Statement by the financial institution members of the RSPO on the importance of transparency and disclosure of concession maps

Financial Institutions depend on transparency, access to information and high quality data in order to ensure proper due diligence for their investment and financing decisions.

Specifically, when considering agricultural commodities and in particular the palm oil sector, it is important that concession maps related to oil palm production is publicly available.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has worked with its members and governments in palm oil producing countries to clarify current legal issues pertaining to the publication of such information.

While acknowledging that RSPO members need to operate within the legislative framework of their respective countries, the publication of concession maps remains key to ensure that RSPO members’ sustainability practices can be evidenced. Transparency through concession map disclosure helps demonstrate that issues such as deforestation, irresponsible development on peat, and incidence of fire are addressed, monitored, and attributed to the correct land owner. By providing such information and making it publically available for peer review and analysis, RSPO grower members can evidence they are in compliance with the RSPO principles and criteria.

For this reason, the financial institution members of the RSPO continue to support the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) decision to publish all RSPO Members’ concession maps (as per resolution 6g approved by the RSPO 10th General Assembly GA10) and encourage all RSPO grower members to work proactively with the RSPO and local governments in order to make this data publication possible.