Ferrero: ranked number one in sustainable palm oil

Italian confectioner Ferrero has been rated as the leading company for sustainable palm oil by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). 

WWF’s scorecard, which ranks global companies on such criteria as ‘commitment to 100% RSPO CSPO by 2020’ and ‘deforestation & conversion-free supplier policy’, shows that Ferrero achieved a near-perfect 21.5 out of 22.

Although no other companies broke the 20 point mark, other well-known businesses in the top five include L'Oréal (19.3), IKEA (19) and German retailer Kaufland (19.3). 

All companies scoring 17 or higher were designated as ‘leading the way’, whilst all those scoring under nine are ‘lagging behind’. Out of the 173 organisations surveyed, 41 were ranked ‘non-respondent’. 

Cause for optimism

Despite there being room for improvement across the board, the WWF were encouraged by Ferrero’s high score, hoping that it had sent “an encouraging signal to the rest of the industry that sustainable and deforestation-free palm oil is achievable.”

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Having realised the need to invest in sustainable palm oil in 2005, Ferrero has been spearheading the change it wanted to see in the world ever since. “Already in 2015, we were one of the first companies to source 100% certified as segregated palm oil. Moving forward, we recognized the need to support projects which go beyond certification to broaden sustainability standards in the industry,” says the company website.

However, whilst appreciative of the WWF’s recognition of its achievements, Ferrero refuses to rest on its laurels. Realising that the daily struggle to shift industries towards sustainable palm oil continues, the company has pledged to continue fighting the good fight.

“While we have made significant progress, especially in the areas of traceability, Ferrero will continue its investment and remains fully committed to securing a 100% deforestation-free, and exploitation-free palm oil supply chain and to leading the way in industry transformation through active collaboration with NGOs, key stakeholders and suppliers.”