RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTS
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTS
RSPO-certified Emulsifiers, Polymer Additives and Personal Care Ingredients
What is the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) – and what does it do?
The RSPO is a global non-profit initiative that unites stakeholders from the seven sectors of the palm oil industry: oil palm growers, processors or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks/investors, and environmental and social non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil.
The principal objective of the RSPO is "to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue between the stakeholders."
The RSPO has developed a set of environmental and social criteria which companies must comply with in order to produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). When properly applied, these criteria help minimise the negative impact of palm oil cultivation on the environment and communities in palm oil-producing regions.
RSPO certification for palm oil producers promotes:
- Commitment to transparency
- Environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity
- Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- Responsible consideration of employees, and of individuals and communities affected by growers and mills
- Commitment to long-term economic and financial viability
- Responsible development of new plantings
- Use of appropriate best practices by growers and millers
- Commitment to continuous improvement in key areas of activities
The RSPO has more than 5,260 members worldwide who represent all links along the palm oil supply chain. They have committed to produce, source and/or use sustainable palm oil certified by the RSPO according to its four different Supply Chain Certification Standard levels (SCCS).
What does it mean for food, polymer and personal care manufacturers?
If you want to source sustainable ingredients or additives for your food, polymers or personal care products, Palsgaard is a great place to start. If you also want to claim that your products are based on sustainable palm oil, so consumers can identify your finished goods or the products your ingredients go into as sustainable, there is a bit more to it than just buying responsibly manufactured ingredients.
The RSPO states that all manufacturing companies in the supply chain from palm oil plantation to end product must be certified according to the RSPO SCCS in order to handle products based on Segregated or Mass Balance certified palm oil. This means that, just as Palsgaard is certified, you as a producer must have an implemented and RSPO-approved system to administrate your palm oil-based purchase and sale (for Mass Balance) and production processes (Segregated). And you must ensure that this is independently verified by an RSPO-accredited certification body. Palsgaard, for example, is audited by Bureau Veritas every year.
How do I become certified?
Achieving RSPO SCCS certification is a process with a number of steps, including:
- Requirements of transparency on purchase and sales documents
- Set-up of guidelines for handling material flow in production – i.e. from arrival at your facilities until the finished product containing CSPO leaves your premises
- Documentation of traceability and cleaning procedures in production
There are different requirements for Mass Balance versus Segregated certification.
Since Palsgaard is certified according to both levels and therefore knows the approval process in intricate detail, we will be happy to provide helpful advice if you are interested in becoming certified, too. Simply fill in the contact form on our contact page and a Palsgaard representative from your region will contact you.
