We often associate palm oil production with deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, labour rights violations and social conflicts. Yet, there are also examples in which palm oil contributes to positive social and environmental change and improves the lives of farmers and rural communities. These stories are as omnipresent as the negative ones but are seldom heard and told. Below are stories that tell about these positive examples highlighting how sustainable palm oil production created a positive impact on the ground.
In agri-commodity supply chains in non-western countries poor working conditions, sexual harassment and human rights violations are unfortunately still a reality. CNV and HUKATAN-KSBSI jointly engage to improve the situation on palm oil plantations in Indonesia.
Frightening stories about palm oil production causing biodiversity loss, deforestation, violation of labour rights and social conflicts fill our daily news. These stories obscure those examples in which palm oil drives positive social and environmental change and improves the lives of farmers and their communities. These stories are as omnipresent as the negative ones but are seldom heard and told.
To best serve both an industry and a species that is critically endangered, PONGO Alliance engages industry with a pragmatic approach. Central to their mission is to work together to achieve collaborative solutions to create a paradigm shift in agricultural practices that reframes the oil palm industry as one that supports rather than destroys orangutan habitat.
Indonesia is the world’s leading palm oil producer and exporter, and the Indonesian palm oil industry has often been accused of the number one cause of deforestation in that country in recent decades. However, the latest data shows that the tide is turning.
In 2019 Indonesia ranked third place in a row of tropical countries losing primary forest. In that year, 324.000 ha of primary forest was lost, an area slightly bigger than Luxembourg.
In the palm oil sector, one of the main global systems for supply chain certification has become the center point of discussion.