In the decades to come, global population growth and rising wealth will boost the global demand for vegetable oils. Oil palm is, by far, the most widely-used and most productive oil crop in the world. Its functional benefits, versatility and broad availability make palm oil a valuable and affordable natural ingredient that fits in a nutritionally balanced diet. In the countries where it is produced, palm oil boosts socioeconomic development and helps fight poverty.
However, the rising demand for palm oil has also lead to large-scale deforestation and loss of biodiversity. It is associated with climate change from the loss of peat land and with social exploitation of plantation workers. These problems have given rise to a growing public push to ban the use of palm oil in favour of alternative oils and fats. But the replacement of palm oil is no solution for environmental and social issues, and not automatically a better choice from a nutritional perspective.
In the face of environmental or social problems related to palm oil, we take our responsibility and cooperate throughout the supply chain to solve the problems instead of moving away. We encourage farmers, manufacturers and supermarkets to switch to sustainable palm oil. Our purpose is to make sustainable palm oil production – and consumption – a shared responsibility. Working with the private sector, NGOs and the government we lead the public debate on the role of palm oil in food and promote the importance of sustainable palm oil in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We all have to act!
We support initiatives committed to sustainable palm oil across Europe, and we share inspiring stories about the people that make sustainability a reality. Through our efforts, we convince NGOs, governments and industry in this shared responsibility. Sustainable palm oil is not a need; it is a necessity.
