US Sustainable Palm Oil Members Increase

Three global companies headquartered in the United States—Walmart, The Hershey Company and Citigroup—have become members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization that aims to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil in the world.

There are currently 650 member organizations from 50 countries around the globe that are members of the RSPO. The United States has the seventh largest membership base in the RSPO with 32 member companies, proceeded by Malaysia (95 members), Indonesia (79 members), the Netherlands (50 members), Germany (48 members) and France (43 members).

Cosmetic manufacturer members include Beiersdorf, Shiseido, Johnson & Johnson, Kao Corp., and others, while cosmetic supplier members include DSM, Seppic, Aarhus Karlshamn and Cognis, among others.

There are seven sectors of members in the organization: oil palm growers, palm oil processors and/or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental/nature conservation NGOs and social/developmental NGOs. 

In the past six months, the RSPO has had its membership portfolio increase by nearly 20% from organizations across stakeholder groups and countries around the globe. With the recent launch of the trademark, RSPO will complete its aspiration to involve the entire supply chain by reaching out to the consumer.