RSPO P&C2013

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Principles and Criteria for the Production of Sustainable Palm Oil (2013)

for the Production of Sustainable Palm Oil

Endorsed by the RSPO Executive Board and accepted at the Extraordinary

General Assembly by RSPO Members on April 25th 2013

(Including Major Indicators endorsed by RSPO Board of Governors on 15

November 2013)

Principles and Criteria

2013

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Sustainable palm oil production is comprised of legal, economically viable,

environmentally appropriate and socially beneficial management and

operations. This is delivered through the application of the following set of

Principles and Criteria, and the accompanying Indicators and Guidance.

The first set of Principles & Criteria, Indicators and Guidance (P&C 2007)

have been applied since November 2007. These had been subject to trial

implementation from November 2005 to November 2007 and in a number ofcountries to a subsequent process of National Interpretation. After five years

of application by RSPO members, P&C 2007 were reviewed in 2012-2013 by

the RSPO Principles and Criteria Review Taskforce.

The objective of the review was to improve the relevance and effectiveness

of the Principles and Criteria for its members and in achieving the vision

and mission of the RSPO. The review process followed ISEAL best practices,

including two public consultations and four physical Taskforce meetings and

resulted in the production of the revised RSPO Principles and Criteria for

Sustainable Palm Oil Production (RSPO P&C 2013).

In line with ISEAL best practices, this document (RSPO P&C 2013) will be

completely reviewed again after five years following ratification by the General

Assembly of the RSPO. Within that period, any changes to the standards

must be approved by the General Assembly of the RSPO and only after

recommendations made by a duly appointed RSPO working group or taskforce.

One of the main issues addressed in the review was the recommendations

of the RSPO greenhouse gas (GHG) working group. Acknowledging both the

importance of the issue and the current challenges of determining emissions,

the RSPO has revised an existing Criterion on monitoring and reporting

GHG emissions from existing operations and developed a new Criterion on

minimising net GHG emissions from new planting developments. However, it is

recognised that these significant emissions cannot be monitored completely or

measured accurately with current knowledge and methodologies. Therefore,

growers and millers commit to an implementation period for promoting best

practices in reporting to the RSPO, and after December 31st 2016 to public

reporting against both of these Criteria. During the implementation period

Preamble

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the RSPO will further develop and improve the RSPO carbon assessment and

reporting tools. Growers and millers make this commitment with the support

of all other stakeholder groups of the RSPO. These revisions demonstrate the

RSPOs commitment to developing credible requirements relating to GHG

emissions.

Looking to the future, the RSPO Principles and Criteria Review Taskforce urges

the Executive Board to engage with all grower country governments with theobjective of addressing the problem of stateless persons (especially children

and women) in the industry.

Also looking forward, the growers and millers within the RSPO commit to

a process whereby they aim to source third party Fresh Fruit Bunches from

identified, legal and responsible sources. The RSPO Principles and Criteria

Review Taskforce strongly encourages the RSPO Executive Board to resource

and support a process for developing tools and methodologies that can help

them achieve these aims.

This document (RSPO P&C 2013) defines Indicators and Guidance for each

Criterion. Indicators are specific pieces of objective evidence that shall (must)

be in place to demonstrate or verify that the Criterion is being met. Guidance

consists of useful information to help the grower/miller and auditor understand

what the Criterion and/or Indicators mean in practice, to indicate good practice,

and practices that should be followed. Specific Guidance has also been included

for certain Indicators for clarity, as well as specific points to be addressed in

National Interpretations. In most cases guidance for smallholder production

has been removed to other documents that specify standards for that sector

[Guidance for Independent Smallholders under Group Certification, June 2010,

and Guidance on Scheme Smallholders, July 2009].

This document (RSPO P&C 2013) is effective after ratification by the RSPO

General Assembly (May 2013). As stated under the RSPO Certification System,

National Interpretations (NIs) must be revised to be fully consistent with the

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RSPO P&C 2013 within 12 months after the date of ratification (April 2014).

Certificate holders must be fully compliant with the new version of an NI within

one year of it being completed (April 2015).

In countries without NIs and/or in cases where members have conducted a

Local Interpretation applicable to their own operations, P&C 2013 is effective

immediately after ratification (May 2013) and shall be used for any new

certification activities after the ratification date. In cases where there is no NIthe RSPO secretariat as requested by the P&C Review Taskforce has developed

generic guidance in this document on issues identified as needing clarification

in P&C 2013.

