The company has recently passed another milestone – Oxiteno’s Belgium office has just been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This means Oxiteno Europe BV can do new business in Europe, such as re-sell RSPO-certified products made by local partners. Recently transferred from Brussels to Zaventem, another city in Belgium, Oxiteno’s office in Europe is strategically important to the organization, doing business throughout the region, where the headquarters of the world’s leading chemical companies are.
The certificate
RSPO certification is a market requirement and ensures that certified products have been made using sustainable raw materials, respecting the rights of workers throughout the production chain, and the environment.
The RSPO requires a significant reduction in the use of pesticides and burning, the fair treatment of workers in accordance with local and international labor rights, and demands that local communities be informed and consulted before the development of new plantations on their land.
This certification is aligned with Oxiteno’s Strategic Sustainability Plan until 2030, which contains ambitious targets.
About palm oil
Palm oil is a natural raw material derived from palm trees and is widely used in the food and personal care industry. Ensuring the sustainability of the oil chain is important to the conservation of protected areas and ensuring decent working conditions.
The initiative contributes to the prevention of predatory practices and prohibits its members from exploiting or selling palm oil from primary forests or areas with significant concentrations of biodiversity (for example, endangered species), fragile ecosystems, or areas that are critical to meeting the basic or traditional cultural needs of local communities (areas of high conservation value).