Many companies and organisations are interested in joining sustainability-focused coalitions like the rspo. Could you explain the process of becoming a member and the criteria or requirements that need to be met?
Organisations belonging to one of the seven stakeholder groups can join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). These include oil palm producers, palm oil processors and/or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks/investors, environmental/nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social/developmental NGOs. Membership is open to any company that wishes to join our global partnership and work together to seek solutions for environmental and social challenges in the palm oil industry.

Depending on members’ role in the palm oil supply chain, they can consider RSPO membership as the first step for producing, trading or consuming Certified Sustainable Palm Oil and other products. This is the case for growers, processors and traders, consumers, good manufacturers and retailers that would need to get certified according to our standards and/or increase the uptake of certified material. On the other hand, members like social and environmental NGOs as well as financial institutions and other organisations can join RSPO to create an enabling environment and generate strong demand for sustainably sourced material. RSPO has almost 6,000 members globally and the membership base continues to grow.

More specifically we have three types of membership: 

• Ordinary membership for companies which are directly involved in the  palm oil supply chain and purchase, use or trade ≥ 500 metric tonnes of palm oil annually.
• Associate membership for companies which are directly involved in the palm oil supply chain and purchase, use or trade less than 500 metric tonnes of palm oil annually; and 
• Affiliate Membership for organisations that are not directly involved in the palm oil supply chain but that want to support the RSPO’s objectives and activities.

RSPO Members subscribe to the organisation’s mission and principles, which include:

• Commitment to transparency;
• Environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity;
• Responsible consideration of employees, smallholders, and other individuals and communities affected by growers and mills; and
• Responsible development of new plantings.

RSPO Members must adhere to the RSPO Code of Conduct which requires all members to work proactively towards the production and promotion of sustainable palm oil.

Cross-industry collaborations are often cited as essential for driving sustainability initiatives. How does the RSPO facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders, such as cosmetic companies, suppliers, NGOs, and regulatory bodies, to address sustainability challenges in the industry?
The structure of the RSPO as a multistakeholder membership-based organisation ensures that there is a high degree of cross-industry collaboration. Our governance structure is supported by Standing Committees and Working Groups and reflects the diversity of stakeholders and their various backgrounds. This is crucial in properly addressing sustainability challenges with no vested interests from any specific stakeholder group.

The Working Groups are formed ad hoc to deal with specific issues and are designed to encourage members to address complex and difficult challenges and work towards developing solutions. In addition to these formal processes, we have several occasions during the year for members to come together in person and virtually to discuss and keep abreast of the current palm oil industry trends, initiatives, and innovations.

One of these is the Roundtable Conference (RT) which is the annual flagship event for the RSPO. This year the RT will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from 11-13 November 2024 with an expected gathering of over 900 people. Registrations are now open and can be made at (1).

Knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination are crucial for advancing sustainability efforts. What mechanisms or platforms does the RSPO use to promote the exchange of information, case studies, and successful strategies among its members and the broader industry?
RSPO interacts on a continuous basis with members and non-members to be on top of the latest industry developments and trends and to share best practices with relevant stakeholders. This takes place not only within the Standing Committees and Working Groups but also through specific cooperation with third parties such as academia. As the leading expert organisation in sustainable palm oil, RSPO is frequently invited to speak at international events, seminars and conferences to share its knowledge and findings. Some of the exhibitions and conferences that the team has participated in Europe include In-cosmetics Global, Cosmoprof, Sana, Vivaness and the Sustainable Cosmetic Summit. These events are excellent platforms to engage and exchange knowledge and sectoral trends with stakeholders.

The RSPO has also established a Smallholder Trainer Academy (STA) that aims to reach larger numbers and increase the support for smallholder farmers globally. The STA has been developed with a focus on improving smallholders’ livelihoods and sustainable farming practices. Through a unique “train-the-trainer” approach, the STA provides access to high-quality training materials, ultimately aiming to build a pool of Master Trainers across sectors and organisations and forming a global community that promotes sustainable oil palm practices through smallholder training.

RSPO maintains an extensive repository of resources that include research (2), best practices (3) and case studies that provide valuable insights and are shared on our website.

Collective action is often required to tackle complex sustainability issues that span multiple sectors and regions. Can you highlight some examples of collaborative projects or initiatives undertaken by the RSPO that have brought together various industry players to work towards a common sustainability goal?
Collective action is essential for addressing complex sustainability challenges that span multiple sectors and regions. A good example is RSPO’s Jurisdictional Approach (JA). The RSPO Jurisdictional Approach aims to certify entire jurisdictions rather than individual plantations, promoting sustainable palm oil production across larger landscapes. This approach to certification minimises the negative impact of oil palm cultivation on the environment and on society, at the scale of government administrative areas (Jurisdictions), which involves a stepwise certification of the production and processing of sustainable oil palm products. This also requires close collaboration between all partners both private and public within the jurisdiction, such as growers, local communities and local and regional governments.

Recognising the vital role smallholders play in the palm oil supply chain, RSPO also launched the RSPO Smallholder Engagement Platform (RSEP) to facilitate better support and integration of smallholders into sustainable palm oil production. RSEP involves collaboration with NGOs, financial institutions, and government bodies to provide training, financial assistance, and market access to smallholders. By working together, these stakeholders help smallholders adopt sustainable practices and achieve RSPO certification.

One country-level example of collaboration is the launch of the China Sustainable Palm Oil Alliance together with the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to create a platform for win-win cooperation among the stakeholders in the palm oil supply chain and promote sustainable palm oil in China. Another example is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the RSPO and the Laweyan Batik Village Development Forum (FPKBL) in Indonesia to confirm and express their mutual intention to collaborate in advancing and promoting batik products that use sustainable palm oil raw materials in Indonesia. Under the cooperation agreement, FPKBL will work together with RSPO to encourage systemic changes in its production processes, with the aim of shaping a batik industry which is built on sustainable practices.

As sustainability concerns continue to evolve, what are the key areas or topics where the RSPO sees the most significant potential for future collaborations and industry partnerships to drive positive change within the cosmetics industry and its supply chain?
The cosmetic industry has been very receptive to the call on sourcing sustainable palm oil, palm kernel oils and derivatives.  With increasing demand, one of the concerns for the industry is the market availability of Certified Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil (CSPKO). RPSO is actively involved in addressing this issue by engaging with growers, crushers and other stakeholders to try and strengthen the supply. Resolving this issue requires a shared responsibility of all stakeholders along the supply chain to cooperate in a transparent and collaborative manner. 
Sectoral collaboration can be achieved via cross referencing among standards; this ensures that specific requirements like sustainable sourcing of a given ingredient is enforced in sector specific standards, like cosmetic standards. As an example, the RSPO is referenced in natural and organic cosmetic standards such as COSMOS, NATRUE as well as Ecolabel – these are well-recognised labels within the EU and cover a wide range of personal care products.

In addition, a fast changing regulatory landscape offers the need to create synergies among industry stakeholders to navigate it. As a case in point, the current discussion on the European Union (EU) Green Claims legislation is an opportunity to shine light on legitimate, robust and scientifically supported sustainability claims and voluntary certification, and create an equal playing field for the brands using them.