OUR PALM OIL
100% RSPO certified sustainable palm oil and committed to no deforestation.
We are aware that the palm oil supply-chain faces environmental challenges, particularly concerning its impact on deforestation. That's why Ferrero is committed to leading the way in driving the sustainable transformation of the palm oil sector and is one of the first global companies to have obtained a 100% RSPO-certified segregated palm oil supply-chain.
Discover our palm oil in a nutshell
Traceable palm oil
The palm oil we use in Nutella® is 100% sustainable palm oil, traceable back to the mills. It mainly originates from Malaysia (averaging around 80% of our volumes) followed by Indonesia.
The RSPO has developed a set of environmental and social criteria which companies must comply with in order to produce sustainable palm oil (Certified Sustainable Palm Oil - CSPO). These criteria aim to enforce sustainable practices in the cultivation of palm oil.
The palm oil in Nutella® comes from a certified ‘segregated’ supply-chain. It is sourced from different certified plantations and is kept separated from ordinary palm oil throughout the entire supply-chain. Through this system, our palm oil can be traced back to the mills, guaranteeing that it does not come from plantations subject to deforestation.
The 7 principles of RSPO
To be certified by RSPO, palm oil growers need to comply with the following seven principles (RSPO Principles & Criteria 2018 update):
Principle 1: Behave ethically and transparently
Principle 2: Operate legally and respect rights
Principle 3: Optimise productivity, efficiency, positive impacts and resilience
Principle 4: Respect community and human rights and deliver benefits
Principle 5: Support smallholder inclusion
Principle 6: Respect workers' rights and conditions
Principle 7: Protect, conserve and enhance ecosystems and the environment. As part of Principle 7, the criterion 7.12 requires that new plantings do not cause deforestation or replace any area required to maintain or enhance HCV - High Conservation Value. HCV are biological, ecological, social or cultural values of outstanding significance or critical importance within a landscape.
To discover more, visit here.
Going beyond certification
Our commitments go beyond RSPO certification, in fact we developed the Ferrero® Palm Oil Charter working together with our suppliers to achieve a palm oil industry that is good for people and nature. Moreover, to further increase transparency of our supply-chain we disclose every six months the latest traceability data on the mills and plantations from which we source our palm oil.
Ferrero is also a member of POIG (Palm Oil Innovation Group), an initiative comprising growers, manufacturers and NGOs working together to positively transform the palm oil industry. To discover more, visit here.
Did you know ?
The Ferrero palm oil supply leads to -56%* lower Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions compared to non-certified palm oil. This is the result of a 2019 fully ISO 14044 compliant study to identify the environmental impacts of our palm oil sourcing.
* Per kg of refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil.
Monitoring land use thanks to a network of satellites
To reinforce our principles on no-deforestation, we use tools such as the innovative Starling technology to monitor in near real time all our palm oil supply chain so to ensure it is deforestation-free. Thanks to this system, which uses a combination of high-resolution radar and optical satellite imagery, we can map out land use with a detail of up to 1.5 meters and identify potential deforestation. In this hypothetical case, we are able to investigate and take action accordingly.
Starling’s map discerns palm plantations, natural forests and other areas, now let’s discover how it concretely works in this video!
Our efforts are acknowledged by WWF
Our efforts are recognised by trusted NGOs as WWF. In its 2021 Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard, which evaluates global companies for their support of sustainable palm oil, WWF lists Ferrero as a company leading the way for 227 global companies. We were ranked in the 2nd overall position - and 1st among all manufacturers, with a score of 21.7 out of 24. Ferrero is recognised for its concrete actions and progress to make the global palm oil industry more sustainable. This result is a great encouragement to continue our journey.
Partnership with Chester Zoo to raise awareness of sustainable palm oil
In the UK, Ferrero and Nutella proudly partner with Chester Zoo to raise consumer awareness around the importance of sustainably sourced palm oil. Through our partnership, we support Chester Zoo and their experts in empowering businesses, communities and industry in sourcing sustainable palm oil (SPO), and on the impact that consumers and industry can have by making more sustainable choices.
The partnership enables further support and progression of the Sustainable Palm Oil Communities project, which aims to help and inspire communities to follow in Chester’s footsteps in achieving SPO Community status. Find out more here.
