Teach children about the importance of sustainable palm oil

With palm oil being one of the most widely used vegetable oils - found in up to 50% of products in UK supermarkets - demand has led to unsustainable practices that are threatening Southeast Asia's forests and wildlife in places like Borneo and Sumatra.

But did you know there is such a thing as sustainable palm oil?

Leading NGOs such as Chester Zoo and the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) have advocated for the responsible sourcing of palm oil as opposed to blanket boycotts.

Cat Barton, Policy Lead Deforestation-Free Commodities and Regenerative Agriculture at Chester Zoo, shared: “Boycotting palm oil can lead consumers to choose other oils which can have a worse impact on the environment. In fact, sustainably sourced palm oil is more beneficial for biodiversity and ecosystems than conventional palm oil and many other oils.”

What is sustainable palm oil?

It's also a more efficient vegetable oil, requiring up to ten times less land than alternatives like rapeseed or sunflower oil. A blanket boycott of palm oil would mean a significant loss of jobs to local communities, with the industry providing employment for more than 4.5 million people in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is key is for us to increase education and awareness, so consumers demand the use of sustainable palm oil in products.”

One company committed to leading the change is Ferrero, who has partnered with Chester Zoo since 2020 to help raise awareness around the importance of sustainably sourced palm oil. The partnership includes support for Chester Zoo’s education programmes, to ensure both teachers and students are equipped with the facts about sustainable palm oil, and to inspire them to make more sustainable choices.

As part of Chester Zoo’s education programme, experts support teachers with workshops in schools, and provide classes with the resources they need to learn about the benefits of sustainable palm oil.

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How can we teach our children about sustainable palm oil?

As parents, we also play a crucial role in educating our children about environmental issues and sustainable practices. With palm oil being such a prevalent ingredient in many products we use daily, it’s important to help children understand its impact and the importance of sustainable sourcing.

By teaching them about sustainable palm oil, we can empower the next generation to make informed choices when it comes to sustainability. Below are some ways we can approach this topic with our children.

1. Discuss the impact of deforestation

The reality is unsustainable palm oil practices have been linked to deforestation. Rainforests are facing biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions and other negative impacts on animal habitats.

Deforestation is now the second leading cause of climate change globally, according to Chester Zoo. So, we must act now to raise awareness of sustainable sourcing practices and the benefits for ecosystems in doing so.

Leading NGOs have warned against a blanket ban on palm oil as, when sourced sustainably, it is more beneficial for biodiversity and ecosystems than conventional palm oil and many other oils. It is important that we all understand the true meaning of sustainably sourced palm oil and how we can advocate for it.

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2. Understand the true meaning of sustainable palm oil

By definition, sustainable palm oil means this it has been produced with the lowest environmental impact possible, minimising risk to wildlife and ensuring a high standard of human rights.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was established in 2004 to transform the palm oil industry and the global, non-profit organisation has developed a set of environmental and social criteria that companies must comply with to be considered RSPO Certified. These include respecting communities and delivering benefits to local workers, as well as protecting, conserving and enhancing ecosystems and the environment.

In 2015, Ferrero became one of the first global companies to source sustainable palm oil that is 100% RSPO certified segregated. Ferrero is also committed to traceability of its palm oil supply chain, and shares the list of mills from which it sources its palm oil every six months. Through its Palm Oil Charter, Ferrero is committed to respecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions; maintaining areas of high conservation value; protecting endangered species; regenerating biodiversity; and standing against illegal land-grabbing, fire-raising and peatland destruction.

Palm oil fast facts for kids

What is it? Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees.
Where is it? Oil palm trees originally come from Africa but were brought to South-East Asia over 100 years ago. Now, most palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia.
What is it in? Palm oil is in almost everything! It's found in about 50% of the packaged products we see in supermarkets, like pizza, doughnuts, chocolate, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, lipstick, and even animal food.
Why is it so popular? Sustainable palm oil is very efficient. It can be produced in large amounts on small areas of land (up to ten times less land than other vegetable oils) almost all year long. It is also odourless and tasteless, so it doesn't interfere with the taste of recipes.
What are the challenges? Unsustainable palm oil production is causing a lot of deforestation in some of the world’s most diverse forests. This destroys the homes of endangered species. Deforestation also releases a lot of greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change.

Source: WWF

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3. Know how to shop for sustainable products

Chester Zoo along with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), palm oil experts from Auckland Zoo in New Zealand, Zoos South Australia, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the USA have developed a mobile app to empower shoppers.

The PalmOil Scan App is simple to use. By scanning the barcode of a product, families can check their favourite products to see how major manufacturers are sourcing their palm oil ingredients.

Chester Zoo is also working alongside communities around the UK, as part of its Sustainable Palm Oil Communities project supported by Ferrero, to ensure local communities source sustainably sourced palm oil. If you live in any of these communities, you can support those who have joined the project and eat at restaurants committed to using only sustainable palm oil.

If you would like to learn more about Chester Zoo’s education programme, click here for lots of information about the project and resources.

4. Take a trip to the zoo

Chester Zoo cares about wildlife, and its huge team is made up of conservationists, scientists, educators, veterinary experts, botanists, wildlife managers, animal behaviourists, endocrinologists and environmental policy influencers - all with the sole purpose of fighting wildlife extinction.

Not only will a visit to Chester Zoo allow children to see animals up close in natural habitats but it can educate them on the importance of conservation and why taking action now could protect our planet for future generations.

Chester Zoo also offers a lot of information on sustainable palm oil on its website. The fun and bold infographics break the information down into helpful bitesize chunks.

About Ferrero

At Ferrero, quality is at the heart of everything we do. We started as a family company, and we still are. With an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that has been crafted for generations, we care about our heritage and our family values, quality and excellence, our respect for people and the planet, and the communities in which we work.

We're committed to nurturing knowledge to develop our people’s creativity, always striving to do better. We know that it’s all these commitments that matter to guarantee the quality and experience of our unique products and brands that continue to bring moments of joy to generations.

Ferrero, quality at heart.

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About the author

Kat Romero is a writer and journalist with over a decade’s experience in the industry. Hailing from London, she has become experienced in scouring the market to find the latest and best products and services that are designed to make parents’ lives easier.

Away from her desk, Kat can be found consuming far too much coffee and spending her weekends with her toddler and partner - soaking up the sights of London and sampling anything new and exciting that has opened up within walking distance.