Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

For Cognis, renewable palm kernel oil is an important raw material. Cognis uses coconut and palm kernel oil (share of more than 95 percent of our oil demands) and to a lesser extent palm oil (less than five percent) to process those oils into raw materials for the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries, as well as into technical applications like coating additives or synthetic lubricants. Biodiesel production has significantly increased the worldwide demand for palm kernel oil, with new areas being targeted and cultivation of oil palm plantations expanding in sensitive regions.

In 2004, Cognis became a member of the RSPO
As a major consumer of palm kernel oil, Cognis has been a member of the
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2004. Its aims is to conserve the rainforests of the world. Under the auspices of, among others, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), this forum with its roughly 340 members, environmental organizations and government agencies, seeks solutions for the sustainable cultivation of oil palms. One of the objectives is to ensure the development of plantations while protecting the rainforests and their valuable biodiversity.

Sustainable cultivation of oil palm plantations
The purpose is to institute sustainable commercialization models that bring the various ecological, economic and social interests that pertain under one roof. As a major consumer of palm kernel oil in particular, Cognis supports the objectives of the RSPO, which largely coincide with our own sustainability philosophy.

Catalog of criteria come into force in 2008
Representatives of all stakeholders are organized in several working groups within the RSPO, the remit of which includes developing, step by step, a catalog of criteria by which to assess the sustainability of oil palm cultivation, best practice solutions for ensuring viable plantation husbandry, and innovative methods and best practice solutions for sustainable plantation management and logistics. The associated regulations will come into force in 2008. Cognis purchases palm kernel oil primarily from RSPO members in Malaysia and Indonesia. In 2009, Cognis has started purchasing activities for sustainable palm kernel oil certificates to cover specific customer needs in this area and to further promote business based on sustainable raw materials.