Belgian Palm Oil Market Pledges To Become Sustainable By 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Belgian Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil has launched its charter, which pledges that by the end of 2015, all palm oil designated for the Belgian market will be produced based on the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). “The establishment of the Belgian Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil is a highly commendable and progressive initiative undertaken by organisations towards 100 per cent sourcing of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) by 2015," the Secretary General of RSPO, Darrel Webber, said in a statement. He said the Belgian initiative demonstrates strong commitment and leadership in promoting sustainability among European product manufacturers, continuing the positive trend initiated by the Dutch national industry commitment in 2010. The charter was signed by several parties in the palm oil supply chain -– from processors and product manufacturers to industry associations. They have committed to produce and source RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil and boost the transformation towards a fully sustainable market. "It is an exemplary endeavour which we hope more European consumer markets can typify and commit themselves in order to increase the uptake of CSPO." Today RSPO CSPO represents 11 per cent of all palm oil produced globally. To this end, RSPO looks forward to working closely with the Belgian Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil and its members to raise consumer awareness of sustainable palm oil, he said. Vice-President of the RSPO and Senior Policy Officer for Food and Agriculture World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Adam Harrison, said: “WWF welcomes the Belgian Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil which demonstrates to the Belgian industry the importance of tackling sustainability through cooperation." He also urged all companies using palm oil to set ambitious time-bound targets for procuring certified sustainable palm oil, both in Belgium and in the other countries they are active, and begin buying it as soon as possible. RSPO said it recognises that initiatives like the Belgian and Dutch National Commitments are of crucial importance in order to boost the uptake of CSPO and should be regarded as best practices in Europe. It added it eagerly awaits the next national industry commitment to 100 per cent sourcing of certified sustainable palm oil by 2015, and urged other European countries to follow these examples and solidify Europe’s leadership in responsible supply chain practices. -- BERNAMA Malaysia