Palm oil assessment summary - November 2023
ZSL's SPOTT initiative assesses 100 palm oil producers, processors and traders on their public disclosure regarding their organisation, policies and practices related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. We encourage stakeholders to engage with companies, as policies and commitments may not always translate into effective implementation on the ground.
SPOTT scores palm oil producers, processors and traders using up to 186 ESG indicators across 10 categories. View the categories below to find out more about key results, and visit company pages to view their full assessments.
Note: Indicators are disabled if they are not applicable to companies due to the nature or location of their operations.
47.2%
Average total score:
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Sustainability policy and leadership
52.6%
- 60 companies / 80 (75.0%) publish clear sustainability policies that apply to all their operations.
- 62 companies / 97 (63.9%) publicly extend their sustainability policies to all their suppliers.
- 51 companies / 100 (51.0%) publish a high-level position (excluding board members) with responsibility for sustainability.
- 54 companies / 88 (61.4%) publish one or more board members with responsibility for sustainability.
- 42 companies / 100 (42.0%) publicly disclose the percentage or number of women in their senior management team.
- 47 companies / 88 (53.4%) publicly disclose the percentage or number of women within their board of directors.
- 24 companies / 100 (24.0%) are members of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to reduce negative environmental or social outcomes associated with palm oil production.
- 51 companies / 100 (51.0%) have collaborated with multiple stakeholders to reduce negative environmental or social outcomes associated with palm oil production.
- 62 companies / 100 (62.0%) have published a sustainability report in the last two years.
- 40 companies / 100 (40.0%) publicly report through standardised reporting systems.
- 3 companies / 3 (100.0%) have a verification report on compliance with POIG Charter, if a POIG member.
- 16 companies / 100 (16.0%) publish an assessment of climate-related risks.
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Landbank, maps and traceability
50.4%
- 73 companies / 96 (76.0%) publicly disclose the countries they operate in and the nature of these operations.
- 50 companies / 97 (51.5%) publicly disclose the countries they source from.
- 51 companies / 80 (63.8%) publicly disclose the total area of land they control for palm oil production.
- 49 companies / 80 (61.3%) publicly disclose their total planted area.
- 37 companies / 63 (58.7%) publicly disclose their total area planted in scheme/outgrower smallholder plantations.
- 46 companies / 80 (57.5%) publicly disclose their total unplanted area (areas designated for future planting).
- 47 companies / 80 (58.8%) publicly report information on their areas set aside for conservation, including of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas.
- 43 companies / 80 (53.8%) publish geo-referenced maps for all estates/management units.
- 10 companies / 63 (15.9%) publish geo-referenced maps for all scheme smallholders.
- 11 companies / 96 (11.5%) publish geo-referenced maps for all third-party supplying plantations.
- 57 companies / 80 (71.3%) publicly disclose the number of company-owned mills.
- 52 companies / 80 (65.0%) publicly disclose the names and locations of company-owned mills.
- 37 companies / 80 (46.3%) publicly disclose the number (or percentage) of company-owned mills that source from company-owned operations and third parties.
- 39 companies / 80 (48.8%) publicly disclose the total volumes (or percentages) sourced by company-owned mills that come from company-owned operations and third-parties.
- 34 companies / 71 (47.9%) publicly disclose the number of third party supplying mills.
- 33 companies / 71 (46.5%) publicly disclose the names and locations of all third-party supplying mills.
- 13 companies / 71 (18.3%) publicly disclose the number (or percentage) of third party supplying mills that source from their own plantations and third party plantations.
- 14 companies / 71 (19.7%) publicly disclose the total volume (or percentages) sourced from third-party supplying mills that come from the supplying mills own operations and third parties.
- 13 companies / 56 (23.2%) publicly disclose the total volume (or percentage) sourced for refineries that comes from intermediary traders and/or refiners rather than directly from mills.
- 31 companies / 71 (43.7%) publicly disclose a time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to mill level.
- 28 companies / 71 (39.4%) that source from third-party supplying mills can trace 100% of their raw materials to the mill of origin.
- 44 companies / 98 (44.9%) publicly disclose a time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to plantation level.
- 32 companies / 78 (41.0%) publicly disclose the percentage of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) supply to own mills traceable to plantation level.
