InfoSAWIT, SABAH — Since its establishment in 2004, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has brought significant transformation to the global palm oil supply chain. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration, sustainable palm oil production is now driven not only by large corporations but also by smallholders increasingly adopting responsible practices.
RSPO statistics show that over 85% of the world’s palm oil production comes from Indonesia and Malaysia. Most of it is used as raw material for both food and non-food products — from cooking oil, margarine, and detergents to cosmetics and environmentally friendly personal care products.
Inke van der Sluijs, RSPO’s Director of Market Transformation, stressed that the success of the sustainable palm oil industry depends on cross-sector collaboration. “Developing sustainable palm oil requires a multi-stakeholder effort to truly succeed,” she said during the RSPO 2025 Palm Oil Tour in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, held on 6–8 November 2025 and attended by InfoSAWIT.
According to Inke, the inclusion of independent smallholders in sustainability schemes represents a major milestone in transforming the global palm oil market. However, she reminded that this success can only be maintained if sustainable palm oil buyers — from industrial, manufacturing, and retail sectors — continue to demonstrate their commitment through consistent purchasing and long-term support.
“Independent smallholders need strong and ongoing support from all sides to continue progressing,” she said.
The Palm Oil Tour, held after the RSPO 2025 Roundtable, aimed to deepen members’ understanding of real-world practices and encourage tangible actions from industry players. The event also served as a forum for multi-stakeholder discussions on strategies to strengthen sustainability across smallholders, companies, and end consumers.
Through this initiative, RSPO reaffirmed the importance of synergy between producers and buyers to sustain the global palm oil industry. Without consistent market support, Inke warned, the spirit of sustainability at the smallholder level would be difficult to maintain.
“True sustainability is not only measured by how palm oil is produced, but also by how the market responds to it responsibly,” she concluded. (T2)
