Say No to Palm Oil
EverEscents is very passionate about sustainability which is why we choose not to use ingredients that may be derived from Palm Oil wherever possible. EverEscents is committed to stay abreast of the Palm Oil issue and to support this EverEscents is a member of “The Orangutan Project” (TOP) and has been since 2011.
EverEscents has supported various fundraising efforts over the years to assist with the amazing work TOP is involved with in the effort to conserve the devastated areas of Indonesia and Malaysia due to Palm Oil harvesting and manufacturing.
EverEscents donates money to TOP each year to preserve 2 square kilometres of forest to be safeguarded against clearing. EverEscents also has adopted an orphaned Orangutan that has been saved from the devastated areas and is being cared for by TOP until it is safe to be reintroduced back into a safe habitat.
Please take the time to check out The Orangutan Project and make a donation today at www.orangutan.org.au
Palm Oil Ingredients & where EverEscents fits in
There are many different ingredients that MAY be derived from Palm Oil and there is a long list below. Of all of these ingredients there are only 3 that EverEscents uses in a few of it’s products; Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol and Glyceryl Stearate.
Our Glycerin is Certified Organic and not derived from Palm Kernel Oil.
Cetearyl Alcohol is mainly derived from Coconut Oil however sometimes is derived from Palm Kernel Oil.
Glyceryl Stearate is also mainly derived from Coconut Oil however sometimes is derived from Palm Kernel Oil.
EverEscents sources these ingredients from a supplier that has a Palm Oil sustainability statement and only purchases Palm Oil from members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This Supplier has also stated that their goal is to source all palm and palm kernel oil from certified sustainable sources (CSPO) and are well underway to achieve this goal by 2020.
The difference between RSPO & CSPO
Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO)
CSPO represents the certification process where palm oil growers must commit to real credible sustainability standards through time-bound plans. There is an increasing demand for palm oil that is sustainably certified in Europe and North America, including big names such as Walmart, Unilever and Nestle. As of 2011, CSPO represented over 10% of the global palm oil market but this has increased in recent years and is projected to increase in coming years. The certification process consists of reviewing existing production operations and identifying areas that must be improved to reach the CSPO standards to then be approved by a certification body. The standards are based on eight principles which have been retrieved from the RSPO website:
- 1. Commitment to transparency
- 2. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- 3. Commitment to long-term economic and financial viability
- 4. Use of appropriate best practices by growers and millers
- 5. Environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity
- 6. Responsible consideration of employees and of individuals and communities affected by growers and mills
- 7. Responsible development of new plantings
- 8. Commitment to continuous improvement in key areas of activity Because of the varying levels of sustainability and commitment by stakeholders, multiple selling systems have been created to define where certified palm oil fits in one of three systems.
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
The RSPO is a multi-stakeholder organization that was founded in 2004 as a response to pressure from the negative attention the industry was getting for its environmental and social impacts. It was created by producers, civil society, governments and buyers to address these impacts and carries forth the vision to transform markets to make sustainable palm oil the norm. It consists of comprehensive production standard and certification system to prevent the aforementioned negative impacts and credibly present that information to end users. It comprises 558 members with one-third of these members representing consumer goods manufacturers but only 17% of them representing producers of the oil.
The Good: The RSPO is currently the best sustainability and social impact standard that exists around the palm oil industry. Additionally, it has been found to be very beneficial in the long run for stakeholders who have implemented the RSPO certification standard. Finally, because the RSPO is multi-stakeholder, it includes everyone involved in the chain of production from growers and producers through to retailers and buyers and then on to members of civil society and NGOs at the very end of the line.
The Bad: One of the main criticisms of the RSPO standard is that it still permits planting of palm oil on peatlands and cleared secondary forests. This is of great concern to environmental groups and NGOs because of the role peatlands play in storing the worldís carbon which is an ecosystem good that is completely lost following the destruction of these peatlands. Additionally, its general certification standard is often regarded as being weak and a result of the multi-stakeholder dynamic of the organization. Many varying views and opinions must be considered in moving forward with any decisions made by the RSPO, which has meant very little change in the last 10 years. This dynamic drastically slows down the pace of potential progress because the RSPO runs by consensus meaning the bar for change has to be set quite low to be accepted by all. While this progress continues on slowly as the rainforests of the world are cut down at increasing speeds, it is vital for this process to be based around multi-stakeholder consensus decision to allow all sides to move forward with a shared vision.
Connect With EverEscents
- Toll Free: 1300 856 744
- Phone: 07 5473 9478
- Fax: 07 5446 3843
- International: +61 7 5473 9478
- Email: info@everescents.com.au