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Oil palm production is vital to Southeast Asian economies and livelihoods. However, there are no rigorous and reproducible tests of how well the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification guarantees indigenous peoples' freedom, livelihoods, and outcomes in palm-growing regions. Is the Global North ensuring the sustainability of the products it consumes, or is it glossing over the full consequences and impact of our consumption habits? This event will examine how the RSPO can improve to protect indigenous rights.

Programme:

·       Welcome

o    The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) & Centre for Business and Development Studies (CBDS)

·       Introduction

o    Kristjan Johannes Suse Jespersen, Associate Professor of Sustainable Innnovation and Entrepreneurship

·       Indigenous people’s perspective:

o    Junia Anilik, Partners of Community Organizations Sabah (PACOS)

·       Ethical Trade Denmark’s perspective

o    Jacob Lykke Andersen, Development Consultant at Ethical Trade Denmark

·       Debate

·       Network

Speakers:
Junia Anilik, Partners of Community Organizations Sabah (PACOS)
Junia Anilik is a Kadazan from Sabah Malaysia. After finishing her Masters in Ecological Processes, she is now working full time in Partners of Community Organizations Sabah (PACOS), which is an NGO dedicated to supporting indigenous communities in Malaysia.  She is mostly involved in community engagement and research where she is regularly meeting with communities to understand their priorities and to advocate for the respect of their rights.

Jacob Lykke Andersen, Development Consultant at Ethical Trade Denmark.
Ethical Trade Denmark initiated and facilitates the Danish Alliance for Responsible Palm Oil, who gathers 34 actors on improving the palm oil imported to Denmark. Jacob has been with Ethical Trade Denmark since 2019 and, among others, coordinates the Alliance activities and engagement. Jacob has a master’s degree in Business Administration and Leadership from Roskilde University.

Background
Oil palm production has become an important component of livelihoods and development strategies for Southeast Asian countries, and interest in the industry is growing in other tropical forest countries. Despite its economic benefits, there is clear evidence that palm oil production can drive forest loss, leading to greenhouse gas emissions, posing risks to the environment, and relying on exploitative labour conditions. Since 2004, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has worked to develop and promote a standard for sustainable palm oil production, aimed at mitigating the negative social and environmental externalities generated by oil palm plantations. Despite interest in this initiative, there are, as yet, no rigorous and reproducible tests of the degree to which RSPO certification guarantees the freedom, livelihoods and fruition of outcomes for indigenous peoples in palm growing regions.  Does “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” of indigenous peoples mean the same thing for all stakeholders? By deploying this consent mechanism does the Global North ensure the sustainability of the products it consumes or are these Northern consumers glossing over, through the application of a limited methodology, the full consequence and impact our consumption habits? The proposed session will explore the intricacies of this methodology and provide illustrations and insights as to how the RSPO should and need improve to guarantee indigenous rights. 

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Organisers:

 The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

CBDS: Centre for Business and Development Studies

Copenhagen Business School
Solbjerg Plads 3
2000 Frederiksberg
Phone +45 38 15 38 15

Venue: Dalgas Have 15, Room DH.V.2.88

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