Palm oil in food almost fully sustainable

In 2021, the Dutch food industry used 234.2 thousand tonnes of palm oil for domestic and foreign markets. 89% was sustainably certified with the Roundtable Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This is according to the annual palm oil monitoring by the Dutch Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil (DASPO). The Dutch feed industry processed 86.9 thousand tonnes of palm oil, 61% of which was RSPO certified.

"By choosing RSPO certified palm oil, companies can send an important signal to the market: the more sustainable palm oil, the more the incentives for plantations and farmers to become more sustainable. Companies can also support local projects in producing countries as part of international corporate social responsibility (IMVO)," stresses Eddy Esselink, president of DASPO.

Deforestation related to palm oil decreases

Based on data from Satelligence (geodata analysis company), the report shows that deforestation related to palm oil decreased sharply after 2015 to its lowest point in 20 years. According to Satelligence, there is nevertheless still enough work to be done to ensure that progress is permanent and deforestation is reduced even further. 

Shared responsibility in the palm oil chain

The report also reflects the progress made by the Dutch RSPO member companies on 'Shared Responsibility' (SR). The SR criteria aim to make sustainable palm oil the norm. Among other things, these criteria focus on the use of sustainable palm oil, strengthening the position of small-scale farmers and climate mitigation.

View the report 'Dutch Palm Oil Report - 2021'
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