RE: Expecting more from annual RSPO

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/11/11/expecting-more-annual-rspo.html

RE: Expecting more from annual RSPO
In response to Iwan Dzulvan Amir, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 11/11/2010 10:29 AM | Opinion

The 8th Conference of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was held in Jakarta to continuously improving performances and public communication with regard to significantly increased stakeholder expectations towards sustainable production of palm oil globally.

Outside the conference, some activists called on the RSPO to stop hiding-irresponsible members accused of destroying primary forests, habitats of endangered species such as orang utan, elephant, tiger, etc. At almost coincidence, some human rights activists in a press conference released their investigation findings that oil palm plantation companies involved in human rights and related issues, some RSPO members.

The RSPO ordinary membership comprises of oil palm growers, manufacturers, processors and traders, retailers, banks and investors, environmental and social NGOs. The RSPO has definitive self-governing rules and systems in particular the statute and by-law, code of conduct, principles and criteria, certification systems, grievance procedure, trade and traceability systems, etc..

Since 2004, the RSPO ordinary members have been struggling in aligning sustainability principles into policies and procedures, altering business-as-usual conducts swift to voluntary best and gradually improved practices and credible performances. The RSPO has been in hard time to progress the implementation development up to satisfied levels whilst managing stakeholder expectations.

The sustainability elements should fill in the gap in achieving mutual and balance implementation. It is objective to say that an obviously imperative and challenging transformation in the palm oil is extremely important as far as procurement and use of sustainable palm oil (SPO) production is concerned rather than subjective retaliation between business community and NGO groups, or amongst respective RSPO members. The increasing stakeholders’ expectations on various cases and grievances have had led to complaints against palm oil producing members not only dealing with Greenpeace’s findings but also other RSPO ordinary members. It is therefore, an imperative moral obligation that requires greater efforts and resources consuming adjustments that bring about operation-wide impacts and subsequent alignments of the palm oil sector.

Better performance-based responses of the future sustainably produced palm oil have to undertake the platform of morally correct, socially responsible and environmentally friendly both normative and regulatory frameworks within both national and international markets without compromising locals. Indeed, Indonesia can be both the largest and best producers of sustainable palm oil in the world when ISPO system adequately addresses non-legal compliant aspects. To this end the minimum and credible production elements should prevent debt bondage, child and slavery-like working conditions, disregard human rights, gender injustice, unfair smallholding schemes, non-operational social and environmental.

Within such framework, the search of a much-needed fair and mutual lasting solution is necessary as far as sustainable palm oil is concerned in both national and international markets. Both RSPO and ISPO should complement instead of undermining their common and ultimate objectives towards sustainable palm oil. Legally compliant Indonesian palm oil producers would have been credible when the basic elements of non-operational social, economic and cultural considerations and obligations are met adequately.

A much-needed breakthrough and transformative cultures of the RSPO can create better and fair playing field levels towards balancing national needs and international demands rather than unnecessary confrontations and subjective internal bickering. Running within multi stakeholder consensual framework and transparency commitment the RSPO do face an imperative consequence of its own standards. It has been in throughout an amazingly increased stakeholder’s expectations, obviously visible contested practices of growers in social and environmental aspects, and objectively challenging calls for high performances of its market side ordinary members. Therewith principles, rules and practices upheld by and steered the RSPO are obviously challenging moment and objective for all. Absolutely BAU is no longer relevant and sufficient!

A focus and realistic expectations of what and where RSPO can achieve and do live in harmony with high stakeholder expectations and extant contested social and environmental issues have put RSPO in forefront of mixed sustainability battles. The General Assembly of members reflects and translates the implementation of RSPO rules and norms bound to all ordinary members – not only NGOs but also market side members of the organisational of RSPO.

The RSPO can be and should have been instrumental but realistic 2005 zero deforestation commitment that helps the Government of Indonesia to achieve 41% reduction of GHG emissions. It is morally correct assumption when the spokesperson of the Indonesia Palm Oil Board (IPOB) pointed out that ISPO would help the Government of Indonesia in achieving commitment of 26% GHG emissions reduction. However, with the international supports the GHG emissions reduction commitment must have achieve 41% by 2020. Absolutely BAU is neither relevant nor sufficient!

Polarising significant social and environmental issues by differentiating approaches amongst palm oil businesses and NGOs could have not been constructive to the commitment of the Government of Indonesia. Some cases the RSPO operates within its agreed no-conversion of primary forests and conservation areas (criterion 7.3). So far, resolution is open and up for realisation of RSPO sustainability premises, therefore, the cast of the votes at GA shall be construed as fair and democratic processes instead of bloc voting that subjectively disqualify business interests over NGOs concerns but all votes confirm the adopted resolutions.

It is commonly agreed and accepted that the challenge for the palm oil industry and RSPO as an organisation is to improve both not only internal but also external communications within ordinary members and stakeholders. Upholding properly all relevant issues whilst accommodating demands and managing expectations of palm oil industry members without disqualifying social and environmental concerns of those NGOs and non-members with legitimate grievances. The RSPO can and must continuously explain in a way better communicate its decision-making process of dialogues towards either consensus or voting mechanism.

The RSPO conference is always relevant for all participants where it provides an open, transparent and common ground without compromising the sustainability premises and principles by improving performance and credibility.