Membership categories

Ordinary membership is for organisations along the palm oil supply chain, banks or investors, and non-governmental organisations.

This category consists of seven sectors:

• Oil Palm Growers
• Palm Oil Processors and / or Traders
• Consumer Goods Manufacturers
• Retailers
• Banks and Investors
• Environmental or Nature Conservation Organisations
• Social or Developmental Organisations

Entities that own and/or manage oil palm developments.

Fees

• Oil Palm Growers: EUR 2000
• Smallholder Group Manager (>1999 hectares): EUR 2000
• Smallholder Group Manager (1000 – 1999 hectares): EUR 1000
• Smallholder Group Manager (<1000 hectares): EUR 250
• Small Grower (50 – 500 hectares): EUR 500

Documents required (Oil Palm Grower, Small Grower)

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)
• Disclosure of plans to implement the latest RSPO Principles and Criteria
• Reporting template for disclosure of areas cleared without prior High Conservation Value (HCV) Assessment since November 2005
• Estate location and concession maps in Shapefile format (.shp) with polygon geometry dimension (including subsidiary, if any)

Additional required information/documents:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/ sustainability policy
• Additional information such as legally set aside area (e.g. riparian, hill slope, deep peat, etc.) and settlements within their concession (if any)

Documents required (Smallholder Group Manager)

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)
• Reporting template for disclosure of areas cleared without prior High Conservation Value (HCV) Assessment since November 2005 (Smallholders)
• Clear evidence that members of the smallholder group has agreed to appoint the applicant to act as their group manager (e.g. official minutes of meeting)
• A statement by the group manager to declare that they will represent the smallholder group with integrity and commit to the RSPO Standards.
• A list of all members in the smallholder group with their individual land details (size of land and land registration number). This list must be signed by the appointed group manager.
• Two names (either company or an individual) as reference for due diligence purposes.

Entities who are involved in the processing, producing, purchasing and/or selling of palm oil and/or oil palm products including distributors or wholesalers.

Fee

Palm oil Processors and/or Traders: EUR 2000

Documents required

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

Entities that use oil palm products in the manufacturing of goods designed and intended for consumption or end use without requiring further repackaging or processing.

Fee

Consumer Goods Manufacturers: EUR 2000

Documents required

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

Entities that buy products from a manufacturer or wholesaler, or produce own label products and sell the products directly to consumers or end users.

Fee

Retailers: EUR 2000

Documents required

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

Licensed banks and investors that provide financial services, which include commercial/retail banking and investment banking.

Fee

• Banks and Investors: EUR 2000

Documents required

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

Not-for-profit organisations that are independent from governmental organisations with objectives concerning environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment.

Fee

• Environmental or Nature Conservation Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs): EUR 2000
• Fee Reduction (based on annual operating budget) :

Documents required

Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

Not-for-profit organisations that are independent from governmental organisations that focus on areas that may include social justice, human and labour rights, poverty alleviation and social development.

Fee

• Social or Developmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs): EUR 2000
• Fee Reduction (based on annual operating budget) :

Documents required

• Proof of business registration (e.g. certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, articles of incorporation or other similar documents)

Additional information/documents required:

• Latest annual report or shareholder documents for subsidiary inclusion in Group Membership
• Corporate and ownership structure
• Disclosure of existing field practices and policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/sustainability policy

If an organisation has a parent company and/or subsidiaries involved in activities related to the palm oil supply chain, the parent company should apply for membership with the RSPO and shall represent all companies within its group.

Subsidiary means an Entity where the Parent:

• Holds (whether as a legal owner or as beneficiary) more than half of the issued share capital of that Entity (excluding any part thereof which consists of preference shares);
• Controls more than half of the voting power of that Entity; or
• Controls the composition of the board of directors of that Entity.

The parent company is responsible for declaring all subsidiaries involved in the palm oil supply chain. This ensures that:

• The accountability towards compliance of RSPO Standards, processes, or reporting are directed at the parent company;
• By declaring subsidiaries, it ensures effective compliance of RSPO requirements on all of the company’s holdings; and
• It also ensures that all certifications and licences are correctly issued to companies under the parent company membership.

Whilst group membership extends to a company’s listed subsidiaries, certification and licences must be applied for separately.