Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Forms Chinese Sustainable Palm Oil Alliance

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has launched the China Sustainable Palm Oil Alliance (CSPOA) together with Chinese palm oil users and importers to create a platform for promoting certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in the country. Announced on 12 July and formed with the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the CSPOA aims to establish a platform for a “win-win cooperation” among stakeholders in the Chinese palm oil supply chain. 

Key companies and stakeholders in China including AAK, Cargill China, COFCO, L’Oréal China and Mars Wrigley Confectionery made a joint commitment to taking step-by-step actions to promote CSPO in the Chinese market, said RSPO.  Datuk Darrel Webber, CEO at RSPO, said the partners were aiming to build a platform that could bring growing numbers of Chinese companies together to make CSPO a major product for its category. 

China was the second largest importer and third largest consumer of palm oil in the world, with the oil used in various industries and playing a significant role in China’s grain and food security, according to RSPO.  Out of RSPO’s 3,900 members, 87 were Chinese and the organisation said it was seeing positive momentum towards its goal of achieving 10% CSPO uptake in China by 2020.