(Insider Stories) - The following is a statement from the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil.

Europe must lead on the uptake of sustainable palm oil or face the consequences, says RSPO at its first European Summit.

RSPO celebrates the launch of the French Alliance and the German Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil, generating new momentum for the transformation of the European market

Berlin, 4 September, 2013 – Over 260 delegates at the very first European Summit in Berlin
organised by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) positively acknowledged the launch
of the German Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil and French Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil. These
nation-wide commitments to sustainable palm oil show the industry’s willingness to take a step in
the right direction. Yet, RSPO emphasised that a greater sense of urgency is required to transform
the European market and make the palm oil industry fully sustainable.

Darrel Webber, Secretary General of the RSPO, stated: “Industries within Europe have boldly come
forward with tangible national commitments for sustainable palm oil. While some countries have
been highly successful in reporting year on year increased adoption and use of sustainable palm oil –
a few other markets have regressed in their confidence and commitment towards certified
sustainable palm oil. This lack of support can discourage growers around the world to continue their
efforts towards more sustainable practices in oil palm cultivation.”

“European consumers demand greater transparency on the ingredients used in their products. At the
same time growers hope to see their efforts matched by those of downstream industries. The time
has come for European industries to come together and accelerate their commitment towards
sustainable palm oil and inspire large consuming nations, such as India and China, to follow their
example.” Webber concluded.

The RSPO European Summit was organised to encourage European industries to increase the
demand for Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) and create momentum towards the
transformation of the palm oil market. Europe’s changing regulatory environment (with EU

legislation mandating the labelling of all vegetable oils on food products by December 2014) and the
increasing consumer awareness of palm oil are putting the industry under pressure.

Participants urged policymakers in consumer markets to support the sourcing of CSPO and
incentivize the industry to adopt CSPO. In producing countries, participants called on governments
to integrate strict sustainability standards into national legislation and improve the mapping of
concession rights to ensure certainty of land ownership and avoid land conflicts.

However, Jan Kees Vis, President of the RSPO Executive Board and Global Director Sustainable
Sourcing Development at Unilever added: “W hen it comes to accelerating the uptake of CSPO in
consumer markets, the role of companies is much more impactful than those of governments.
Obtaining RSPO supply chain certification may take some time but it can be done. This requires
cooperation at all levels, within a company, to coordinate the work of different teams and units, and across the supply chain to align one company’s operations with those of its suppliers. Cooperation is
also essential for the development of national forums and alliances for sustainable palm oil, which
can send a strong signal on market uptake to growers.

The presence of 260 people in Berlin yesterday and the launch of two new national commitments for
sustainable palm oil in France and Germany clearly demonstrate that European stakeholders have
understood the need to speed up their efforts, and the need to do it together, in closer cooperation.
Stimulating and nurturing this cooperation is part of RSPO’s mission in Europe.”

The RSPO European Summit welcomed representatives from the German Forum and the French
Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil – which both officially launched on September 2, 2013. Collective
industry commitments to source only CSPO by 2015 are the catalysts to achieve the market
transformation process in Europe. France and Germany are following the example of the
Netherlands, Belgium and the UK where similar commitments already exist. These commitments
play a key role in accelerating demand for CSPO and the formula works: in 2012, CSPO uptake
reached 41% in the Netherlands and 31% in Belgium.

The global demand for fats and oils is projected to grow significantly in the next years. Palm oil is the
most traded vegetable oil globally and plays a key role in ensuring food security in both Europe and
in many other regions. As Europe relies heavily on imports to meet its domestic consumption needs
for palm oil, it carries an indirect responsibility for the environmental and social issues associated
with palm oil production. However, if produced sustainably and responsibly, palm oil can make a
crucial contribution to meet Europe’s demand for fats and oils while solving the existing
environmental and social issues on the ground.