Proforest to verify IOI’s palm oil commitments

The Malaysia-based IOI Group is one of the world’s largest oil palm growers and traders. The verification will assess IOI Group’s level of compliance against its public policy commitments, including its SPOP, its Sustainability Implementation Plan (SIP) and additional public commitments announced by the company in April 2017.

The work will apply to IOI Group’s palm oil operations, including its plantations and crude palm oil (CPO) mills, processing facilities, as well as assessing the implementation of commitments by third-party suppliers.

Proforest’s objectives for the verification are as follows:

• Verify the level of compliance with the defined policy requirements and stated implementation progress
• Define any necessary corrective actions, including remedial activities and preventive steps
• Identify opportunities for improvements to performance and practice

"Numerous companies in the palm oil sector have made sustainability commitments, but few have externally verified the implementation of those commitments."

Neil Judd

The verification process will be delivered through a combination of external and internal stakeholder consultation, desk-based analysis and fieldwork, with work scheduled to start in May, and findings to be publicly reported by the end of 2018.

Neil Judd, Proforest Co-founder and Director said, “Proforest is pleased to be undertaking this important assessment of IOI Group. Numerous companies in the palm oil sector have made sustainability commitments, but few have externally verified the implementation of those commitments. Proforest’s extensive experience in the sector, and in verification at various levels, positions us well to undertake this work, but consultation with stakeholders will be a critical element of the process”.

Find out more about Proforest’s work on palm oil here: www.proforest.net/palmoil