Agricultural commodities

ProForest’s work on global agricultural commodities focuses on sustainability issues associated with production and on responsible procurement and trade. Projects to date have included the development and testing of farm-level environmental and social performance standards, compliancy audits and associated field or mill-level guidance, guidance on responsible agricultural procurement policies, supply-chain analysis and research and have included palm oil, soy, sugarcane, oilseed rape, cotton, rubber, coffee and cacao. We have provided multiple support services to multi-stakeholder commodity roundtables such as the RSPO (oil palm), RTRS (soy), BSI (sugarcane) and BCI (cotton). We have an ongoing programme of training support for palm oil.

Development of supply chain controls for RSPO

For DOEN Foundation | 2006 to ongoing

Research and production of the paper "Developing a mechanism for palm oil traceability from plantation to end user" for discussion within RSPO. 

Stepwise Support Programme (SSP) for the Oil Palm Sector

For multiple clients – palm oil producers | 2008 to ongoing

A global support programme specifically designed for the oil palm sector and aimed at promoting sustainable production through a training, policy development, field assessments and supply chain audits. Run jointly with Wild Asia.  Includes the running of RSPO-accredited auditor training courses.

Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS): facilitating the development of Principles and Criteria and a verification system

For RTRS | 2007 to 2009

Technical support and coordination of a process to develop a set of Principles, Criteria and Indicators for Responsible Soy production, and a mechanism for verification of compliance by soy producers with this standard. This included the facilitation of international multistakeholder working groups, and public consultation phases, in accordance with ISEAL guidelines.

Farm Assessment for Better Cotton Production

For BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) | 2009 to 2009

Advice provided to the Better Cotton Initiative via their expert Assessment Programme Working Group, on the design of farm-assessment and an impact evaluation schemes.

Development of verification requirements for oil palm certification

For RSPO | 2006 to 2008

Technical support and facilitating the process of developing verification requirements for certification of Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) oil palm production.

Advice on multi-stakeholder Governance Options

For Sugarcane Initiative (BSI) | 2008 to 2008

Advice to BSI on options for membership structure and governance of their multi-stakeholder organization.

Development of an international standard for sustainable oil palm production

For RSPO | 2002 to 2007

Technical support and facilitation of the multi-stakeholder working group process of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in relation to the development of standards.

International Rubber Study Group: Rubber Eco-Project Study

For LMC | 2004 to 2005

Undertook study to define recommendations for ensuring sustainable incomes for rubber planters and adequate supply for end-users. The study also proposed a scheme to accentuate positive ecological and social benefits of natural rubber production.

Traceability systems for agricultural commodities, and their application in the coffee sector

For LMC | 2005 to 2005

Produced report comparing approaches to traceability in different agricultural and natural resource-based commodities, with particular emphasis on applications in the coffee sector.

Oil palm audit: Agropalma

For Agropalma Grupo | BR | Latin America and the Caribbean | 2004 to 2004

Baseline audit of Agropalma’s compliance with the MIGROS criteria for sustainable production of oil palm.

Development of the Basel Criteria for Responsible Soy Production

For Coop Switzerland | 2004 to 2004

Development of a set of Principles and Criteria for responsible soy production, known as the 'Basel Criteria', and a Brazilian national interpretation of this standard, carried out with a team of Brazilian experts. 

ISIS Asset Management publication on oil palm

For ISIS Asset Management | 2003 to 2003

An analysis of responses from 27 Isis Asset Management companies about their involvement with oil palm in order to produce a ‘Booklet’ setting out the background to the Oil Palm issue and providing a summary and analysis of the responses received. Prodcued the ISIS booklet "New Risk in old supply chains: where does your oil come from?"

Development of the MIGROS criteria for oil palm

For MIGROS | 2002 to 2003

Development of the MIGROS oil palm criteria for sustainable production. This project also included 2^nd party verification audits against the developed criteria.

Oil palm audit: SA Grupo Daabon

For Grupo Daabon | CO | 2003 to 2003

Baseline audit of the compliance of Daabon oil palm plantations in Colombia with the MIGROS standards for sustainable palm oil production.

Oil palm audit: United Plantations

For United Plantations Berhad | MY | Asia: Southern and South-Eastern | 2003 to 2003

Baseline audit of the compliance of United Plantations Berhad, Jenderata Estate with the MIGROS standards for Oil Palm Plantation Management in Peninsular Malaysia.

FEDEPALMA Review of the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact of the Vegetable Oil Industry

For LMC | 2002 to 2003

A major comparative review of the environmental and social impact of the oil palm, soybean, rapeseed and tropical timber sectors in leading producing countries for FEDEPALMA, the Colombian Oil Palm Organisation.