Research Library

Governing sustainability in the Thai palm oil supply chain: the role of private actors

This study evaluates the role of private actors in the governance of the palm oil-supply chain in Thailand by comparing supply-chain actors that are certified with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards and non-certified supply-chain actors.

Independent oil palm shareholder management practices and yield. Can RSPO certification make a difference?

The study aims to evaluate if and how certified smallholders perform differently from their non-certified counterparts in terms of management practices and yields, and to what extent this is related to RSPO certification.

Pre-certification conditions of independent oil palm smallholders - Assessing prospects for RSPO certification

This study explores the differences in smallholders’ pre-certification conditions and prospects for certification to develop strategies to target smallholders that are currently not reached by certification initiatives.

Biodiversity impact of RSPO certification – an assessment of good practices

The study, commissioned by the RSPO, is aimed at evaluating whether the RSPO certification processes can or have contributed to the protection of species and landscapes, and identifies opportunities for improvement.

Consumer preference for certified sustainable palm oil with environmental sustainability attributes: A choice experiment approach

This study explores Malaysian consumer knowledge of certified sustainable palm oil, and to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for cooking oil certified under RSPO.

Non-state certification of smallholders for sustainable palm oil in Sumatra, Indonesia

This study aims to understand the perceptions of RSPO certified smallholders about (1) the challenges and benefits of RSPO certification, (2) their willingness to maintain their certification, and (3) factors affecting their willingness.

Opportunities and bottlenecks for upstream learning within RSPO certified palm oil value chains: A comparative analysis between Indonesia and Thailand

Published in the Journal of Rural Studies in August 2020, this study investigates if and how RSPO certification fosters upstream learning to improve farming practices.

To grip or to slip - Smallholder inclusion in sustainable palm oil certifications in Riau, Indonesia

This study examines the barriers that smallholders face in pursuing the regulatory process prior to the certification process and how they affect smallholder inclusion in sustainable palm oil initiatives.

Deforestation spillovers from oil palm sustainability certification

Published in Environmental Research Letters in March 2020, this study quantified forest loss and conservation spillovers from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system in Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan).

Sustainable palm oil or certified dispossession? NGOs within scalar struggles over the RSPO private governance standard

This paper examined the role of NGOs in the complex field of private standard-setting and implementation by the RSPO.