Biopalma da Amazônia S.A.
Palm oil assessment- Latest update: November 2020
- Next scheduled: November 2025
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Parent company:Vale Group
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Landbank (oil palm)156,536 hectares
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Bloomberg ticker:Private
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RSPO member?No
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Website:
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Media Monitor
- ZSL's SPOTT team monitors international media for news on assessed companies, collecting articles about pertinent activities. They don't confirm the accuracy of the media coverage, but it can be leveraged by SPOTT users to gain insights into a company's operations and possible risks. To access this company's media reports, scroll down or click here.
Company assessment: Biopalma da Amazônia S.A. – November 2018
Assessment date:
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Sustainability policy and leadership
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1. Sustainable palm oil policy or commitment for all its operations?
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0 / 12. Policy or commitment applies to direct and third-party suppliers?
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3. High-level position of responsibility for sustainability?
Director of Sustainability.
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4. Sustainability report published within last two years?
2016
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0 / 1
5. Member of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to improve sustainability in relation to palm oil?
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6. Verification report on compliance with POIG Charter, if a POIG member?
This indicator has been disabled as the company is not a POIG member.
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7. Activities with government, NGOs or academic institutions to improve palm oil sustainability?
The company works with the local and federal government on various palm oil related issues such as the National Bioenergy Plan, agroecological zoning of palm plantations to avoid deforestation and creation of a Brazilian palm oil certification programme.
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Landbank, maps and traceability
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8. Total land area managed/controlled for oil palm (ha)?
156536
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9. Total oil palm planted area (ha)?
58588
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10. Plasma/scheme smallholders planted area (ha)?
6500
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0 / 1
11. Unplanted (areas designated for future planting) (ha)?
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12. Conservation set-aside area, including HCV area (ha)?
93462
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13. Area for infrastructure (ha)?
8976
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14. Number and names of company owned mills?
2
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0 / 1
15. Maps or coordinates of company owned mills?
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16. Number and names of supplier mills?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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0 / 1
17. Maps of estates/management units?
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0 / 1
18. Maps of scheme/plasma smallholders?
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19. Time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to mill level?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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0 / 1
20. Time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to plantation level?
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21. Percentage of supply traceable to mill level (above 80%)?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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0 / 2
22. Percentage of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from own mills traceable to plantation level (above 75%)?
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23. Percentage of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from supplier mills traceable to plantation level (above 75%)?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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Deforestation and biodiversity
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24. Commitment to zero deforestation?
The company only states that it is "convinced that the expansion of the oil palm crop should not be established on areas of forests, areas of high biodiversity and permanent preservation".
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0 / 1
25. Deforestation commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?
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26. Criteria for defining deforestation?
High biodiversity and permanent preservation areas.
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27. Evidence of monitoring deforestation?
The company states that regular patrols are carried out to prevent logging and encroachment, and this appears to be over all its conservation areas. However, the relevant timeframes of this monitoring are unclear.
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0 / 1
28. Examples of habitat management and/or habitat restoration?
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0 / 1
29. Implementing a landscape-level approach to biodiversity conservation?
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30. Commitment to biodiversity conservation?
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0 / 1
31. Commitment to not endanger species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification?
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32. Commitment to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species?
The company states it prohibits hunting in conservation set-aside areas.
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33. Examples of species conservation activities?
The company only provides limited details on its species conservation activities.
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HCV, HCS and impact assessments
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0 / 1
34. Commitment to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments?
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0 / 1
35. HCV commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?
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0 / 1
36. Commitment to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Network's Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?
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37. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for planting undertaken prior to January 2015, and associated management and monitoring plans?
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0 / 1
38. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for all estates planted since January 2015?
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0 / 1
39. High Conservation Value (HCV) management and monitoring plans for all estates planted since January 2015?
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0 / 1
40. Satisfactory review of all High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments undertaken since January 2015 by the HCV ALS Quality Panel?
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0 / 1
41. Commitment to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach?
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0 / 1
42. High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments?
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0 / 1
43. Commitment to conduct social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs)?
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0 / 1
44. Social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs) undertaken, and associated management and monitoring plans?
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Peat, fire and GHG emissions
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0 / 1
45. Commitment to no planting on peat of any depth?
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0 / 1
46. Peat commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?
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0 / 1
47. Commitment to best management practices for soils and peat?
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0 / 1
48. Landbank or planted area on peat?
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49. Evidence of best management practices for soils and peat?
The company provides examples of best management practices for soils but not for peat.
