Human rights working group

The Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) was officially established in 2014 to provide strategic and technical advice to support the successful and effective implementation of the relevant RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C), in particular, criteria and indicators which relate to human rights.

RSPO and its members acknowledge their responsibility to respect human rights, complementing the State’s duty to protect human rights and provide access to remedy for human rights abuse victims. The HRWG has been tasked to oversee the implementation of all human rights criteria within the RSPO by guiding the RSPO and its members and relevant stakeholders. In this regard, the HRWG will oversee the development of guidelines, tools and mechanisms to facilitate proper understanding and support the successful and effective implementation of the RSPO Principles and Criteria, related to human rights.

In 2025, the HRWG’s work will be guided by the following goals:

  • RSPO has a Human Rights Due Diligence framework in place, and it is implemented by its members;
  • Workers (plantations and mills) and smallholders exercise their rights to safe and decent work and living conditions;
  • Customary and legal land rights of indigenous peoples, local communities and other users are respected, advanced and disputes are remedied;
  • Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are implemented and promoted.
  • Development of documents to support the implementation of the standards.

Co-Chairs

Name
Organisation
Renaka Ramachandran
SD Guthrie Berhad
Michel Riemersma
Solidaridad

Members

Membership Sector
Substantive Member / Organisation
Alternate Member / Organisation
Oil Palm Growers (Malaysia)
Renaka Ramachandran / SD Guthrie Berhad
Rashyid Reza Anwarudin / SD Guthrie Berhad
Oil Palm Growers (Malaysia)
Thien Jing Wen / Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad
Jason Foong Huey Yuan / Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad
Oil Palm Growers (Indonesia)
Lim Sian Choo / Bumitama Agri Ltd.
Martin Mach / Bumitama Agri Ltd.
Oil Palm Growers (Indonesia)
Poey Shao Jiann / Goodhope Asia Holdings Ltd.
Vacant
Oil Palm Growers (RoW)
Tulio Dias Brito / Agropalma Group
Monica Newes / Agropalma Group
Oil Palm Growers (Smallholder Representative)
Vacant
Vacant
Palm Oil Processors and/or Traders
Edrin Moss / Wilmar International
Vacant
Palm Oil Processors and/or Traders
Laila Wilfred / Cargill Incorporated
David Schwebel / Cargill Incorporated
Palm Oil Processors and/or Traders
Carolyn Lim / Musim Mas Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Herry Wilmoore / Musim Mas Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Palm Oil Processors and/or Traders
Wong Kok Seng / Fuji Oil Group
Hu Ning Shing / Fuji Oil Group
Palm Oil Processors and/or Traders
Vacant
Vacant
Consumer Goods Manufacturers
Bilal Bawany / Mars, Incorporated
Nallisamy, Iswari / Mars, Incorporated
Consumer Goods Manufacturers
Lucinda Jones / Unilever PLC
Winfridah Nyakwara / Unilever PLC
Consumer Goods Manufacturers
Vacant
Vacant
Retailers
Vacant
Vacant
Banks and Investors
Vacant
Vacant
Environmental NGO
Vacant
Vacant
Social NGO
Michel Riemersma / Solidaridad
Nursanna Marpaung / Federasi Serikat Buruh Kehutanan, Perkebunan dan Pertanian Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia (Hukatan)
Social NGO
Marcus Colchester / Forest Peoples Programme
Susanne Gauster/ Oxfam International
Social NGO
Luca Naus / Stichting CNV Internationaal
Amalia Falah Alam / Stichting CNV Internationaal

RSPO Secretariat

Name
Designation
Leena Ghosh
Head of Human Rights and Social Standards
Azlinah Al-Aydeross
Senior Executive of Living Wage

To express your interest in any of the vacant roles, please contact Human Rights and Social Standards.

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