- 6 companies / 71 (8.5%) can trace 100% of their raw materials from their supplier mills to the plantation of origin.
- 24 companies / 66 (36.4%) publish traceability to plantation data at the refinery level.
- 22 companies / 59 (37.3%) publish traceability to plantation data at the crusher level.
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Certification standards
39.8%
- 64 companies / 100 (64.0%) are full members of the RSPO.
- 31 companies / 98 (31.6%) was RSPO-certified within three years of joining the RSPO, or by November 2010, for companies joining prior to finalisation of the RSPO certification systems in November 2007.
- 63 companies / 99 (63.6%) has submitted its most recent RSPO Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP).
- 9 companies / 80 (11.3%) have 100% of their estates RSPO-certified.
- 20 companies / 80 (25.0%) have 100% of their mills RSPO-certified.
- 44 companies / 80 (55.0%) publicly report a time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of all estates and mills within 5 years.
- 40 companies / 78 (51.3%) publicly report a time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of all processing facilities within 5 years.
- 2 companies / 63 (3.2%) have 100% of their scheme smallholders (ha) RSPO-certified.
- 24 companies / 63 (38.1%) publicly report a time-bound plan for achieving 100% certification of scheme/associated smallholders and outgrowers within 5 years or target already achieved.
- 1 company / 76 (1.3%) has 100% of its palm oil and oil palm products handled/traded/processed (tonnes) RSPO-certified.
- 0 companies / 82 (0.0%) have 100% of their FFB supply (tonnes) from independent smallholders/outgrowers/third-party FFB suppliers RSPO-certified.
- 1 company / 77 (1.3%) sells 100% of its RSPO-certified palm oil through Segregated or Identity Preserved supply chains.
- 0 companies / 81 (0.0%) process/trade 100% of their RSPO-certified palm oil through Segregated or Identity Preserved supply chains.
- 7 companies / 50 (14.0%) have 100% of their operations (mills and estates) ISPO certified.
- 20 companies / 32 (62.5%) have 100% of their operations (mills and estates) MSPO certified.
- 47 companies / 100 (47.0%) are certified under other voluntary certification schemes.
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Deforestation and biodiversity
38.6%
- 17 companies / 80 (21.3%) publicly commit to zero conversion of natural ecosystems.
- 15 companies / 97 (15.5%) publicly commit all their suppliers to the same zero conversion of natural ecosystems standard.
- 54 companies / 80 (67.5%) publicly commit to zero deforestation.
- 49 companies / 97 (50.5%) publicly commit all their suppliers to the same zero deforestation standard.
- 44 companies / 80 (55.0%) publicly disclose a criteria and cut-off date for defining deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion.
- 49 companies / 97 (50.5%) publicly disclose a criteria and cut-off date for defining deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion in their suppliers operations.
- 44 companies / 80 (55.0%) provide evidence of monitoring deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion.
- 21 companies / 97 (21.6%) provide evidence of monitoring deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion in their suppliers operations.
- 16 companies / 80 (20.0%) publicly disclose the amount of deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion recorded in their own operations from a specified cut-off date.
- 11 companies / 97 (11.3%) publicly disclose the amount of deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion recorded in their suppliers operations from a specified cut-off date.
- 26 companies / 80 (32.5%) publicly commit to restore all non-compliant deforestation/conversion in their own operations from a specified cut-off date.
- 27 companies / 97 (27.8%) publicly commit to restore all non compliant deforestation/conversion in their supplier operations from a specified cut-off date.
- 27 companies / 100 (27.0%) publish examples of implementing a landscape approach.
- 3 companies / 80 (3.8%) publish a biodiversity policy which extends beyond conservation set-asides and includes clear time-bound targets to measure the impact of the policy.
- 14 companies / 97 (14.4%) publish a biodiversity policy that applies to all their suppliers.
- 53 companies / 80 (66.3%) identify and publicly disclose species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification.
- 50 companies / 80 (62.5%) that control land provide publicly available examples of species and/or habitat conservation management.
- 31 companies / 80 (38.8%) publicly commit to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species.
- 29 companies / 97 (29.9%) extend their public commitment to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species to all suppliers.
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HCV, HCS and impact assessments
45.6%
- 54 companies / 80 (67.5%) publicly commit to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for all new development and planting.