Already certified entities can continue to be certified after the date of ratification

(May 2013) and before the completion of any relevant NI by conducting Annual

Surveillance Assessments (ASA) against P&C 2007, but shall demonstrate

compliance to the new RSPO P&C 2013 at the following ASA.

Necessary revision shall be made to other RSPO normative documents and

guidance to ensure consistency with the wordings of RSPO P&C 2013.

Key international laws and conventions applicable to the production of palm oil

are set out in Annex 1. Annex 2 provides the additional generic guidance and

definitions on selected Criteria for countries where no National Interpretation

exists.

The RSPO and its members recognize, support and commit to follow the

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights [http://www.un.org/en/

documents/udhr] and the International Labour Organizations Declaration on

Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work [http://www.ilo.org/declaration/

lang--en/index.htm].

This document indentifies the 69 major indicators proposed by the RSPO

Criteria Taskforce, and endorsed by RSPO Board of Governors on 15 November

2013.

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Including Indicators and Guidance

RSPO Principles and Criteria

for Sustainable Palm Oil Production

April 2013

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Commitment Environmental responsibility

to transparency and conservaon of natural

resources and biodiversity

Compliance with applicable Responsible consideraon of

laws and regulaons employees, and of individuals

and communies aected by growers and mills

Commitment to long-term Responsible development

economic and nancial of new planngs

viability

Use of appropriate Commitment to connuous

best pracces improvement in key areas

by growers and millers of acvies

8 PRINCIPLES FOR GROWERS TO BE RSPO CERTIFIED

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2

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6

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NO. PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA INDICATORS/GUIDANCE

* (M) indicates Major Indicators

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY

Growers and millers provide

adequate informaon

to relevant stakeholders

on environmental, social

and legal issues relevant

to RSPO Criteria, in

appropriate languages and

forms to allow for eecve

parcipaon in decision

making.

Indicators:

1.1.1 There shall be evidence that growers and millers provide adequate informaon on(environmental, social and/or legal) issues relevant to RSPO Criteria to relevant stakeholders foreecve parcipaon in decision making.

1.1.2 (M) Records of requests for informaon and responses shall be maintained.

Specic Guidance:

For 1.1.1: Evidence should be provided that informaon is received in appropriate form(s) and language(s)by relevant stakeholders. Informaon will include informaon on the RSPO mechanisms for stakeholderinvolvement, including informaon on their rights and responsibilies.

Guidance:

Growers and millers should have a Standard Operang Procedure (SOP) to respond construcvely tostakeholders, including a specic meframe to respond to requests for informaon. Growers and millers shouldrespond construcvely and promptly to requests for informaon from stakeholders.Growers and millers should ensure that sucient objecve evidence exists to demonstrate that the response is

mely and appropriate.

See Criterion 1.2 for requirements relang to publicly available documentaon.

See Criterion 6.2 on consultaon.

See Criterion 4.1 on SOPs.

1.1

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Management documents

are publicly available,

except where this is

prevented by commercial

condenality or where

disclosure of informaon

would result in negave

environmental or social

outcomes.

Indicators:

1.2.1 (M) Publicly available documents shall include, but are not necessarily limited to: Land tles/user rights (Criterion 2.2);

Occupaonal health and safety plans (Criterion 4.7); Plans and impact assessments relang to environmental and social impacts (Criteria 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 and 7.8); HCV documentaon (Criteria 5.2 and 7.3); Polluon prevenon and reducon plans (Criterion 5.6);

Details of complaints and grievances (Criterion 6.3); Negoaon procedures (Criterion 6.4); Connual improvement plans (Criterion 8.1); Public summary of cercaon assessment report;

Human Rights Policy (Criterion 6.13).

Guidance:

This concerns management documents relang to environmental, social and legal issues that are relevant tocompliance with RSPO Criteria.

Management documents will include monitoring reports.

The auditors will comment on the adequacy of each of the documents listed in the public summary of the assessmentreport.

Examples of commercially condenal informaon include nancial data such as costs and income, and detailsrelang to customers and/or suppliers. Data that aects personal privacy should also be condenal.

