Online guide to the Palm Oil Financing Handbook

This online guide is designed to help your financial institution develop and implement a responsible palm oil financing and investment policy.

This policy will:
  • show your commitment to sustainable palm oil production
  • help you reduce the financial and reputation risks you are exposed to in the sector
  • enable  you to understand the main issues surrounding responsible palm oil financing
The Palm Oil Financing Handbook / ©: Nina narvsten
The Palm Oil Financing Handbook
© Nina narvsten

Is this guide for me?

You should read this guide if you are one of the following:

Who
 Responsibility
Senior policy manager Develop a sustainable palm oil policy
Credit Risk Officer/Sustainability manager Implement and execute the sustainability policy
Relationship manager and other “deal team” member Make business decisions and investment proposals in alignment with bank policy
Fund manager and investment analyst Implement the policy for equity investments and representing shareholder interest

Let's get started

Proceed to section 1 - Developing a responsible palm oil financing and investment policy

How do I know this guide is relevant to my needs?

A growing number of banks have become members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This guide helps to inform all parties involved in a palm oil transaction of the RSPO’s principles and criteria for sustainable palm oil production.

IFC, HSBC and Rabobank are just some of the institutions that have provided input during the development of this guide. We also provide real life case studies to demonstrate the experience of some financial institutions in responsible palm oil financing.


How should I use this guide?

The good news is, you don’t need to read everything.

We have selected below the most relevant sections for you to read based on your position:

Related links

Downloads

Who
 What to read What you will learn
  • Senior policy manager
  • Sustainability specialist
 Plan Developing a responsible
palm oil financing and
investment policy

read online | download
 
  • Credit Risk officer
  • Relationship manager
  • Fund manager
  • Investment analyst
  •  
 Act Implementing the policy

read online | download
 
  • Sustainability specialist
  • Senior policy manager
 Review Making the policy more effective

read online | download

You can also access parts of the guide that are specifically relevant to your client's activities:

FOR DOWNSTREAM CLIENTS

FOR UPSTREAM CLIENTS

Tools

A word about the model responsible palm oil policy
The model policy proposed in this handbook is based on standards developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The RSPO’s Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Palm Oil Production (RSPO criteria) represent the most credible, transparent and robust standards in the industry.

You can rely on the RSPO certification systems to assess a client’s or investee’s environmental and social performance, or alternatively, conduct your own assessments – whether measured against the RSPO criteria or your financial institution’s own policy criteria.

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