- 49 companies / 97 (50.5%) publicly commit all their suppliers to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for all new development and planting.
- 28 companies / 80 (35.0%) make all their HCV assessments for all estates planted prior to January 2015 publicly available.
- 21 companies / 68 (30.9%) make all their HCV assessments for all estates planted/planned planting since January 2015 publicly available.
- 22 companies / 68 (32.4%) make all their HCV management and monitoring plans available.
- 48 companies / 80 (60.0%) publicly commit to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Networks Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS).
- 32 companies / 97 (33.0%) publicly commit to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Networks Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS).
- 20 companies / 68 (29.4%) has satisfactory reviews of all High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments undertaken since January 2015 by the HCV ALS Quality Panel.
- 52 companies / 80 (65.0%) publicly commit to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach.
- 47 companies / 97 (48.5%) publicly commit all their suppliers to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach.
- 22 companies / 66 (33.3%) make High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments publicly available.
- 16 companies / 66 (24.2%) publish a peer review of all High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments undertaken since April 2015 by the HCSA Quality Assurance Process.
- 51 companies / 96 (53.1%) clearly and publicly commit to conduct Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (SEIAs) for all new development and planting.
- 31 companies / 97 (32.0%) clearly and publicly commit all suppliers to conduct Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (SEIAs) for all new development and planting.
- 31 companies / 96 (32.3%) have at least one SEIA assessment or summary report publicly available.
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Peat, fire and GHG emissions
48.1%
- 53 companies / 80 (66.3%) publicly commit to prohibit planting on peat of any depth.
- 57 companies / 97 (58.8%) publicly commit all their suppliers to prohibit planting on peat of any depth.
- 28 companies / 80 (35.0%) publicly disclose their total lanbank or planted area on peat.
- 18 companies / 71 (25.4%) publish evidence that their landbank/planted area on peat has not increased in the last 2 years.
- 44 companies / 80 (55.0%) publicly commit to best management practices for soils and/or peat.
- 32 companies / 97 (33.0%) publicly commit all their suppliers to best management practices for soils and peat.
- 48 companies / 80 (60.0%) publish evidence of implementing best management practices for soils and peat.
- 56 companies / 80 (70.0%) clearly and publicly commit to zero burning.
- 59 companies / 97 (0.0%) clearly and publicly commit all their suppliers to zero burning.
- 50 companies / 80 (62.5%) publish evidence of fire monitoring and management practices.
- 39 companies / 80 (48.8%) publish details of the hotspots/fires in their own estates.
- 29 companies / 80 (36.3%) publish details of the hotspots/fires in their suppliers estates.
- 15 companies / 96 (15.6%) publish a time-bound commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity.
- 22 companies / 100 (22.0%) publicly report their GHG emissions intensity.
- 15 companies / 68 (22.1%) publicly report their GHG emissions from land use change in their own operations (scope 1).
- 1 company / 97 (1.0%) publicly reports its GHG emissions from land use change in its suppliers operations (scope 3).
- 12 companies / 96 (12.5%) publicly report a reduction in their GHG emissions intensity over time.
- 58 companies / 96 (60.4%) publicly report the methodology used to calculate their GHG emissions.
- 4 companies / 80 (5.0%) have methane capture facilities at 100% of their mills.
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Water, chemical and pest management
44.7%
- 22 companies / 96 (22.9%) publish a time-bound commitment to improve water use intensity.
- 38 companies / 96 (39.6%) publicly report their water use intensity.
- 22 companies / 96 (22.9%) publicly report progress towards their water use commitment.
- 28 companies / 96 (29.2%) have a public time-bound commitment to improve water quality (BOD and COD).
- 23 companies / 96 (24.0%) publicly report progress towards their commitment on water quality (BOD and COD).
- 53 companies / 80 (66.3%) publicly report treating palm oil mill effluent (POME).
- 16 companies / 66 (24.2%) publicly report treating palm oil refinery effluent (PORE).
- 46 companies / 80 (57.5%) publicly commit to protect natural waterways through using buffer or riparian zones.
- 44 companies / 80 (55.0%) publish multiple examples of how they protect natural waterways through buffer zones.
