Our steps on the road to sustainable palm oil 

This edition of our EPOA magazine reflects our new identity and expresses our strategy for the coming years. With a more natural look and feel, we emphasise our commitment to sustainable palm oil.

As an alliance of palm oil refiners and producers we believe that sustainably produced palm oil is a key food ingredient that fits in a nutritionally-balanced diet and helps feed the world, protect biodiversity and improve socio-economic development.

In 2019 we focused on the four pillars that support our new strategy. 1. By taking the lead in EU market transformation and pushing for sustainable palm oil in Europe, we built on our commitment to a fully traceable certified sustainable palm oil supply chain. 2. By communicating proactively about palm oil in food, we contribute to a positive image of palm oil in food. 3. By pushing for European and global change we support to solutions that address important sustainability concerns. 4. By reaching out and engaging with stakeholders we communicate about the role of palm oil in a healthy diet.

This magazine reflects some of the important steps we took in 2019. One of our priorities is to oppose palm-free claims. EPOA strongly believes that palm-free developments are counter-productive to our sustainability objectives. We have and will continue to reach out to those companies and organisations that are misleading consumers and media.

We have not only been fighting the indiscriminate negativity. We also focus on positivity. We have good stories to tell!

With this in mind, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a successful and healthy New Year. Let’s make 2020 our best year yet!

Frans Claassen

Chair European Palm Oil Alliance