RSPO, MSPO To Align Certifications to Ease Smallholders' Burden

Chief Executive Officer of RSPO, Joseph D'Cruz. -NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is working with Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) to align both certification schemes in an effort to ease the burden on smallholders.

RSPO chief executive officer Joseph D'Cruz said the move aims to avoid overlapping audit processes and streamline sustainability requirements for the industry.

"The main objective is to reduce compliance cost and lessen administrative issues for smallholders," he told reporters at the Annual Roundtable Conference on Sustainable Palm Oil here today.

"Both certification schemes require audits on plantations every year. If this can be done together, it will save cost and facilitate smallholders in compliance."

D'Cruz said discussions with MSPO are ongoing, focusing on adopting similar audit instruments so that data collected can be used for both certifications.

He added that collaboration with MSPO is crucial to ensure the industry moves in the same direction on sustainability.

"We often engage with the ministry and MSPO to see how both systems can be combined without compromising respective integrity standards," he said.

Similar efforts are being carried out in Thailand, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where RSPO works with government agencies to strengthen policies based on its principles.

Source: www.nst.com.my