- 43 companies / 80 (53.8%) publicly commit to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
- 30 companies / 97 (30.9%) publicly commit all their suppliers to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
- 49 companies / 80 (61.3%) publicly commit to prohibit the use of paraquat.
- 36 companies / 97 (37.1%) publicly commit all their suppliers to prohibit the use of paraquat.
- 43 companies / 80 (53.8%) publicly commit to prohibit the use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides.
- 37 companies / 97 (38.1%) publicly commit all their suppliers to prohibit the use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides.
- 43 companies / 80 (53.8%) publicly commit to prohibit the use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention.
- 34 companies / 97 (35.1%) publicly commit all their suppliers to prohibit the use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention.
- 25 companies / 80 (31.3%) publicly report their chemical usage per hectare or per tonne of oil produced or provide a comprehensive list of chemicals used within their operations.
- 47 companies / 80 (58.8%) provide evidence of implementing their commitment to minimise inorganic fertiliser usage.
- 51 companies / 80 (63.8%) publicly report implementing an integrated pest management (IPM) approach.
- 58 companies / 96 (60.4%) publicly report a comprehensive waste management system in place to avoid negative impacts of palm oil production/processing.
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Community, land and labour rights
55.7%
- 67 companies / 100 (67.0%) publicly commit to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights or to human rights principles as part of being UN Global Compact member.
- 57 companies / 97 (58.8%) extend their public human rights commitment to all suppliers.
- 56 companies / 100 (56.0%) publish evidence of taking actions to implement their human rights policies.
- 41 companies / 81 (50.6%) publicly commit to respect Indigenous and local communities’ rights.
- 36 companies / 97 (37.1%) publicly commit all their suppliers to respect Indigenous and local communities rights.
- 44 companies / 81 (54.3%) publicly commit to respect legal and customary land tenure rights.
- 39 companies / 97 (40.2%) publicly commit all their suppliers to respect legal and customary land rights.
- 57 companies / 81 (70.4%) have a full public commitment to obtain free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) prior to all new developments.
- 61 companies / 97 (62.9%) publicly commit all their suppliers to obtain free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) prior to all new developments.
- 46 companies / 81 (56.8%) publicly disclose details of their free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process.
- 23 companies / 81 (28.4%) publicly report examples of local stakeholder engagement to prevent conflicts.
- 35 companies / 81 (43.2%) publicly disclose details of their process for addressing land conflicts.
- 42 companies / 80 (52.5%) publish evidence they are taking actions to support the inclusion of women across palm oil operations, including addressing barriers faced.
- 39 companies / 80 (48.8%) publicly commit to ensure food security for local communities.
- 47 companies / 80 (58.8%) publish multiple examples of implementing their commitment to ensure food security for local communities.
- 57 companies / 80 (71.3%) publicly commit to provide essential community services and facilities.
- 55 companies / 80 (68.8%) publish multiple examples of implementing their commitment to provide essential community services and facilities.
- 45 companies / 80 (56.3%) publicly commit to provide business/work opportunities for local communities.
- 51 companies / 100 (51.0%) publicly commit to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles.
- 35 companies / 97 (36.1%) publicly commit all their suppliers to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles.
- 48 companies / 100 (48.0%) publish evidence of implementing their commitment to respect all workers rights.
- 71 companies / 100 (71.0%) publicly commit to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment.
- 50 companies / 97 (51.5%) publicly commit all their suppliers to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment.
- 50 companies / 100 (50.0%) publish evidence of implementing their commitment to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment.
- 38 companies / 83 (45.8%) publicly report the percentage or number of temporary employees.
- 58 companies / 100 (58.0%) publicly report the percentage or number of women employees.
- 34 companies / 100 (34.0%) publicly commit to pay a living wage.
- 11 companies / 97 (11.3%) publicly commit all their suppliers to pay a living wage.
- 42 companies / 100 (42.0%) publish evidence that all workers are paid a living wage.
- 12 companies / 100 (12.0%) publicly report salary by gender.
- 79 companies / 100 (79.0%) publicly commit to address occupational health and safety.
- 56 companies / 97 (57.7%) publicly commit all their suppliers to address occupational health and safety.
- 53 companies / 100 (53.0%) publish evidence that they provide personal protective equipment and related training to employees.
