What is sustainable palm oil and where can you buy it?

Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils today. It is found in up to 50% of products in UK supermarkets, spanning food, to soap, cosmetics, and more. And while its demand has led to unsustainable practices threatening forests and wildlife in Southeast Asia, leading NGOs like Chester Zoo and the WWF are advocating for responsible sourcing of the ingredient rather than blanket boycotts.

That’s because the boycott or substitution of palm oil does not offer long-term solutions. Contrary to popular belief, sustainable palm oil is more beneficial for biodiversity and ecosystems than conventional palm oil and many other oils. It can use up to ten times less land than other oils such as sunflower or rapeseed.

Despite all of this, a recent Kantar study revealed some significant knowledge gaps: while over half (56%) of people in the UK said they knew about palm oil, generally, the vast majority (86%) said they didn’t know about sustainable palm oil. Amongst those that had concerns about palm oil, the primary reason was concern for environmental impact (30%) followed by social implications (24%).

So, how can palm oil be sourced sustainably and what can we do to help the ongoing efforts to protect our planet? We bust some myths with the help of Cat Barton, Policy Lead Deforestation-Free Commodities and Regenerative Agriculture from Chester Zoo.

What does it mean to be ‘sustainable’ in relation to palm oil?

Sustainable palm oil production aims to minimise environmental and social impacts while maintaining economic viability. This involves protecting forests and biodiversity, respecting land rights and labour conditions, ensuring traceability, and meeting certification standards like those set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

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Can palm oil really be sustainable?

“Yes it can! We need to keep the focus of the conversation on sustainable palm oil versus unsustainable palm oil”, shares Cat Barton.

“Sustainable palm oil is really advocating for [the] production of oils which minimises environmental impact and maximises benefits to local people.”

An internationally recognised certification system was set up in 2004 by various stakeholders, including the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). The certification system, called the RSPO (Roundtable Sustainable Palm oil), is a voluntary scheme, which has grown both in terms of numbers and the strength of its criteria.

In 2018, deforestation-free was introduced into the RSPO, along with numerous other social and environmental criteria. Along with voluntary schemes such as the RSPO, Indonesia and Malaysia both have country standards, which palm oil production should comply with.

Barton continues, “We use vegetable oils in our lives daily, and palm oil is the most efficient. It produces a higher yield and therefore requires less land. For us at Chester Zoo, the use of deforestation-free, sustainable palm oil is the ultimate goal. It ensures production minimizes risk to biodiversity and species.”

Does palm oil cause deforestation?

“Palm oil crops can have a negative impact on the environment and have been linked to deforestation, with negative impacts on biodiversity. This is one of the main threats to wildlife in Borneo and Sumatra,” says Barton.

So, it's vital that palm oil crops are sourced sustainably and responsibly, without the risk of deforestation or wildlife impacts, and with protection for the workers involved.

Barton adds, “We need to work together with industry, stakeholders, experts and NGOs to address the consumer confusion around palm oil and educate for everyone to choose sustainable palm oil. Sustainable palm oil certified by the RSPO is the type of palm oil we should be demanding and using to help protect wildlife.”

Ferrero is committed to using sustainable palm oil and a deforestation-free palm oil supply chain. Using Starling satellite monitoring, Ferrero monitored over 1.6 million hectares of land from July 2022 to June 2023.

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Are palm oil farmers treated fairly?

The farming of palm oil provides employment for more than 4.5 million people in Indonesia and Malaysia, so it’s vital for supporting local livelihoods. However, brands must be committed to ethical practices.

RSPO was established in 2004 to drive change with sustainable palm oil practices. As Barton explains:

“The RSPO standards ensure that social rights are covered in its criteria, so that sustainable palm oil is not associated with the violation of human rights.”

In 2015, Ferrero became one of the first global companies to source sustainable palm oil that is RSPO certified. The certification requires palm oil growers to behave in an ethical and transparent way, including ensuring safe working conditions and respecting the rights of workers and the local communities.

How can you shop responsibly for sustainable palm oil?

To help families look out for sustainable palm oil when shopping, Chester Zoo - along with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), palm oil experts from 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 “aims to transform the palm oil industry”, according to Barton.

“You can use the app to check barcodes on your favourite products to see how major manufacturers are sourcing their palm oil ingredients.

"It also gives you the opportunity to alert companies that you’re checking out their scores, and may be changing your buying habits as a result!”

As part of its ongoing partnership with Ferrero to raise awareness on Sustainable palm oil, Chester Zoo is also working with communities around the UK to ensure only sustainable palm oil is used in local restaurants and cafes. If you live in any of these communities, you can support those who have joined the scheme and eat at restaurants committed to using only sustainable palm oil.

Palm oil fast facts for you

What is it? An edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees.
Where is it? Oil palm trees are native to Africa but were brought to South-East Asia over 100 years ago. Now, Indonesia and Malaysia make up over 85% of global supply.
What is it in? It’s in nearly everything. It’s in close to 50% of the packaged products we find in supermarkets, from pizza, doughnuts, chocolate, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, lipstick, and animal feed.
Why is it so popular? It is an extremely versatile oil. It’s also able to produce high quantities in small areas of land, almost all year round – making it highly efficient compared to other vegetable oils. It is also resistant to oxidation so products have a longer shelf life. It is odourless, colourless, and doesn’t alter the look or smell of food products.
What are the challenges? If not sourced sustainably, it can be, a major driver of deforestation in some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, destroying habitats of endangered species like the Bornean orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino.

Source: WWF

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How is Ferrero committed to sustainably sourced palm oil?

Ferrero has been recognised by the WWF as a leading business for sustainable palm oil sourcing, helping to address the issue of deforestation and push for transparency in its supply chain. It was ranked 2^nd out of 285 companies in the 2024 WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard, which evaluates global companies’ commitments and actions in favour of sustainable palm oil.

Our Mumsnet community has also praised Ferrero for its sustainability efforts on our talkboards.

“Ferrero in particular is very hot on supply chain sustainability and all its palm oil is sustainable”, pandarific shared recently.

Ferrero's palm oil is fully traceable, which means that the palm oil used can be traced right back to the plantation.

Working with the Earthworm Foundation, Ferrero also developed the Palm Oil Charter, which goes beyond traditional industry standards in a bid to address the biggest causes of deforestation and social issues. The Charter contains 10 commitments that all suppliers must adhere to:

Providing fully traceable oil, while including smallholders
Not clearing High Carbon Stock forests
Not using fire to clear land
Not planting on peat soils
Protecting orangutans and other endangered species by maintaining High Conservation Value areas
Reporting on the greenhouse gas emissions of their production
Respecting human rights, including the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent of indigenous and local communities
Recognising, respecting and strengthening the rights of workers
Not using Paraquat
Actively fighting corruption

Ferrero has partnered with Chester Zoo since 2020 to raise awareness around the importance of sustainably sourced palm oil and help educate consumers, address confusion and misconceptions and encourage consumers to make positive environmental choices demanding certified sustainable palm oil in their products.

About Ferrero

At Ferrero, quality is at the heart of everything we do. We started as a family company, 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.