RSPO
The RSPO is currently the most well-known certification tool of sustainable palm oil. Its current structure and practise is inadequate for this function however, and makes it easy for green washing to be the norm.
Main criticisms of the RSPO:
* A major proportion of its members are palm oil profiteers; NGOs are poorly represented.
* No inspection of certificates from independent bodies; the RSPO does its own monitoring. It is unclear just how the on-the-spot checks are carried out and how closely they are supervised.
* Despite the obvious violations members can not be excluded or otherwise sanctioned.
* RSPO-certified palm oil is often mixed with non-certified palm oil.
* The RSPO certificate only certifies projects and not the companies themselves. This means a company can profess to have the RSPO seal, although they may only have a few locations which produce according to (the already "flexible") RSPO criteria.
* A major proportion of its members are palm oil profiteers; NGOs are poorly represented.
* No inspection of certificates from independent bodies; the RSPO does its own monitoring. It is unclear just how the on-the-spot checks are carried out and how closely they are supervised.
* Despite the obvious violations members can not be excluded or otherwise sanctioned.
* RSPO-certified palm oil is often mixed with non-certified palm oil.
* The RSPO certificate only certifies projects and not the companies themselves. This means a company can profess to have the RSPO seal, although they may only have a few locations which produce according to (the already "flexible") RSPO criteria.