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0 / 1
50. Commitment to zero burning?
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0 / 1
51. Zero burning commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?
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52. Evidence of management and monitoring fires?
The company only reports having Emergency Response Plans for fire events. No fire monitoring activities are mentioned.
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0 / 1
53. Details/number of hotspots/fires in company estates?
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0 / 1
54. Details/number of hotspots/fires within surrounding landscape/smallholders?
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0 / 1
55. Time-bound commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity?
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0 / 1
56. GHG emissions from land use change?
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0 / 1
57. Methodology used to calculate GHG emissions?
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0 / 1
58. Progress towards commitment to reduce GHG emissions intensity?
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0 / 1
59. Percentage of mills with methane capture (100%)?
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Water, chemical and pest management
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0 / 1
60. Time-bound commitment to improve water use per tonne of FFB Processed?
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0 / 1
61. Time-bound commitment to improve water quality (BOD and COD)?
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0 / 1
62. Progress towards commitment on water use?
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0 / 1
63. Progress towards commitment on water quality (BOD and COD)?
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64. Protection of natural waterways through buffer zones?
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65. Evidence of treating palm oil mill effluent (POME)?
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66. Commitment to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers?
The company only mentions using effluents and residual plant material (e.g. EFB) as fertiliser to reduce the need to use inorganic fertilisers.
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0 / 1
67. No use of paraquat?
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0 / 1
68. No use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides?
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0 / 1
69. No use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention?
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70. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach?
The company only describes Biological Pest Control as a guiding principle for Technological Innovation. It is unclear if they are implementing IPM techniques.
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0 / 1
71. Chemical usage per ha or list of chemicals used?
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Community, land and labour rights
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0 / 1
72. Commitment to human rights, referencing the UN Declaration of Human Rights or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?
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0 / 1
73. Commitment to human rights applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?
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0 / 1
74. Commitment to respect legal and customary land tenure rights?
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0 / 1
75. Commitment to respect indigenous and local communities' rights, referencing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or ILO 169?
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0 / 1
76. Commitment to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)?
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0 / 1
77. FPIC commitment applies to independent suppliers?
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0 / 1
78. Details of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process available?
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0 / 1
79. Details of process for addressing land conflicts available?
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80. Commitment to mitigate impacts on food security?
The company has a Productive Diversification and Food Security Program which aims to address food security for local communities.
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81. Commitment to provide essential community services and facilities?
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0 / 1
82. Commitment to respect all workers' rights?
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83. Reference to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles?
The company only refers to five Fundamental Conventions: No. 138 (Minimum age) and 29 (No Forced Labour) by number and separately mentions no discrimination (No. 111), Freedom of Association (No. 87) and Child Labour (No. 182).
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84. Total number of employees?
3604
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0 / 1
85. Percentage or number of temporary employees?
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86. Percentage or number of women employees?
34 (52%) - The company only provides information about the 66 young apprentices it hired in 2016 (34 female).
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87. Commitment to pay minimum wage?
The company commits to comply with Brazilian legislation regarding remuneration.
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88. Commitment to address occupational health and safety?
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89. Time lost due to work-based injuries?
The company provides a graph on progress regarding Accidents Frequency Rate, however it is not possible to establish the exact rate for 2016.
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0 / 1
90. Number of fatalities as a result of work-based accidents?
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91. Provision of personal protective equipment and pesticide training?
The company states it uses PPE but it is not clear if relevant training on the safe use of pesticides is provided.
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Certification standards
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0 / 1
92. Member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?
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0 / 0.5
93. Submitted most recent RSPO Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP)?
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0 / 0.5
94. Listed all countries and regions in which operates in most recent RSPO Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP)?
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0 / 0.5
95. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of estates within 5 years or achieved 100% RSPO-certification of estates?
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0 / 0.5
96. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of scheme/associated smallholders within 5 years or achieved 100% RSPO-certification of scheme/associated smallholders?
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97. Year expected to achieve 100% RSPO certification of all palm product processing facilities?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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0 / 0.5
98. 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?
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0 / 2
99. Percentage of mills RSPO-certified (above 75%)?
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0 / 2
100. Percentage of area (ha) RSPO-certified (above 75%)?
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0 / 2
101. Percentage of scheme/associated smallholders (ha) RSPO-certified (above 75%)?
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0 / 2
102. Percentage of FFB supply (tonnes) from independent FFB suppliers that is RSPO-certified (above 75%)?
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103. Percentage of all palm oil and oil palm products handled/traded/processed (tonnes) that are RSPO-certified (above 75%)?
