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirements for transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Unilever is considered by many as one of the first companies to recognize its Conflict Palm Oil problem. However, it is now lagging behind its peers as its palm oil commitment lacks clear requirements and a deadline for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights. As a matter of urgency, Unilever should strengthen its current commitment and publish a time-bound plan that includes an ambitious deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (November 2013):
Commits to source all of its palm oil traceable to known and certified sources by 2020
Commits to “work with suppliers that show commitment and intent to adhere to principles consistent with [their] own ambition”
Acknowledges that human and labor rights, along with no further clearing of rainforests or peatlands, is “vital to create a sustainable palm oil industry,” but fails to set this as a requirement for suppliers
Has commissioned second-parties to verify traceability to ‘known mills’ in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
Aims to have all its palm oil bought from known mills by the end of 2014
Commits to be transparent about its progress and provide publicly available information on an annual basis
Advocates for palm oil sector reforms with peers and other decision makers
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No clear requirements for suppliers to end destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from global operations by the end of 2015
No requirement for palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across growers’ entire operations
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Relies on the inadequate Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Smuckers has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights across entire operations.
In order to drive real change, Smuckers should publish a time-bound plan that includes performance-based milestones that will be need to be met to cut Conflict Palm Oil by its 2015 deadline.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (July 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold
Requires palm oil to be traceable to the plantation level
Requires compliance across its suppliers’ entire operations
Requires independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
Sets an assertive deadline to source only responsible palm oil in global operations by the end of 2015, buts provides an option for noncompliant suppliers to work towards compliance after this deadline
Has a commitment to annually report on progress towards the implementation of its own palm oil commitments
Requests its suppliers demonstrate a progressive reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions of the plantations they own and report on the greenhouse gas emissions of their operations
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
Allows non-compliant suppliers to remain in supply chain after 2015 deadline if they have an action plan in place
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
No published commitment or procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirements for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
PepsiCo is a laggard company because its revised palm oil commitment lacks an ambitious deadline for cutting Conflict Palm Oil and failed to apply to all PepsiCo branded products; such as products made by its Joint Venture Partner (JVP), Indofood. We understand that PepsiCo expects its JVPs to comply, but PepsiCo has not yet outlined its plan to enforce its policy in all countries where its products are sold. Given that Indofood manufactures PepsiCo branded products, it is a matter of urgency that PepsiCo require Indofood to halt the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and the abuse of human rights. It is critical that the time-bound implementation plan PepsiCo plans to publish in October 2015 includes measures to undertake independent verification of its suppliers’ entire operations--the only way to ensure the company, and its JVPs, are not purchasing from companies trafficking Conflict Palm Oil. Given its size and influence, PepsiCo has an opportunity to play a leading role in transforming the palm oil sector in Indonesia, Malaysia and Latin America.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (September 2015):
Has a commitment to source 100% RSPO certified palm oil by 2015 and 100% physical RSPO certified palm oil by 2020
Has a commitment to source palm oil that is traceable to the mill by 2016 and to the plantation by 2020.
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights, with the exemption of Joint Venture Partners such as Indofood.
Commits to terminate the relationship with suppliers when corrective action plans are not implemented
Commits to release a public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones.
Commits to periodically report [its] performance against [its] policy and associated commitments
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Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
Does not apply to all branded products or in all countries where products are made and sold, including by subsidiaries and joint venture partners.
No assertive deadline for eliminating Conflict Palm Oil from all branded products and global operations by the end of 2015.
No requirement for compliance across suppliers’ entire operations, but does ‘encourage suppliers to apply responsible palm oil production standards to their entire operations, not just those supplying PepsiCo’.
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across growers’ entire operations.
No requirement for independent verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights.
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers.
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains.
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders.
Ongoing reliance on discredited RSPO GreenPalm Certificates instead of supply chain transformation.
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations, high risk regions and high risk supplier Indofood.
Company products at extreme risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil
Mars has emerged as a front runner as it has released a responsible palm oil commitment that requires its suppliers to comply with a higher standard than the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by ending the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights across their entire operations.
In order to drive real change, Mars should publish a time-bound plan that includes performance-based milestones that will be need to be met to cut Conflict Palm Oil in all products by its deadline of 2015.
Current Palm Oil Commitment (March 2014):
Requires suppliers to go beyond the inadequate standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and end the destruction of rainforests, peatlands and abuse of human and labor rights
Applies to all branded products in all countries where products are made and sold with the exception of ready-made products
Requires compliance across suppliers’ entire operations
Sets an assertive deadline to source only responsible palm oil in global operations by the end of 2015, but provides an option for non-compliant suppliers to work towards compliance after this deadline
“Working with all of [their] suppliers to obtain their written commitment to [their] sourcing charter by the year-end 2014. As an incentive, [they] will award business to those suppliers which share our values and apply our principles, and reconsider business with suppliers which do not."
Has commissioned a second-party to verify traceability to known plantations in its supply chain and conduct supplier assessments
Commits to annually report on progress towards the implementation of its own palm oil commitments
Advocates for palm oil sector reforms with peers and other decision makers
Weaknesses in Palm Oil Commitment:
No requirement for independent, third-party verification of supplier compliance with responsible palm oil production practices, including no destruction of rainforests, peatlands or abuse of human and labor rights
No requirement for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of rainforests and peatlands across grower entire operations
Allows non-compliant suppliers to remain in supply chain after 2015 deadline if they have an action plan in place
No published procedures to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil suppliers
No public time-bound implementation plan, with clear performance based milestones for achieving traceable, transparent and independently verified supply chains
No requirement for public transparency from palm oil growers, refiners, and traders
Current status:
Ongoing sourcing from unknown plantations and high risk regions
Company products at high risk of contamination with Conflict Palm Oil