Ongoing disputes (within or outside of a legal mechanism) can be considered as condenal informaon wheredisclosure could result in potenal negave outcomes for all pares involved. However, aected stakeholders andthose seeking resoluon to conict should have access to relevant informaon.Examples of informaon where disclosure could result in potenal negave environmental or social

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outcomes include informaon on sites of rare species where disclosure could increase the risk of hunng or

capture for trade, or sacred sites which a community wishes to maintain as private.

Growers and millers should ensure that sucient objecve evidence exists to demonstrate that the level ofmeasuring and monitoring of the management plan, and informaon, is appropriate and made available.

For Naonal Interpretaon:

Specic approaches to personal privacy safeguards, including any legal requirements, will be considered.

Indicators:

1.3.1 There shall be a wrien policy comming to a code of ethical conduct and integrity in all operaons andtransacons, which shall be documented and communicated to all levels of the workforce and operaons.

Guidance:

All levels of the operaons will include contracted third pares (e.g those involved in security).

The policy should include as a minimum: A respect for fair conduct of business;

A prohibion of all forms of corrupon, bribery and fraudulent use of funds and resources; A proper disclosure of informaon in accordance with applicable regulaons and accepted

industry pracces.

The policy should be set within the framework of the UN Convenon Against Corrupon, in parcular Arcle 12.

Growers and millers

commit to ethical conductin all business operaons

and transacons.

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There is compliance with all

applicable local, naonal andraed internaonal laws and

regulaons.

Indicators:

2.1.1 (M) Evidence of compliance with relevant legal requirements shall be available.2.1.2 A documented system, which includes wrien informaon on legal requirements, shall be

maintained.2.1.3 A mechanism for ensuring compliance shall be implemented.2.1.4 A system for tracking any changes in the law shall be implemented.

Specic Guidance:

For 2.1.4: The systems used for tracking any changes in laws and regulaons should be appropriate to thescale of the organisaon.

Guidance:Implemenng all legal requirements is an essenal baseline requirement for all growers whatever their locaon orsize. Relevant legislaon includes, but is not limited to: regulaons governing land tenure and land-use rights, labour,agricultural pracces (e.g. chemical use), environment (e.g. wildlife laws, polluon, environmental management andforestry laws), storage, transportaon and processing pracces. It also includes laws made pursuant to a countrysobligaons under internaonal laws or convenons (e.g. the Convenon on Biological Diversity (CBD), ILO core

Convenons, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights). Furthermore, where countries have provisions torespect customary law, these will be taken into account.

Key internaonal laws and convenons are set out in Annex 1

Contradicons and inconsistencies should be idened and soluons suggested.


All relevant legislaon will be idened, and any parcularly important requirements idened.

2.1

PRINCIPLE 2: COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS

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The right to use the land

is demonstrated, and isnot legimately contestedby local people who candemonstrate that theyhave legal, customary or

user rights.

2.2 Indicators:

2.2.1 (M) Documents showing legal ownership or lease, history of land tenure and the actual legal use ofthe land shall be available.

2.2.2 Legal boundaries shall be clearly demarcated and visibly maintained.2.2.3 Where there are or have been disputes, addional proof of legal acquision of tle and

evidence that fair compensaon has been made to previous owners and occupants shall

be available, and that these have been accepted with free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).2.2.4 (M) There shall be an absence of signicant land conict, unless requirements for acceptable

conict resoluon processes (see Criteria 6.3 and 6.4) are implemented and accepted by thepares involved.

2.2.5 For any conict or dispute over the land, the extent of the disputed area shall be mapped out

in a parcipatory way with involvement of aected pares (including neighbouring

communies where applicable).2.2.6 (M) To avoid escalaon of conict, there shall be no evidence that palm oil operaons haveinsgated violence in maintaining peace and order in their current and planned operaons.

Specic Guidance:

For 2.2.2: Plantaon operaons should cease on land planted beyond the legally determined area andthere should be specic plans in place to address such issues for associated smallholders.

For 2.2.6: Company policy should prohibit the use of mercenaries and para-militaries in their operaons.Company policy should prohibit extra-judicial inmidaon and harassment by contractedsecurity forces (see Criterion 6.13).


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Guidance

Where there is a conict on the condion of land use as per land tle, growers should show evidence thatnecessary acon has been taken to resolve the conict with relevant pares.A mechanism should be in place to resolve any conict (Criteria 6.3 and 6.4).Where operaons overlap with other rights holders, companies should resolve the issue with theappropriate authories, consistent with Criteria 6.3 and 6.4.