This indicator has been disabled as only relevant for traders.
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0 / 1
104. Sells or processes/trades RSPO-certified palm oil through Segregated or Identity Preserved supply chains?
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105. Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certified (100%)?
This indicator has been disabled as the company does not operate in Indonesia.
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106. Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certified?
This indicator has been disabled as the company does not operate in Malaysia.
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0 / 1
107. Certified under voluntary sustainability certification scheme (e.g. ISCC, SAN, RSB, etc.)?
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Smallholders and suppliers
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108. Programme to support scheme smallholders?
The company reports providing technical support, productivity, capacity building and entrepreneurial skills. This seems to be for scheme smallholders.
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109. Number or percentage of scheme smallholders involved in programme?
650
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0 / 1
110. Programme to support independent smallholders?
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0 / 1
111. Number or percentage of independent smallholders involved in programme?
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0 / 1
112. Process used to prioritise, assess and/or engage suppliers on compliance with company's policy and/or legal requirements?
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0 / 1
113. Suspension or exclusion criteria for suppliers?
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0 / 1
114. Percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged on compliance with company requirements?
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Governance and grievances
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115. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?
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0 / 1
116. Whistleblowing procedure?
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117. Own grievance or complaints system?
The company mentions that the Code of Conduct addresses issues such as reports of doubts and code violations. However, no details are available on this.
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118. Grievance or complaints system is accessible to internal and external stakeholders?
Only available internally.
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0 / 2
119. Details of grievances disclosed?
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SPOTT scores are based on the presence of external evidence made available by the company or third-parties.
Media monitor: Biopalma da Amazônia S.A.
SPOTT monitors global media sources for coverage of assessed companies. The media monitor gathers reports about specific activities related to the assessment indicator categories. ZSL does not assess or score the validity of media coverage, but users can explore the media monitor to provide context on implementation, and infer risks associated with reported operations on the ground. The media monitor undergoes a full update at the time of publishing an assessment round, with ad-hoc updates throughout the year. This is not an exhaustive list of all media reports relevant to the company.
View all reports
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August 2024
The destructive nature of the bioeconomy and the struggle for territory in the Virgílio Serrão Sacramento community, in Pará, Brazil
June 2024
Famílias de agricultores lutam por direito à terra em Moju, no Pará (Farming families fight for land rights in Moju, Pará)
May 2024
Indigenous Resistance in Brazil: The Fight for Land Rights in The Amazon
February 2024
The struggle for land in the Brazilian Amazon region against palm oil and mining corporations
May 2023
Indigenous chief shot in head in Brazil’s ‘palm oil war’ region; crisis group launched
October 2022
Tras las huellas de la palma: 298 procesos abiertos contra 170 empresas, productores y procesadores por violar las normas ambientales en Latinoamérica (In the footsteps of the palm: 298 processes opened against 170 companies, producers and processors for violating environmental regulations in Latin America)
September 2022
ACARÁ Inquérito do MP já apurava ameaças contra povos tradicionais antes de atentados (ACARA MPs inquiry already found threats against traditional peoples before attacks)
September 2022
Brazils biggest palm oil producers Agropalma and Brasil Biofuels accused of serious human rights violations against communities in the Pará region
October 2019
Crescem os Conflitos e a Violência no Campo; a luta também – Apresentação dos dados da CPT por Gilvander Moreira (Conflict and Violence in the Field Grow; the fight too - Presentation of CPT data by Gilvander Moreira)
April 2019
Exclusivo: Vale está implicada em tragédia da Ponte do Rio Moju, no Pará (Exclusive: Vale is implicated in tragedy of the Moju River Bridge in Pará)
April 2019
Beware of Poorly Vetted ‘Sustainability Certifications': Brazil's Palm Oil Industry
November 2018
Agricultural industry obtains reduction of condemnation for degrading work in the Amazon
April 2018
Líder quilombola que denunciava desmatamento ilegal e poluição de agrotóxicos é executado no Pará (Quilombola leader denouncing illegal deforestation and agrochemical pollution is executed in Pará)
January 2015
Use of agrochemicals in palm plantations affects Temb? indigenous health
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Media monitor: Biopalma da Amazônia S.A.
SPOTT monitors global media sources for coverage of assessed companies. The media monitor gathers reports about specific activities related to the assessment indicator categories. ZSL does not assess or score the validity of media coverage, but users can explore the media monitor to provide context on implementation, and infer risks associated with reported operations on the ground.
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