Cargill releases palm oil progress report

CARGILl, which pledged to sustainable, deforestation-free, socially responsible palm oil sourcing in July 2014, released its first progress report on sustainable palm oil on 17 November.

"Sustainability has long been part of our palm plantation culture, and it has resulted in a business that our employees are very proud of," said Cargill Tropical Palm CEO John Hartmann. "We must account for impacts on the environment and local communities for the sake of future generations. That notion is shared by our smallholders. They, too, have achieved multiple global sustainability certifications, and today they are the pride and joy of their communities."

According to the report, the company will be able to map 80 percent of its palm oil in key markets to individual mills by the end of the 2014, and all mills by December 2015. In terms of sustainability, the company will share best practices with its suppliers, as well as help smallholders enter integrate into responsible supply chain arrangements.

Cargill signed a pledge at the 2014 U.N. Climate Summit to underscore its commitment which it has given at the Roundtable on Sustainable palm Oil (RSPO) and the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto. According to the company, it is close to reaching its goal of responsibly produced palm oil.In Indonesia.

Alongside the NGO, The Forest Trust (TFT), Cargill led a study to identify High Carbon Stock forest tracts at its PT Hindoli plantation in Indonesia, successfully using the methodology, developed by TFT and Greenpeace.  

In technology, Cargill will pilot the use of Unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAVs) and solar-powered, satellite-connected remote sensor networks to monitor land use in Indonesia.

Also in its goals, Cargill will establish a formal grievance process to address issues in the supply chain. This will be used as a basis for further actions.

For more, access the reports: