The RSPO’s Rules on Deforestation, Legality and Traceability

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), established in 2004, is one of the world’s best-known palm oil certification schemes.

The RSPO has continued to come in for criticism, including the long-documented practice of companies appointing and paying for their own auditors and drawing concerns that it creates an inherent conflict of interest.

In this briefing we examine the extent to which the RSPO standard ensures legality, traceability and deforestation free palm oil. At first glance it may look as if the RSPO standard largely ensures palm oil is deforestation-free, legal and traceable. In reality, the system is complicated and many caveats and loopholes allow companies to bypass and bend the rules.