Any legal, customary or user rights to land, or disputes, which are likely to be relevant, will be idened.

Indicators:

2.3.1 (M) Maps of an appropriate scale showing the extent of recognised legal, customary or user rights

(Criteria 2.2, 7.5 and 7.6) shall be developed through parcipatory mapping involving aectedpares (including neighbouring communies where applicable, and relevant authories).

2.3.2 Copies of negoated agreements detailing the process of free, prior and informed consent(FPIC) (Criteria 2.2, 7.5 and 7.6) shall be available and shall include:

a) Evidence that a plan has been developed through consultaon and discussion withall aected groups in the communies, and that informaon has been provided to all aectedgroups, including informaon on the steps that shall be taken to involve them in decision

making; b) Evidence that the company has respected communies decisions to give or withhold their

consent to the operaon at the me that this decision was taken; c) Evidence that the legal, economic, environmental and social implicaons for perming

operaons on their land have been understood and accepted by aected communies,including the implicaons for the legal status of their land at the expiry of the companys

tle, concession or lease on the land.2.3.3 All relevant informaon shall be available in appropriate forms and languages, including

assessments of impacts, proposed benet sharing, and legal arrangements.2.3.4 (M) Evidence shall be available to show that communies are represented through instuons or

representaves of their own choosing, including legal counsel.

Use of the land for oilpalm does not diminish

the legal, customary oruser rights of other users

without their free, priorand informed consent.

2.3


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Specic Guidance:

For 2.3.4: Evidence should be available from the companies, communies or other relevant stakeholders.

Guidance:

All indicators will apply to current operaons, but there are excepons for long-established plantaonswhich may not have records dang back to the me of the decision making, in parcular for compliance withIndicators 2.3.1 and 2.3.2.

Where there are legal or customary rights over land, the grower should demonstrate that these rights areunderstood and are not being threatened or reduced. This Criterion should be considered in conjunconwith Criteria 6.4, 7.5 and 7.6. Where customary rights areas are unclear these should be established throughparcipatory mapping exercises involving aected pares (including neighbouring communies and local

authories).

This Criterion allows for sales and negoated agreements to compensate other users for lost benets and/or relinquished rights. Negoated agreements should be non-coercive and entered into voluntarily, carriedout prior to new investments or operaons, and based on an open sharing of all relevant informaon. Therepresentaon of communies should be transparent and in open communicaon with other community

members. Adequate me should be given for customary decision making and iterave negoaons allowedfor, where requested. Negoated agreements should be binding on all pares and enforceable in the courts.Establishing certainty in land negoaons is of long-term benet for all pares.

Companies should be especially careful where they are oered lands acquired from the State by its invoking the

naonal interest (also known as eminent domain).

Growers and millers should refer to the RSPO approved FPIC guidance (FPIC and the RSPO: A Guide for

Companies, October 2008)


Any commonly encountered situaons should be idened.


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There is an implemented

management plan thataims to achieve long-termeconomic and nancialviability.

3.1 Indicators:

3.1.1 (M) A business or management plan (minimum three years) shall be documented that includes,where appropriate, a business case for scheme smallholders.

3.1.2 An annual replanng programme projected for a minimum of ve years (but longer wherenecessary to reect the management of fragile soils, see Criterion 4.3), with yearly review,shall be available.

Specic Guidance:For 3.1.1: The business or management plan should contain: Aenon to quality of planng materials; Crop projecon = Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) yield trends; Mill extracon rates = Oil Extracon Rate (OER) trends; Cost of Producon = cost per tonne of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) trends; Forecast prices;

Financial indicators.

Suggested calculaon: trends in 3-year running mean over the last decade (FFB trends may need to allow for lowyield during major replanng programmes).

Guidance:Whilst it is recognised that long-term protability is also aected by factors outside their direct control, topmanagement should be able to demonstrate aenon to economic and nancial viability through long-termmanagement planning. There should be longer term aplanning for plantaons on peat, parcularly in regards tosubsidence and ooding issues (see Indicator 4.3.5).

Consideraon of smallholders should be inherent in all management planning where applicable (see also Criteria6.10 and 6.11). For scheme smallholders the content will vary from that suggested (refer to RSPO Guidance On

Scheme Smallholders, July 2009).

