Unilever Australia & New Zealand has announced that, by the end of 2015, all palm oil purchased by Unilever ANZ for locally produced food products will come from RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) segregated sources. Unilever advised C&I WEEK that this will “cover the palm oil we purchase for food products manufactured locally in Australia and New Zealand including Flora, Continental and Streets products”.
Image: Bremen Yong, RSPO
The announcement, made on 24 November 2014, marks an important milestone in its journey towards sourcing 100% traceable and certified sustainable palm oil.
From Q1 2015, Unilever’s local food factories will begin using traceable and certified (RSPO segregated) palm oil, with the transition expected to be complete by the end of 2015. This significant step comes just three years after Unilever ANZ announced that all of its local palm oil use was covered through Green Palm certificates.
Clive Stiff, Chairman and CEO of Unilever ANZ, said: “The move to RSPO segregated palm oil for our locally produced foods products is an important step on our journey towards achieving full traceability and sustainability across our supply chain. While we know there is still more to do, I’m delighted we have made significant progress on our Unilever Sustainable Living Plan targets and remain at the forefront of businesses working to ensure the long term sustainability of the palm oil industry.”
“This is about doing the right thing for our planet, our consumers and for the future of our business,” added Mr Stiff.
Unilever says it is working with industry leaders and NGOs to find a solution to halt deforestation, protect peat land, and drive positive economic and social impact for local communities. Unilever is committed to enhancing the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers connected to its global supply chain and works to train smallholders in sustainable farming methods and improve incomes and working conditions.
Image: MPOC
Unilever’s Sustainable Palm Oil Progress Report highlights significant steps forward in the global traceability of palm oil from known sources. Unilever now has visibility of around 1,800 crude palm oil mills, representing around two-thirds of all mills in the global palm oil industry. In addition 58% of the palm oil reported in Unilever’s supply chain globally is traceable to known sources.