Olenex, is a full-function joint venture between ADM & Wilmar and offers customers around the globe a comprehensive portfolio of edible oils and fats. Olenex owns and operates a specialty oils and fats facility and a palm refinery in Hamburg, Germany, as well as tropical oils processing plants in Brake, Germany and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Wilmar Europe initiated a capacity building project to support smallholders in Honduras called WISSH.
Olenex
Our commitment on the movement
As a European market leader in refined vegetable oils and fats, Olenex is committed to responsible sourcing of palm oil that is disconnected from deforestation and exploitation, through the development of a traceable and transparent palm oil supply chain. We recognize we fulfil an important role in supporting the industry’s progress towards sustainable development, particularly in our role as a connection between farmers and consumers.
"The WISSH program aims to empower the smallholders with improved technical knowledge and agricultural management skills."Daphne Hameeteman, Sustainability Manager
Our story
Wisshful thinking
A Real Story about Palm Oil
Wilmar Europe initiated together with AIPAH (National Association of Palm Oil Producers in Honduras) a capacity building project called WISSH (Wilmar Smallholders Support Honduras). Olenex and Nestlé have been supporting Wilmar Europe’s project since day one.
With the help of AIPAH, alliances have been made between the mills, their representatives and the individual smallholders. Nevertheless, it was not easy and required hard work and commitment to the goals and change ‘wishful thinking’ into ‘WISSHFUL THINKING’ to really make a difference.
The WISSH program aims to empower the smallholders with improved technical knowledge and agricultural management skills. The project increases the awareness of the national palm oil industry of environmental threats by implementing the NDPE standards. It stands for ‘No Deforestation’, no developing on ‘Peat’ lands and no ‘Exploitation’ of people.
WISSH went local and established collaboration between Wilmar, AIPAH and NES Naturaleza. The latter was assigned to implement this extensive three-year training program.
Train the trainer
The unique concept of this program is to educate the mill supervisors to become professional trainers for the smallholders. Besides reinforcing their technical abilities in agricultural practices, NES Naturaleza has equipped the mill representatives to change the industry from within.
In total, 488 training sessions were organized by NES Naturaleza and 50 mill supervisors, reaching 3300 smallholders over the country, addressing 6 comprehensive topics:
- NDPE (No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation)
Contextualise the smallholders with the fundamental pillars of the Wilmar’s NDPE policy. - Good Environment & Agricultural practice
Increase the awareness of ecosystem and biodiversity protection. Topics covered: nutrient recycling, no-burning, separation of garbage, and sustainable disposal of agrochemical containers. - Good Business Practice
General management of palm plantations, including financial management and decision-making. In addition, reinforcing the idea of entrepreneurship. - Pest & Disease Control
Emphasize the importance of suitable and effective chemicals and biological control systems. - Social Responsibility
Emphasize the importance of respecting the rights of workers and communities, including prohibition of Child Labour. - Monitoring & Control
Tool developed to record and monitor information on crop management in an efficient and effective way.
Our UN Sustainable Development Goals
My organisation is most concerned with the following 5 UN SDGs:
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal 15: Life on Land
- Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals
Our struggles and future plans
Our biggest struggle in the move to sustainable palm oil is negative media attention, perception, and public opinion on palm oil. This is followed by the slow demand growth of sustainable palm oil.
Our next activity is the ‘MARIPOSA – Friends of Sustainable Palm Oil from Latin America’ project. The mission of the programme MARIPOSA is transformation. We are committed to be a significant part of the change of the traditional palm oil industry and to build a path towards a sustainable way to grow and harvest crops, produce and trade palm oil products.
The goal of the programme is to raise funds to finance sustainability projects that allow the fast-growing palm oil industry of Latin America to transform into a sustainable agri-business environment. Olenex invests 100% of the funding in new sustainability projects in Latin America.
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