RSPO and Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo Join Forces to Advance Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Palm Oil Awareness in China

Kuala Lumpur, 3 November 2025: The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo (Hongshan Zoo) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term strategic partnership to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable palm oil awareness in China. The signing took place during RT2025, the RSPO’s annual global Roundtable conference, marking a significant milestone in cross-sector collaboration for conservation and sustainable consumption.

Under the agreement, RSPO and Hongshan Zoo will cooperate on initiatives to advance biodiversity protection, enhance public education, and encourage the use and recognition of RSPO certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). The collaboration will include joint awareness campaigns, educational programmes, and public participation projects highlighting how sustainable palm oil production contributes to forest preservation, wildlife habitat protection, and global climate goals.

During the occasion, RSPO CEO, Joseph D’Cruz highlighted, “Biodiversity lies at the heart of RSPO’s mission. Our partnership with Hongshan Zoo exemplifies how collaboration between sustainability standards and conservation institutions can help reconnect consumers with the natural world, inspire behavioral change, and protect endangered ecosystems. Together, we are building a bridge between sustainable markets and biodiversity stewardship in China and beyond.” 

RSPO’s latest Impact highlights ongoing efforts to integrate biodiversity considerations into sustainable palm oil production, including landscape-level conservation, protection of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas, and restoration of degraded ecosystems across producer regions. As of December 2024, RSPO members have set aside 425,597 ha of land identified as High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) areas,  protected and managed by RSPO UoCs across 25 countries.

“As an urban zoo committed to wildlife conservation and environmental education, Hongshan Zoo is proud to work with RSPO to deepen public understanding of sustainable palm oil. We believe this partnership will not only promote responsible consumption but also contribute to the efforts in achieving the global biodiversity and climate goals.” said Ms. Bai Yali, Deputy Director of the Management Office of Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo who attended RT2025.

Hongshan Zoo, recognised as one of China’s leading conservation-oriented zoos, has been advancing research, rescue, and rewilding programmes for native species. By incorporating CSPO awareness and own-brand earth friendly products with RSPO Trademark labelling into its education and outreach, the zoo aims to help visitors understand the connection between everyday choices and wildlife protection.

The partnership also aligns with China’s growing leadership under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which calls for stronger engagement from businesses and civil society to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. This MoU represents a tangible step toward realising those commitments through collaborative, on-the-ground action.

About RSPO:

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Formed in 2004, the RSPO is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that unites members from across the palm oil value chain, including oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs. 

As a partnership for progress and positive impact, the RSPO facilitates global change to make the production and consumption of palm oil sustainable. To inspire change, we communicate the environmental and social benefits. To make progress, we catalyse collaboration. To provide assurance, we set the standards of certification.

The RSPO is registered as an international association in Zurich, Switzerland, with main offices in Malaysia and Indonesia, and offices in China, Colombia, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.  

For further information, kindly contact [email protected]

About Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo:

Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo is located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. It is a charming urban home for over 3,000 rare and wild animals of more than 260 species from all over the world. Among the lush vegetation, more than 30 exhibition areas are scattered naturally and harmoniously. Gondwanaland, Gaoligong Wilderness Habitat, Native Wildlife Conservation Area, Primates of Asia, Wolf Habitat, Bear Habitat, Tiger Habitat and other areas are all advanced animal exhibition areas with international concepts. Notably, Feline in China has been selected in Zoolex Gallery, suggesting that this exhibition is recognized as one of the world-class designs.

As a National Exemplary Science Popularization Education Base and a new ecological highlight of Jiangsu Province, Hongshan Forest Zoo takes conservation education as its core mission, conducts scientific research for theoretical and technical support, regards comprehensive conservation as its highest goal, and strives to implement international cutting-edge development concepts. Exhibit innovation based on natural history, captive animals’ welfare promotion, propagation of a species population, research on biodiversity conservation, public engagement, etc.
Hongshan Forest Zoo is committed to fully leveraging the value of public participation in conservation and building itself into one of the leading conservation education centers among urban zoos in the world.