Dear valued RSPO members,
We are pleased to announce that we will be releasing the results of the 2019 Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP) and we are excited to share with you some of the major highlights of the report!
This year, the submission of ACOP reports from Ordinary and Affiliate members reached a new high of 93%! During the official submission period, which ran from 2 March to 5 June, we received a total of 1,370 reports, constituting a new high of 83.5%. We received an additional 159 reports through the late submission period, which raised the total response rate to 93.2%.
See how each category performed in terms of ACOP submissions in the infographic below:
Other noteworthy mentions include the production of certified sustainable palm oil by RSPO members, which reached nearly 13 million tonnes in 2019, representing 17% of the total global palm oil production. Furthermore, uptake by supply chain actors remains encouraging, with certified volumes reaching over 50% and 80% for RSPO’s consumer goods manufacturer and retailer members respectively. Besides that, RSPO’s certified palm oil market penetration is highest in Europe and North America, and we are also observing growth in emerging markets, such as India and China (from a low base).
ACOP data is immensely useful as it helps us to gauge individual RSPO member’s commitments toward achieving our shared goal of market transformation. Members can also use the report as a public record of their progress in producing and consuming certified sustainable palm oil and palm oil products, and for corporate communication purposes.
However, as members are aware, RSPO imposes sanctions on Ordinary and Affiliate members who failed to submit ACOP after completing a full year of membership. This year, the provisional ACOP 2019 sanctions list at the end of the official submission period was 277 members, and following the closure of the late submission period, it was brought down to 108 members, comprising 89 members who received first-time warning, 17 suspensions, and two terminations. For the full list of the final sanctions, we ask that you kindly refer to our website.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to those members who participated in this year’s ACOP reporting. If you have any enquiries regarding ACOP, please feel free to contact the ACOP team at [email protected].
