RSPO is pleased to announce the results of the 19th General Assembly (GA19), which was held in-person and virtually on 1 December 2022, at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The GA19 had a total of 111 participants. 

The RSPO Secretariat would like to congratulate all the elected members of the Board of Governors and thank all the members who participated in the meeting and voting process. A summary of voters and voting results of the GA19 are listed below. 

Sector Attendance(1) E-voters Proxy
Oil Palm Growers(2) 52 76 3
Processors and/or Traders 20 43 11
Consumer Goods Manufacturers 12 23 4
Retailers 9 1
Banks and Investors 3 4
Environmental or Conservation NGOs 13 20 1
Social or Development NGOs 11 11
111 186 20

Note:

  1. Ordinary member representation by a designated representative at the in-person and virtual GA19.
  2. Comprises Oil Palm Growers subsectors – Indonesia, Malaysia, Rest of the World,  and Smallholders. 

Results of Resolution

Resolution Weighted vote results (%)
Resolution GA19 – 1

To receive and adopt the Treasurer’s Report and the RSPO’s financial statement for the year ended 30 June 2022.

FOR: 96.92

AGAINST: 0.46

ABSTAIN: 2.62

APPROVED

Resolution GA19 – 2a

To confirm the appointment of Ernst and Young as the auditors of the RSPO for the financial year ending 30 June 2023.

FOR: 94.50

AGAINST: 1.14

ABSTAIN: 4.36

APPROVED

Resolution GA19 – 2b

RSPO prioritises jurisdictional approach to accelerate the transformation of sustainable palm oil standards, the inclusion of independent smallholders and engagement with local communities.

FOR: 89.25

AGAINST: 7.39

ABSTAIN: 3.36

APPROVED

Resolution GA19 – 2c

Resolution to amend the RSPO Code of Conduct.

FOR: 89.91

AGAINST: 3.40

ABSTAIN: 6.69

APPROVED

Election and Approvals of Board of Governors

MEMBERSHIP SECTORS ELECTED/APPROVED
PRINCIPAL ALTERNATE
Oil Palm Growers
Rest of the World:

The two-year term of Agroamerica Tropical Oil Holding Corp., represented by the principal Jose Roberto Montenegro Baide and the alternate members being SIPEF Group represented by the alternate Sander van den Ende, Univanich Palm Oil Public Company Limited represented by the alternate John Clendon and Olam Group Limited represented by the alternate Quentin Meunier expires and is available for re-election. There were no other nominations received.

Agroamerica Tropical Oil Holding Corp., Jose Roberto Montenegro Baide SIPEF Group, Sander van den Ende, 

Univanich Palm Oil Public Company Limited, John Clendon and 

Olam Group Limited, Quentin Meunier

Malaysia:

The alternate member to the incumbent Board of Governor member, Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) , represented by the interim alternate, Surina binti Ismail, was up for approval by the General Assembly.

MPOA, Surina binti Ismail
Processors and/or Traders
AAK AB, represented by the principal Tim Stephenson and the alternate member being Cargill Incorporated represented by the alternate Laila Wilfred, the two-year term of which expired was available for re-election. 

One other nomination was received from Viswaat Chemicals Limited, represented by the principal nominee, Ramakant Dubey, and the alternate nominee, Jignesh Dave.

AAK AB, Tim Stephenson Cargill Incorporated, Laila Wilfred
Consumer Goods Manufacturers
The Procter & Gamble Company, represented by the principal Lee Kuan-Chun and the alternate member being Ferrero Trading Lux S.A. represented by the alternate Mario Abreu, the two-year term of which expired was available for re-election. There were no other nominations received. The Procter & Gamble CompanyLee Kuan-Chun Ferrero Trading Lux S.A., Mario Abreu
Retailers
Retailers’ Palm Oil Group, represented by the principal Julian Walker-Palin and the alternate member being vacant, the two-year term of which expired was available for re-election. There were no other nominations received. Retailers’ Palm Oil Group, Julian Walker-Palin Vacant
Banks and Investors
Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., two-year term expired and was not available for re-election. No election was held for this seat. Vacant Vacant
Environmental NGOs
WWF International, represented by the principal Kamal Prakash Seth and the alternate member being HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (KOCP) represented by the alternate Harjinder Kler, the two-year term of which expired was available for re-election. There were no other nominations received. WWF International, Kamal Prakash Seth HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (KOCP), Harjinder Kler
Social NGOs
Both ENDS, represented by the principal Paul Wolvekamp and the alternate member being Federasi Serikat Buruh Kehutanan, Perkebunan dan Pertanian Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia (Hukatan) represented by the alternate Nursanna Marpaung, the two-year term of which expired was available for re-election. There were no other nominations received. Both ENDS, Paul Wolvekamp Federasi Serikat Buruh Kehutanan, Perkebunan dan Pertanian Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia (Hukatan), Nursanna Marpaung
The alternate member to the incumbent Board of Governor member, Forest Peoples Programme, being Yayasan Lembaga Penelitian Kaleka Indonesia (Kaleka) represented by the interim alternate Bernadinus Steni Sugiarto was up for approval by the General Assembly. Yayasan Lembaga Penelitian Kaleka Indonesia (Kaleka), Bernadinus Steni Sugiarto

FULL LIST OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR 2022/23

MEMBERSHIP SECTOR PRINCIPAL ALTERNATE
Oil Palm Growers – Malaysia MPOA, Dato’ Carl Bek-Nielsen MPOA, Surina binti Ismail
Oil Palm Growers – Indonesia GAR, Agus Purnomo PT Inti Indosawit Subur, Mohamad Fadhil Hasan 
Oil Palm Growers – Rest of the World Agroamerica Tropical Oil Holding Corp., Jose Roberto Montenegro Baide SIPEF Group, Sander van den Ende

Olam Group Limited, Quentin Meunier

Univanich Palm Oil Public Company Limited, John Clendon

Oil Palm Growers – Smallholders Asosiasi Petani Sawit Swadaya Amanah, Narno Sayoto Irontiko Gapoktan Tanjung Sehati, Rukaiyah Rafik
Processors and/or Traders AAK AB, Tim Stephenson 

Wilmar International Limited, Daphne Hameeteman

Cargill Incorporated, Laila Wilfred

Musim Mas Holdings Pte. Ltd., Olivier Tichit 

Consumer Goods Manufacturers The Procter & Gamble Company, Lee Kuan-Chun

Unilever PLC, Martin Huxtable

Ferrero Trading Lux S.A., Mario Abreu

Vacant

Retailers – 1

Retailer – 2

Retailers’ Palm Oil Group, Julian Walker-Palin

Vacant

Vacant

Vacant

Banks & Investors – 1

Banks & Investors – 2

Vacant 

Vacant

Vacant

Vacant

Environmental NGOs WWF InternationalKamal Prakash Seth

World Resource Institute, Anne Rosenbarger

HUTAN Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (KOCP), Harjinder Kler

Zoological Society London, Eleanor Spencer

Social NGOs Both ENDS, Paul Wolvekamp

Forest Peoples Programme, Marcus Colchester

Federasi Serikat Buruh Kehutanan, Perkebunan dan Pertanian Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia (Hukatan), Nursanna Marpaung

Yayasan Lembaga Penelitian Kaleka Indonesia (Kaleka), Bernadinus Steni Sugiarto

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