Bunge on why future palm oil supply chains should focus on value not just price

Ben Vreeburg, director, sustainability, at Bunge Loders Croklaan, speaks to Ian Welsh about transparency challenges in palm oil supply chains – particularly when moving from the mill to the farm level. 

Vreeburg argues that the changes to the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil’s principles and criteria agreed in 2018 reflect an industry that wants to reform – highlighting the requirements for independent verification and the “no deforestation, peat or exploitation” supply chains that so many companies want. 

And they discuss how to achieve the tricky balance between working with suppliers who breach standards to improve versus suspending relationships when necessary.