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 

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