)
Palm cultivation? More sustainable please!
14
June
2019
You might not be aware, but palm oil is used in a lot of products. That is why we are working hard to use this popular fat as healthily and sustainably as possible. Read the 5 facts we have compiled about palm oil to find out why we are handling it as conscientiously as possible.
1. Palm (kernel) oil is popular
Palm oil is an important ingredient in almost 700 products that we use every day; from chocolate, biscuits and ice cream to sauces. Its positive influence on taste, its firm texture and its mouthfeel make palm oil far more popular than any other oil. Palm kernel oil is a less used variant of palm oil that is mainly used in toiletries like shampoo, cosmetics and soap.
2. Restrict saturated fatty acids
As palm oil contains saturated fatty acids, which are best consumed in moderation, we are working to reduce or remove the fat from as many own brand products as possible. We are replacing saturated fatty acids with an alternative that contains better fatty acids, or with better types of fat that are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
3. Choose plantations that are more environmentally friendly
Where possible, we choose palm oil plantations that are sustainably managed, cause no deforestation and minimise their impact on ecosystems – like the habitats of orang-utans and tigers. We also keep sustainable employment opportunities in mind; sustainable plantations can provide millions of jobs and better working conditions, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia.
4. Nothing is more productive than palm cultivation
The oil palm is significantly more productive than other oil plants. Although we could replace palm oil with other vegetable oils, such as soya, sunflower or rapeseed oil, we would need between 4 and 10 times as much agricultural land to achieve the same yield. So, judicious use of the valuable and more sustainable palm seems the better option, as replacing palm oil completely with other oils would increase deforestation even further.
5. Rising demand for certified palm oil
We are working continuously to make palm oil more sustainable in our own brand products. We always use certified RSPO palm oil. Wherever possible, we aim to use 100 % segregated palm oil, because it never comes into contact with less sustainable palm oil. Demand for sustainably harvested fats is only going to rise. The world population in 2050 is likely to be 9 billion people. Oils and fats play a significant role in the world’s food supply, which is why we are choosing production that is more sustainable and more compact.
With this initiative, we contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
