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Palm oil statement

Suma and palm oil

At Suma, we are aware that the mass production of palm oil has relied on the destruction of rainforests, with wide-ranging impacts including contributing to climate change, loss of biodiversity and human rights abuses. We refer to guidance from the WWF on the use of palm oil in consumer products. Recognising that palm is one of the most efficient oil crops that can be grown per hectare of land, the WWF advocates for a commitment to sustainable palm oil that adheres to robust sustainability standards, such as Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified palm. RSPO certification minimises the negative impact of palm oil cultivation on the environment and communities in palm oil-producing regions and ensures that palm oil is not linked to deforestation.

As part of our development of new Suma Brand products, where there isn’t a viable or more sustainable alternative to palm oil then we will use certified, sustainable palm oil only. For instance, our vegetarian suet contains RSPO certified organic palm oil.

Only a small proportion of our food products contain palm oil (as of Oct 2021). All of the palm oil used is RSPO certified palm. In our Ecoleaf range, we use some palm oil and palm derivatives, which are also RSPO certified.
Some of our Alter/Native products use uncertified palm. This is in the form of palm derivative ingredients like Sodium laurate, Sodium laureth sulfate, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate. We have discussed this issue with the manufacturer, who noted that whilst the palm oil they use is sourced sustainably, the cost and administrative burden of RSPO membership is prohibitive for their suppliers who are cooperatives and small local businesses who otherwise tick a lot of our ethical boxes.