To put this into perspective, palm oil is the single biggest cause

of deforestation in Indonesia and a growing threat in places like

Africa. Willmar controls over a third of the global palm oil trade;
but by banning its suppliers from destroying forests and peat
lands, Willmars policy could be an important step toward
transforming the palm oil sector.
You might recall Greenpeace's recent work exposing Willmars
forest scandals. This included our Licence to kill report in October
that exposed destruction of tiger habitat in both Willmars own
concessions and its suppliers operations, and investigations in
November that exposed clearance of peat land and orang-utan
habitat by Willmars notorious supplier, the Singapore-listed
company Bum tama.
Willmars policy could be a landmark win for the worlds forests
and the people that depend on them for their livelihoods. But it
could not have been possible without the millions who power
Greenpeace campaigns - people like you! A movement including
celebrities in the US, grunge rockers in Jakarta, and activists in
Norway are demanding the palm oil industry clean up its act.
From consumer companies such as Ferrero and Unilever,
producers such as those in the Palm Oil Innovation Group, every
link in the palm oil supply chain is on the verge of transformation.
We are one step closer to Zero Deforestation.
But the hard work for Willmar starts now.
Effective immediately, Willmar will not engage in development of
HCS, HCV, or peat, nor knowingly source from suppliers engaged
in development of HCS, HCV, or peat.
These are great words, but words on paper only mean something
when they translate into action on the ground. For the as few as
400 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild, action to end
deforestation must come now.
Willmars first test is how it will deal with palm oil suppliers still
engaged in ongoing forest destruction and social conflict. Take
Gander Group for instance, a palm oil supplier that is also closely
connected to one of Willmars co-founders. Greenpeace
investigations have exposed how this company violates all
Willmars new principles. Violations include current forest
clearance, illegal development of deep peat land, and social
conflict.
Forest clearing for oil palm development inside PT Agrippina Cite
Persuade (Gander Group) in Papua. Greenpeace analysis of

satellite images reveals large-scale deforestation within the

concession continued in November 2013.
The policy must address pesticide usage, including banning
pesticides such as parquet, and should ban the use of GMOs.