RSPO - Certification for sustainable palm oil
What makes palm oil special?
Palm oil is the highest-yielding vegetable oil in the world and can be used in a variety of ways. Oil palms produce an average of 3.25 tonnes per hectare (t/ha), making them the leader in vegetable oil production. The natural properties of the oil fruit make foods heat-stable and the fat serves as a carrier of flavours and vitamins.
Why should palm oil be RSPO-certified?
In addition to its use as cooking oil, palm oil is contained in many other products. If palm oil cultivation is not carried out sustainably, this has far-reaching negative consequences for people, the environment and wildlife. The non-profit organisation ‘Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil’ (RSPO) was therefore founded in 2004 on the initiative of the WWF.
What is the RSPO?
The members of the non-profit organisation RSPO are stakeholders along the entire supply chain, such as oil producers, processors and NGOs. Currently, 4,038 companies have been certified according to the RSPO standard.
‘At the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), we have a simple goal: a sustainable palm oil industry.’
(Source: https://rspo.org)
This goal is the basis for the certification system RSPO Supply Chain Certification Standard (RSPO SCC Standard) and RSPO Principles and Criteria (RSPO P&C). RSPO supply chain certification thus guarantees that environmental and human rights objectives, such as combating deforestation of valuable rainforests and fair treatment of communities and workers, are met.
Your advantages with RSPO certification
If you decide in favour of sustainable palm oil certification, you integrate eco-social goals into your production. In doing so, you send an important signal to your customers in favour of sustainable palm oil production and benefit from it: customers are becoming increasingly conscious consumers, as the study ‘Analysis of the palm oil sector in Germany in 2019’ by Forum Nachhaltiges Palmöl (FONAP) e.V. shows.
With RSPO certification
- you fulfil customer requirements
- Gain credibility through an independent audit
- Improve your reputation by promoting the RSPO goals
RSPO certification process in a 5-year cycle
The different supply chain models of identity preservation, segregation, mass balance and book and claim place different requirements on the traceability of the palm oil used.
IP – Identity Preservation
Traceability of RSPO palm oil back to the individual, specific plantation
Physical separation of IP-certified oil palm products from non-certified oil palm products throughout the supply chain
SG – Segregation
Traceability of sustainable palm oil to several certified plantations
Mixture of IP and SG possible
Physical separation of sustainable and conventional palm oil
MB – mass balance
Controlled mixing of certified and non-certified palm oil
Based on volume account
The quantity of RSPO-certified palm oil processed must correspond to the quantity of certified palm oil purchased
B&C – Book and Claim
Manufacturers and retailers can buy credits from RSPO certified growers to promote the production of sustainable oil palm products
Why RSPO certification with GUTcert?
Together for more sustainability: We are here for you!
- We offer a professionally competent and comprehensible RSPO audit certified by the ASI and DAkkS.
- Our experienced and highly qualified auditors will successfully support you in the RSPO certification process.
- Our team of experts is always on hand to answer your questions and problems and to support you in preparing for and conducting the audit.