RSPO Releases Trademark for Use by its Members

Members will be able to use the trademark in communication on or about products that contain palm-derived ingredients sourced in compliance with one or more of three RSPO supply chain systems: ‘Identity Preserved’, ‘Segregated’ and ‘Mass Balance’.

6/1/2011 --- The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has formally released its trademark for use in the market. From now on, RSPO members will be able to even more clearly show their commitment to sustainable palm oil and other sustainable palm-derived products.

Members will be able to use the trademark in communication on or about products that contain palm-derived ingredients sourced in compliance with one or more of three RSPO supply chain systems: ‘Identity Preserved’, ‘Segregated’ and ‘Mass Balance’.

The design of the trademark was unveiled in November 2010 at the 8th Roundtable Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. Now, rules governing the use of the trademark have been finalized and a procedure to apply for trademark licenses has been put into place.

The RSPO trademark is being registered in more than sixty countries worldwide, including all major palm oil markets. The trademark will play an important role in RSPO’s active outreach to stakeholders (including consumers) in key markets such as China and India.

RSPO’s new Rules on Communications and Claims and the Trademark License Agreement, which together govern all RSPO-related communication including use of the trademark, have been posted in the RSPO’s online Market Center (www.rspo.info/market). Among them:

•    The trademark will be available in two versions: one for use with the Identity Preserved (IP) and Segregated (SG) systems, one for use with the Mass Balance (MB) system.
•    In the IP and SG systems, the trademark may be tagged with the word ‘CERTIFIED’. The written claim reads that the product “contains certified sustainable palm oil.”
•    In the MB system, the trademark must always be tagged with the word ‘MIXED’. A written claim reads that the product “contributes to the production of certified sustainable palm oil’.
•    The trademark can only be used with products in which all palm-derived ingredients (i.e. >95%) were sourced in compliance with RSPO supply chain systems.
•    A web address (www.rspo.info) is added to written claims. In the future, RSPO will use this new web address to communicate directly with consumers.
•    Members must acquire a numbered trademark license from the RSPO before they can use the trademark in product-related communication. They can do so at the member (company) level. They must provide contact details, the web address of the relevant supply chain certificate(s), the web address of an up-to-date listing/description of trademark-carrying products, and the supply chain system(s) that are linked to the trademark display.
•    The license number will link publicly to the relevant supply chain certificate(s). The number must be displayed with the trademark itself.
•    Translations and artwork are provided by the RSPO. Alternative wordings are no longer allowed.
•    For a limited time, but at least until 1 July 2012, use of the RSPO trademark will be free. After that, the RSPO may decide to charge annual trademark license fees to recuperate costs.
•    Members may not use the trademark for corporate communication. Use of the RSPO corporate logo (RSPO) is allowed on corporate websites only and under strict conditions.
•    Members or media who need to display the trademark for non-commercial use, i.e. to educate the market or the public, will be able to receive authorization from the RSPO Communications office (trademark@rspo.org).
•    Application of RSPO’s Rules on Communication and Claims, including use of the trademark, will be checked during annual supply chain certification audits.
•    Stacks of existing printed materials, produced under the old ‘RSPO Guidelines on Communications and Claims’, can still be used for a maximum of 12 months from today.
•    The RSPO will review the rules governing the trademark after one year.