ISPO Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil
The Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil scheme, ISPO, is a certification system which is owned by the Indonesian government with implementation under the ISPO. Background information on ISPO can be accessed through this article published by the UNDP which states among other things:
"To be trusted, standards and certification schemes need to be credible and include a transparent tracing/verification mechanism to ensure they are adhered to throughout the supply chain. An inclusive process also matters for various stakeholders to shape and own the principles they would eventually be held accountable for."
The UNDP report went on to state that:
"As part of the efforts made to address the sustainability challenge, the Indonesia’s Sustainable Palm Oil System (ISPO) was introduced in 2011 as the mandatory certification scheme intended to cover all palm oil producers in the country. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture with UNDP support has taken the lead in analyzing the major differences that exist between ISPO and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the world’s largest voluntary certification scheme for sustainable palm oil, which consumers trust most."
A comparative study between the ISPO and the RSPO was conducted in 2016 with findings that:
"Findings from the joint-study showed how ISPO and RSPO could complement each other and offer robust solutions for all stakeholders beyond what each could accomplish alone."
Since its inception in 2011, the ISPO has been slow to implement its standards across Indonesia and as of this writing, less than 20% of palm oil from Indonesia is certified by the ISPO despite the support of major palm oil companies including Wilmar , Golden Agri Resources and Musim Mas.
ISPO Credibility a Problem
Credibility of the ISPO certification scheme for Indonesian palm oil is undoubtedly its biggest problem. Weak on standards and enforcement, the ISPO has languished for years with very little action taken on its implementation.
As the demand for palm oil shrinks in 2020 due to the restrictive effects of the coronavirus, Covid19, the issue of credibility has resurfaced as Indonesia looks to revamp the standards for the ISPO.
Follow us on Twitter @CspoWatch as we track the development of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) scheme.
The key issues on ISPO that we will be monitoring are:
1. Plasma farmers. Often quoted by the Indonesian palm oil industry as justification for the expansion of the palm oil industry in Indonesia, this report by Mongabay indicates that this excellent scheme, may be dropped in order to facilitate easier expansion of palm oil by corporate palm oil companies.
2. Human rights and traceability. This indepth report on the ISPO by Indonesian media TEMPO brings up some very good points on the credibility of the ISPO.
3. Conservation. While it is understandable that the Indonesian government has a heavy focus on alleviating poverty through its palm oil industry, the never mentioned standard for the ISPO has been conservation as we wrote in our commentary on Indonesian palm oil. If you think conservation should be a major indicator of the sustainability of Indonesia palm oil, please spare a minute and take part in our survey below.
"To be trusted, standards and certification schemes need to be credible and include a transparent tracing/verification mechanism to ensure they are adhered to throughout the supply chain. An inclusive process also matters for various stakeholders to shape and own the principles they would eventually be held accountable for."
The UNDP report went on to state that:
"As part of the efforts made to address the sustainability challenge, the Indonesia’s Sustainable Palm Oil System (ISPO) was introduced in 2011 as the mandatory certification scheme intended to cover all palm oil producers in the country. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture with UNDP support has taken the lead in analyzing the major differences that exist between ISPO and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the world’s largest voluntary certification scheme for sustainable palm oil, which consumers trust most."
A comparative study between the ISPO and the RSPO was conducted in 2016 with findings that:
"Findings from the joint-study showed how ISPO and RSPO could complement each other and offer robust solutions for all stakeholders beyond what each could accomplish alone."
Since its inception in 2011, the ISPO has been slow to implement its standards across Indonesia and as of this writing, less than 20% of palm oil from Indonesia is certified by the ISPO despite the support of major palm oil companies including Wilmar , Golden Agri Resources and Musim Mas.
ISPO Credibility a Problem
Credibility of the ISPO certification scheme for Indonesian palm oil is undoubtedly its biggest problem. Weak on standards and enforcement, the ISPO has languished for years with very little action taken on its implementation.
As the demand for palm oil shrinks in 2020 due to the restrictive effects of the coronavirus, Covid19, the issue of credibility has resurfaced as Indonesia looks to revamp the standards for the ISPO.
Follow us on Twitter @CspoWatch as we track the development of the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) scheme.
The key issues on ISPO that we will be monitoring are:
1. Plasma farmers. Often quoted by the Indonesian palm oil industry as justification for the expansion of the palm oil industry in Indonesia, this report by Mongabay indicates that this excellent scheme, may be dropped in order to facilitate easier expansion of palm oil by corporate palm oil companies.
2. Human rights and traceability. This indepth report on the ISPO by Indonesian media TEMPO brings up some very good points on the credibility of the ISPO.
3. Conservation. While it is understandable that the Indonesian government has a heavy focus on alleviating poverty through its palm oil industry, the never mentioned standard for the ISPO has been conservation as we wrote in our commentary on Indonesian palm oil. If you think conservation should be a major indicator of the sustainability of Indonesia palm oil, please spare a minute and take part in our survey below.
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CSPO Watch. May 2020.
Your privacy is assured as we neither have the time, nor the interest to send spammy emails.
CSPO Watch. May 2020.