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Glowing palm oil

Submitted by pekwan on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
... but Marks & Spencer questions destruction of rainforests to plant palm trees
Yap Aik Meng
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 11:05:00
Mark & Spencer

BILLBOARD: The five-foot standee in a Marks and Spencer outlet in London

PETALING JAYA: British retail chain Marks & Spencer has been in Malaysia for decades, and yet it seems to have started a campaign against palm oil back in its home country.

Recently, it put up five-foot displays in its UK stores stating: "We think that destroying rainforests for palm oil is too high a price to pay for a biscuit."

The Malay Mail was alerted to this development by Malaysians in the UK, who wondered why such a respected retail chain has now begun to question one of our country's most important exports.

Marks & Spencer UK corporate public relations representative Emma Johnson took pains to explain that the campaign reflected the retail chain's commitment on sustainable palm oil and other raw material.

"This is not a Malaysian-specific issue — it is about Marks & Spencer sourcing sustainable palm oil from its suppliers regardless of where they are based. It does not single out Malaysia in any way and is in no way disrespectful to the people of Malaysia."

She said under Plan A, Marks & Spencer is committed to using only sustainable raw materials and this is applicable to all commodities.

"Marks & Spencer is proud of the work it has carried out to ensure all of the palm oil used by the company is sustainable — this is why it was chosen to highlight Marks & Spencer’s progress against its sustainable raw material targets.

"Marks & Spencer is committed to only using certified sustainable palm oil in all products it sells by 2015. This is a worldwide policy."

She reiterated that the campaign wasn't specifically directed at Malaysia.

"We recognise that palm oil is an important source of income for many countries, including Malaysia, and that achieving a fully sustainable source won’t happen overnight.

"That’s why we’re working with our suppliers to gradually increase the number of RSPO certified products that we sell. Ensuring we have a sustainable supply of palm oil is crucial to lessening our impact of production on the natural environment."

Johnson went on to explain that the impact of using unsustainable palm oil is seen as an important issue by the UK consumer. Hence, the retail chain put up the displays to mark the third anniversary of their Plan A campaign.

"This campaign highlights a number of high profile achievements that Marks & Spencer has made over the last three years — from a unique partnership with the charity Oxfam to drastically reducing carrier bag usage to sourcing sustainable palm oil.

"Marks & Spencer values its employees and customers in Malaysia and all countries it operates in the world.

This is one reason why it is important that Marks & Spencer is actively minimising the environmental impact of its operations."

Comments

sell the palm oil to china or india. we dont need the uk to buy them!

Submitted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 20th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 20th, 2010.
Go and walk into palm oil plantations where the settlers are living with banners condemning palm oil and lets see how many fingers protesters would have when they leave the plantation! 1970s poverty at about 50%...did the Brits and Yanks did anything to help Malaysia? None.... so Malaysia clears jungles for rubber and palm oil plantation, send poverty level families to work on it and presto....poverty levels went down. The 70s were also famous for communist insurgency...

Submitted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010.
What about the pollution by palm oil mill effluent? They eat the biscuits, we suffer the pollution

Submitted by Senthil on Thursday, February 11th, 2010.
Submitted by Senthil on Thursday, February 11th, 2010.
So, am I to understand that Malaysians disagree with M & S's suggestion that "destroying rainforests for palm oil is too high a price to pay for a biscuit?" Producing RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is the way forward if Malaysia intends to grow in this market and develop its economy. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is about supporting the needs and rights of local people as much as it is about considering the environment. Why should Malaysia bulk so much at the idea? Just to clarify, as an NGO concerned with promoting the sustainable production of palm oil, we receive no payments from competing oil-seed industries, contrary to allegations. We are concerned with the protection of ecosystems and the valuable services they provide to humanity and the planet. Why anyone would find this objectionable is beyond me. Michelle Desilets Executive Director Orangutan Land Trust Member, RSPO

Submitted by Michelle Desilets on Thursday, February 11th, 2010.
Submitted by Michelle Desilets on Thursday, February 11th, 2010.
dont only grow palm oil. it is too risky.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
People in the UK care about how the companies they buy from source their products. The UK is a major contributor to global environmental problems and the British public are recognising this and trying to make a difference by spending carefully. The British public will often chose who they buy from dependant on whether the company sell fish caught from sustainable stocks, or stock products which do not contain palm oil. It is understood that Malaysian palm oil plantations have destroyed trees, flowers, habitats, animals and birds. I grew up in Borneo and spent a lot of time playing in rainforests, so I support any company's decision to boycott palm oil. I do not know a great deal about Palm Oil and how it has financially changed Malaysia, but looking after our valuable habitats, which can never be replaced, is my top priority. However, I don't shop in M&S often, big companies can never be trusted!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
The problem with indiginous peoples ANYWHERE is that ALL the lands they claim are supposed to be their ancestral land. Ive always wondered what they meant by unsustainable palm oil and how they would certify it too? Most of the once great british food industry has been taken over by the Americans and I would not be surprised at all that there is a similar sinister pattern based in the US that is waging war against palm oil and using sustainable reasons whereas in fact, the real reason is that they are protecting their own product!!!! You Malaysians should stand up against this biased western propaganda.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
It's not just about saving trees, saving the wildlife that live in them and depend on them is a big part of this. Plus there are indiginous peoples who have lived in and relied on the forest for generations are displaced when the bulldozers of the loggers and palm oil plantations move in.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Maybe M & S should pay a visit to the palm oil plantations like the ones created and developed by FELDA and will realised that palm oil helped Malaysia reduced poverty tremendously!!!! M & S prefers to save trees rather than save human beings!!! Maybe stores here should put up HUGE banners with a list of food and beverage producers that are channeling some of their profits towards the continuous modern day apartheid called Israel - the blue eyed son and 52nd state of USA - and a nephew of the once Great Britain? No wonder Blair and Howard were called " Little Bonsai ".......or Little Bush!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010.

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