Palm oil is the world’s most versatile vegetable oil. The oil, which is extracted from the pulp of the palm fruit, is used in food products from chocolate to instant noodles. Furthermore, palm kernel oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the palm fruit is used in a wide range of beauty and personal care products, from shampoo to lipstick.

Much of the world’s palm oil is grown in Borneo, which is the world’s third largest island, and is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Borneo is home to an extraordinary array of biodiversity, including orangutans and pygmy elephants. But the global demand for palm oil has led to ever larger areas of natural habitat being destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations.

Palm oil cultivation can be carried out in a more sustainable way to protect native species while supporting the livelihood of local smallholders and medium-sized growers. By collaborating with Beiersdorf and WWF, Evonik is supporting efforts to ensure a traceable and sustainable supply chain for palm oil.

Two collaborative projects are currently underway:

• A ‘Smallholder Project’ in West Kalimantan, Indonesia (2022-2025)
• The ‘Tabin Landscape Project’ in Sabah, Malaysia (2020-2026)

Evonik’s Business Director Care Solutions, Jörg Prante recently visited the Tabin Landscape Project and told us about the project goals and scope.

Jörg Prante: A commitment to sustainable palm oil begins with empowering the local smallholders and medium-sized growers. That’s why the first aspect “Produce” supports local palm plantation growers to get their plantation certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Certification often puts a financial and administrative burden on these growers, and this project aims to ease this burden by bringing smallholders together to apply for certification as a group.  WWF is very well connected with these producers. They coordinate the certification process, helping them to manage costs and administration associated with certification.

During my trip, I visited the villages where the smallholders are living. We met the communities, and they showed us their progress on RSPO certification. I think it was important for the smallholders to see industry representatives who can articulate why certification matters.

JP: The second aspect “Restore” aims to connect a protected wildlife area in the Tabin region of Borneo with other satellite areas. Creating and restoring wildlife corridors populated with native foliage and trees allows wildlife to pass safely between protected areas, therefore helping to restore biodiversity.

When I flew over Borneo, I was overwhelmed by the expanse of palm tree plantations. With restoration work, this project is trying to bring back areas of native habitat. The progress we are making with our partners is encouraging – trees planted just two years ago are already four meters tall.

JP: The third aspect of the project “Protect” aims to protect existing habitat from further depletion. Initiatives include preventing human-animal conflicts by supporting protection from animals that roam the villages which can be dangerous.

Protecting animals from losing more areas to live is essential. Any increase in their habitat dramatically enhances their survival chances. Through initiatives such as providing alarmed fences for villages affected by wildlife incursions, human-animal conflicts can be minimized.

JP: The collaboration between Evonik, Beiersdorf, and WWF is a multidimensional approach tackling the pressing issue of sustainable palm oil production. Community engagement is fundamental to the success of this type of project. That’s why we need the expertise of WWF and their local representatives in the region. Working in the community transforms the local farmers from passive participants to active stewards of the environment, who understand the long-term benefits of sustainable practices for both their livelihoods and the ecosystem.

Our vision is not just about compliance; we want to ensure a traceable and sustainable supply chain. That’s why partnering with customers along the value chain, like Beiersdorf, is also critical to the success of this approach.

JP: Sustainability drives our business decisions at Evonik. By investing in sustainable sourcing, we are not only securing our supply chains but also contributing positively to the communities and ecosystems where we operate.

Through ongoing projects and committed partnerships, Evonik remains dedicated to sustainable palm oil, ensuring that future generations will benefit from thriving ecosystems and responsible agricultural practices. I take pride that nearly all of our beauty and personal care products at Evonik currently incorporate mass balanced certified palm oil.

Further Information

About the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): https://rspo.org/

More about WWF Germany: https://www.wwf.de/themen-projekte/artenschutz