Its sites, according to BASF, has received the Supply Chain Certificate from the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) - this included is sites in Turkey and India, meaning it is now able to offer certified ingredients to customers across all its key regions.
“With our sites in Turkey and India, we are able to offer the optimal conditions required for changing over to certified ingredients to our customers in all key regions,” BASF confirms via spokesperson, Jan-Peter Sander, senior vice president for BASF personal care Europe.
“It all depends just how quickly we can jointly transform the market to sustainable products along the entire value chain.”
‘Sustainable manufacture of palm oil is possible’
The ingredients player believes that sustainable manufacture of palm oil is possible, and is keen to position itself as one of the leaders working towards this.
“A reliable certification system and the best possible transparency are the key factors in protecting forests with a high carbon content,” said Jan-Peter Sander.
The company sponsored the RSPO’s recent European edition in London, in confirmation of its public commitment to the issue.
“At the meeting of European suppliers, processors and producers of palm oil products from all over Europe, BASF was involved in exchanging information with representatives from all along the supply chain and in developing new approaches for projects with small farmers and local communities.”
About palm oil
Each year, 71 million tons of palm products are manufactured globally, with the ingredient a key feature of many consumer goods.
Around 10% of this total is palm kernel oil, representing approximately seven million tons of palm kernel oil, of which only about 1.3 million tons are currently RSPO-certified.
The RSPO works across companies, industries and regions to promote sustainable manufacture of palm oil and related products.