The Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG) on May 23, 2014 released a set of indicators that allow for the independent verification of performance against the POIG Charter, which was released in November 2013.
The POIG Charter builds on the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil’s (RSPO) certification standard with additional requirements that ensure all palm oil operations by POIG grower members are free from deforestation, the destruction of peatlands, and human and labor rights abuses.
The first trial of the POIG indicators will be undertaken alongside its annual RSPO audit by Colombian palm oil producer DAABON in late May.
POIG palm oil producer members Agropalma and New Britain Palm Oil have plans to seek independent verification that their operations are in compliance with the requirements and indicators outlined in the Charter by the end of 2014.
POIG says this is good news for the growing list of palm oil consumer companies such as Nestle, Ferrero, Unilever, L’Oreal, Safeway, DelHaize, Proctor & Gamble, General Mills, Kellogg and Mars, which have made No Deforestation commitments and are demanding responsibly produced palm oil.
“With the detailed indicators agreed and released, palm oil producer members will now be able to confirm compliance with the stringent requirement of the POIG Charter and provide palm oil that is proven not to cause forest destruction, social conflict or aggravate climate change,” said POIG.
“All that is needed now is for other stakeholders to actively support innovation and improvements in the palm oil sector and demonstrate that business as usual is no longer tenable.”
