The Netherlands Commits to Solely Using Sustainable Palm Oil by 2015

It is the first time a country rather than a company commits itself to using only sustainable palm oil. The Dutch Task Force was initiated by the Dutch Product Board for Margarine, Fats and Oils (MVO), which also participates in the global RSPO.

Nov 5 2010 --- By the end of 2015, all palm oil used in The Netherlands will be sustainable, as certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Today, all palm oil suppliers and buyers in the Dutch market, united in the Dutch Taskforce Sustainable Palm Oil, pledged to work collectively towards this goal. They did so in a Manifesto that was presented to the government of The Netherlands.

It is the first time a country rather than a company commits itself to using only sustainable palm oil. The Dutch Task Force was initiated by the Dutch Product Board for Margarine, Fats and Oils (MVO), which also participates in the global RSPO.

"Dutch business has long been closely involved in efforts to make the palm oil supply chain more sustainable. The country has been one of the front runners in this respect," said Frans Claassen, Director of MVO. "Now, we commit ourselves to acting on our believes. Over the next few years, we will work very hard to ensure that all palm oil used in the Netherlands will be sustainable by the end of 2015. In other words, that it is purchased in accordance with one of the trading systems approved by the RSPO."

"We call on other countries in Europe, North America and Asia to follow this example," Claassen added.

Task Force participants include associations representing the Dutch refining industry, food manufacturing industry and feed industry. Together, they represent a significant share of the Dutch palm oil market.

The Manifesto was presented to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture and Foreign Trade, Mr. Henk Bleker, during a meeting in which the World Wildlife Fund and Oxfam Novib were also present.

In his response, Minister Bleker said "the Task Force is a very good initiative that shows everyone can take responsibility. We will all benefit from sustainable palm oil, so this is good news for palm oil producers, for palm oil traders, and for Dutch consumers as well."

The Task Force’s main starting principles are:

Partnership: The Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil is a partnership. The chain partners united in the Task Force are working together to make the palm oil chain more sustainable.

Phased approach: The Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil pledges a strong commitment to the specific aim of making all palm oil destined for the Dutch market sustainable. The Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil will work towards achieving this aim step by step.

Sector specific approach: The Task Force leaves room for a sector specific approach. Thus, there is room for a tailored contribution by each sector and every participant.

Choice for sustainable palm oil: In order to make the palm oil chain more sustainable and to set in motion a transition towards a mainstream sustainable palm oil market, the Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil opts for an approach that does not promote or discourage the use of palm oil in general but that rather stimulates the use of sustainably produced palm oil in cases when palm oil is used.

Transparency: Annually, the Task Force will publish a report and thus will allow inspection of the progress that has been made.

Scope: The Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil aims at the Dutch market. This means that the palm oil that is imported and subsequently re-exported, possibly after processing, is not taken into consideration.

Apart from the above starting principles, there are two important preconditions which have to be met in order for the formulated ambition to be reached:

Availability: In order to reach the ambition, the availability of sufficient sustainable palm oil is a necessity.

Considering small users: In order to meet the objective it is important that smaller end users likewise have easy access to or can make wide use of RSPO certified palm oil. Currently, the RSPO is simplifying the use of existing trade systems for smaller end users. The Task Force underlines the importance of simplification.

Participants in the Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil commit themselves to developing a specific action programme for the period 2011 - 2015. Participants in the Task Force implement the objective of the Task Force annually by means of a specific plan of approach (action programme). The action programme contains a translation of the Task Force objective into a sector objective and a description of the activities that need to be carried out to achieve this objective. The annual reporting on the activities constitutes a part of the action programme as well.

The action plan includes a description of activities and initiatives to encourage businesses to choose for sustainable palm oil. For instance, by supplying information and documentation, giving presentations and / or workshops on how sustainable palm oil can be procured, etcetera. Each year the members formulate a plan of approach. To do so, participants use the format developed by the Task Force. Each year, the plan of approach must be submitted before October 31st. The product board MVO can assist sector organisations and individual businesses in drawing up action programmes on the basis of the format.

Once a year participants in the Task Force report on the results they have achieved. In such a report, each participant describes which activities have been carried out (qualitative monitoring). Also, the amount of sustainable palm oil bought (or its equivalent in certificates) and the choice for book & claim, mass balance or segregation will be monitored. Moreover, the total amount of palm oil bought that year will be monitored (quantitative monitoring).

For their reports, the participants make use of the format developed by the Task Force. The annual report must be submitted by March 31st. Upon participation, the Task Force participants commit themselves to a baseline measurement (as part of the quantitative monitoring) to chart the current use of palm oil. Also, an overview is provided on the existing commitments to the using of sustainable palm oil made by individual businesses.

On the basis of the various reports, MVO draws up one joint report in which the results of the Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil are combined. Qualitative monitoring will be reported on per sector, aggregated quantitative monitoring will be reported on at the level of the entire Task Force (in order to prevent double counting, some parties will not monitor at a quantitative level). This report will be made public.