Report summaries the work it has done over the last two years
December 2013 saw Wilmar, the world’s biggest palm oil processor and merchandiser, commit to a No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation policy. To mark that two years it has produced a progress report outlining what it has done and what it aims to do next in relation to working with smallholders and plantations within its supply chain, supporting them to rapidly transition to deforestation-free palm oil production.
In early 2015 Wilmar publicised their supplier and mill locations, bringing significant transparency to an industry which has in the past been seen as anything but. There is still work to be done and Wilmar recognise this. NGOs continue to find some suppliers involved in forest clearance and the abuse of community rights. Wilmar deserves credit for quickly responding to most of these grievances, working hard to improve supplier performance. It has also been prepared to cut rogue companies out of its supply chain if they have shown an unwillingness to engage. Despite the challenges, Wilmar is showing itself as a leader in terms of a large-scale agricultural company looking to tackle deforestation and exploitation related issues in its supply chain. Wilmar Chief Sustainability Officer Jeremy Goon is proud of the progress Wilmar has made so far, but recognises much remains to be done.
He identifies the need for a collective endeavour by businesses, governments, communities and civil society to effect real and lasting change on the ground. He also points to the need to define a clear means to measure and track the progress of these commitments by Wilmar and the industry as a whole, to assess whether it has been effective in reducing actual deforestation. Wilmar is willing to work with its partners in 2016 towards that end. The goal remains the same – to continue to work to steer the palm oil industry towards better practices.
