Erudus… showcases Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certification

One of these attributes is certifications, so users can see which industry certifications a product holds. And in this series we explore the range of certifications you can add to an Erudus product specification, and what they mean.

So far we’ve covered:

• BRCGS
• Red Tractor
• British Lion
• SALSA
• RSPCA Assured
• MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) Certified
• Fairtrade
• Quality Meat Scotland
• LEAF Certification
• Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Certification
• ISO 14001 Certification
• Food for Life Supplier Scheme Certification
• Rainforest Alliance Certification

This time the spotlight is on Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certification...

What is the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil?

The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development and implementation of standards to be used in the production of sustainable palm oil. It does this by bringing together stakeholders from all sectors of the palm oil industry - including producers, processors, Manufacturers, Retailers, investors and social or environmental organisations, to develop criteria that helps companies minimise the negative effects of palm oil cultivation and production on local environments and communities.

The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil has more than 5k members worldwide who represent all links along the palm oil supply chain.

What is Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification?

RSPO certification is a scheme which companies can join to display their dedication to the production of sustainable and responsible palm oil. In order to hold this certification they must properly apply the criteria set by the The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil.

There are 2 different systems for the certification:

• “Producer/grower Certification” - also known as “Principles & Criteria Certification”, which ensures palm oil is produced sustainably.
• Certification to show that palm oil that is sold as “sustainable palm oil” really is sustainable, to reinforce and ensure the trade of sustainable palm oil.

Both of these systems' certification is rigorously assessed and awarded by accredited third party certification bodies. All RSPO certification bodies are accredited by the ASI (Assurance Services International) and a list of them can be found here.

What is the aim of Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification?

The aim of RSPO certification is multi-faceted:

• To ensure palm oil is produced without causing harm to the environment or society
• To reduce the risk for consumers to use palm oil that is not sustainable
• To ensure the credibility of palm oil sustainability claims
• To promote greater transparency and credibility in the palm oil industry
• Advance the production, procurement, finance and use of sustainable palm oil products
• Develop, implement, verify, assure and periodically review credible global standards for the entire supply chain of sustainable palm oil
• Monitor and evaluate the economic, environmental and social impacts of the uptake of sustainable palm oil in the market
• Engage and commit all stakeholders throughout the supply chain, including governments and consumers.

RSPO-certified growers account for 19% of global palm oil production (2014).

How is Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil certification developed?

Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil certification standards are set using best practices as stipulated by ISEAL, and are reviewed and revised every 5 years. An extensive process is used to create the principles and criteria of the standards, with an emphasis on stakeholder consultations.

When did Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil certification begin?

The principles and criteria of RSPO certification were released for use in 2007, after 2 years in pilot implementation. The principles and criteria were endorsed by the Executive Board in early 2013 and accepted at the Extraordinary General Assembly by the RSPO members later that year.

How is the integrity of Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification maintained?

The RSPO certification scheme takes many steps to ensure its integrity, including:

• Strict verification of production process of Palm Oil.
• Stringent and thorough principles and criteria.
• Certification only issued by accredited bodies.
• Certification can be withdrawn at any time in the case of standards infringement.
• Regular auditing of all organisations in the supply chain that use RSPO certified sustainable oil products are audited to prevent overselling and mixing palm oil with conventional (or non-sustainable) oil palm products.
• Legal ownership taken by all organisations using the scheme, and RSPO certified sustainable oil palm products need to be supply chain certified.
• Palm oil growers assessed every 5 years and if certified, annually assessed for continued compliance.

What are the elements of RSPO certification?

There are 3 main elements to the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil:

• Standard - This lays out the criteria and requirements which must be met in order to achieve certification and against which assessments are made and which supply chain actors are audited against.
• Accreditation - This assures all certification bodies associated with RSPO certification are suitable to undertake credible audits.
• Process requirements - Used to establish and ensure the RSPO certification standards have been met and certification carried out by an accredited body.

The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil certification standards are detailed in a generic document adapted for use by individual countries, as their different laws and cultural practices might require slightly different principles and criteria. More information on National Interpretations can be found here.

What is the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification mark?

The green palm tree RSPO trademark can be displayed on products that use RSPO certified palm oil. This ecolabel can be used on pack on food and non-food products, but the Manufacturer most hold a licence to use it.

Use is subject to conditions that can be found here.

More information about the Trademark can be found here.

How can Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification help your business?

RSPO certification doesn’t just help consumers and the environment and society in palm-oil producing areas, it benefits companies who hold the certification too.

These benefits include:

• Make products more attractive to consumers increasingly prioritising sustainability
• Allows companies to be part of the solution rather than a problem
• Helping the environment
• RSPO members make up a large part of the world’s palm oil that is produced and sold in the global market.
• Key social and environmental NGOs lend their sighting to the processes for greater transparency and credibility.

Who does the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) work with?

RSPO work with companies across the entire palm oil supply chain and industry. You can find a list of licensees here.

How do you gain Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification?

To gain RSPO certification companies must take several steps, starting with deciding which membership category your organisation/business is best suited to. The RSPO then advise you to read up on the specific requirements.

After this the choice is then confirmed with the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil, who will send an invoice. The application will be posted on the RSPO website for public comments for 2 weeks, after which there will be an internal review and if approval is awarded a confirmation letter will be posted and certification listed on the RSPO website.

You can see the entire process here.

Potential licensees must also register here.

For more information about Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil certification visit the website.