- 50 companies / 100 (50.0%) publicly report time lost due to work-based injuries.
- 52 companies / 100 (52.0%) publicly disclose the number of fatalities as a result of work-based accidents.
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Smallholders and suppliers
34.8%
- 53 companies / 94 (56.4%) publicly commit to support both scheme/plasma and independent smallholders.
- 42 companies / 91 (46.2%) publicly report a programme to support scheme/plasma smallholders in the supply chain.
- 22 companies / 91 (24.2%) publicly report the number or percentage of the companys scheme/plasma smallholders it is supporting.
- 44 companies / 92 (47.8%) publicly report a programme to support independent smallholders in the supply chain.
- 25 companies / 92 (27.2%) publicly report the number or percentage of independent smallholders/outgrowers supporting.
- 43 companies / 97 (44.3%) publicly report they have a process for prioritising, assessing and/or engaging suppliers on compliance with their policy and/or legal requirements.
- 31 companies / 97 (32.0%) publicly report the number or percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged on compliance with companys policy and/or legal requirements.
- 25 companies / 97 (25.8%) publicly disclose the sustainability criteria by which suppliers are excluded or suspended, including steps that will be taken and timeframes for action.
- 13 companies / 96 (13.5%) publicly disclose time-bound action plans (including Key Performance Indicators) for suppliers to be in compliance with their palm oil sourcing commitments.
- 8 companies / 97 (8.25) publicly report the proportion of supply that is verified as deforestation- and/or conversion-free (DCF).
- 12 companies / 77 (15.6%) publicly report a time-bound plan to engage with all high risk mills within 3 years.
- 12 companies / 77 (15.6%) publicly report a programme to support own and third-party high-risk mills to become compliant with their sourcing policies, and give examples of the types of support provided.
- 14 companies / 77 (18.2%) publicly report that they engage with a subset of own and third-party high risk mills on an annual basis.
- 17 companies / 77 (22.1%) publish procedures to assess all own and third party supplying palm oil mills for risk level.
- 17 companies / 77 (22.1%) publicly report that they assesses the risk level of all mills on an annual basis.
- 13 companies / 77 (16.9%) publicly report that they report the overall risk level of all own and third-party supplying mills on an annual basis.
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Governance and grievances
56.1%
- 72 companies / 100 (72.0%) publicly commit to ethical conduct and the prohibition of corruption.
- 51 companies / 97 (52.6%) publicly commit all their suppliers to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption.
- 54 companies / 100 (54.0%) publicly report progress on their commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption.
- 17 companies / 100 (17.0%) publicly disclose their management approach to tax and payments to governments.
- 60 companies / 100 (60.0%) publicly report a whistleblowing procedure.
- 65 companies / 100 (65.0%) publicly report a grievance procedure that is open to both internal and external stakeholders such as employees and local communities.
- 35 companies / 100 (35.0%) publicly report details of complaints and grievances.
Key findings
- The average score of companies is 47.2% in November 2023, compared to 45.4% during the last assessment of palm oil companies in November 2022.
- 69/100 (69.0%) companies assessed in 2022 saw an increase in their scores in 2023 – the average change in score was +3.6 percentage points.
- 17/100 (17.0%) companies assessed in 2022 saw a decrease in their scores in 2023 – the average change in score was -4.3 percentage points.
- The average score of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) members (65 companies), including companies with subsidiary RSPO members, is 63.0% vs. 17.8% for non-RSPO members (35 companies).
Scores updated 13 November 2023.
Average scores by type
About SPOTT
Developed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), SPOTT is an online platform supporting sustainable commodity production and trade. By tracking transparency, SPOTT incentivises the implementation of corporate best practice. SPOTT assesses commodity producers, processors and traders on their public disclosure regarding their organisation, policies and practices related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. SPOTT scores companies annually against sector-specific indicators to benchmark their progress over time. Investors, buyers and other key influencers can use SPOTT assessments to inform stakeholder engagement, manage risk, and increase industry transparency. For more information, visit spott.org.
About ZSL
ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is an international conservation charity working to create a world where wildlife thrives. From investigating the health threats facing animals to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, ZSL is committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction. Our work is realised through our ground-breaking science, our field conservation around the world and engaging millions of people through our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. For more information, visit zsl.org.