Growers should have a system to improve pracces in line with new informaon and techniques. For smallholderschemes, the scheme management should be expected to provide their members with informaon on signicantimprovements.

This Criterion is not applicable to independent smallholders (refer to RSPO Guidance for IndependentSmallholders under Group Cercaon, June 2010

PRINCIPLE 3: COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL VIABILITY

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Operang procedures are

appropriately documented,consistently implementedand monitored.

4.1 Indicators:

4.1.1 (M) Standard Operang Procedures (SOPs) for estates and mills shall be documented.4.1.2 A mechanism to check consistent implementaon of procedures shall be in place.4.1.3 Records of monitoring and any acons taken shall be maintained and available, as appropriate.4.1.4 (M) The mill shall record the origins of all third-party sourced Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB).

Specic Guidance:For 4.1.1 and 4.1.4: SOP and documentaon for mills should include relevant supply chain requirements (seeRSPO Supply Chain Cercaon Standard, Nov 2011).

Guidance:Mechanisms to check implementaons could include documentaon management systems and internalcontrol procedures.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal codes of pracce or Best Management Pracces (BMPs) will be referenced.

Pracces maintain soil

ferlity at, or wherepossible improve soilferlity to, a level thatensures opmal andsustained yield.

4.2 Indicators:4.2.1 There shall be evidence that good agriculture pracces, as contained in Standard Operang

Procedures (SOPs), are followed to manage soil ferlity to a level that ensures opmal andsustained yield, where possible.

4.2.2 Records of ferliser inputs shall be maintained.4.2.3 There shall be evidence of periodic ssue and soil sampling to monitor changes in nutrient status.4.2.4 A nutrient recycling strategy shall be in place, and may include use of Empty Fruit Bunches

(EFB), Palm Oil Mill Euent (POME), and palm residues aer replanng.

Guidance:Long-term ferlity depends on maintaining the structure, organic maer content, nutrient status andmicrobiological health of the soil. Nutrient eciency should take account of the age of plantaons and soilcondions. The nutrient recycling strategy should include any use of biomass for by-products or energyproducon.

For Naonal Interpretaon:The range of appropriate techniques will be idened.

PRINCIPLE 4: USE OF APPROPRIATE BEST PRACTICES BY GROWERS AND MILLERS

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Pracces minimise and

control erosion anddegradaon of soils.

4.3 Indicators:

4.3.1 (M) Maps of any fragile soils shall be available.4.3.2 A management strategy shall be in place for planngs on slopes above a certain limit (this

needs to be soil and climate specic).4.3.3 A road maintenance programme shall be in place.4.3.4 (M) Subsidence of peat soils shall be minimised and monitored. A documented water and ground

cover management programme shall be in place.4.3.5 Drainability assessments shall be required prior to replanng on peat to determine the long-

term viability of the necessary drainage for oil palm growing.4.3.6 A management strategy shall be in place for other fragile and problem soils (e.g. sandy, low

organic maer, acid sulphate soils).

Specic Guidance:For 4.3.4: For exisng planngs on peat, the water table should be maintained at an average of 50cm (between40 - 60cm) below ground surface measured with groundwater piezometer readings, or an average of 60cm

(between 50 - 70cm) below ground surface as measured in water collecon drains, through a network ofappropriate water control structures e.g. weirs, sandbags, etc. in elds, and watergates at the discharge pointsof main drains (Criteria 4.4 and 7.4).For 4.3.5: Where drainability assessments have idened areas unsuitable for oil palm replanng, plans shouldbe in place for appropriate rehabilitaon or alternave use of such areas. If the assessment indicates high riskof serious ooding and/or salt water intrusion within two crop cycles, growers and planters should considerceasing replanng and implemenng rehabilitaon.

Guidance:Plantaons on peat should be managed at least to the standard set out in the RSPO Manual on BestManagement Pracces (BMPs) for exisng oil palm culvaon on peat, June 2012 (especially watermanagement, re avoidance, ferliser use, subsidence and vegetaon cover).

Techniques that minimise soil erosion are well known and should be adopted, where appropriate. These shouldinclude pracces such as ground cover management, biomass recycling, terracing, and natural regeneraon orrestoraon instead of replanng.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon (or an RSPO recognised parallel means) will refer to naonal guidance, and idenfythe best management pracces and appropriate techniques for maintaining soil quality in local condions,including guidance on soil types, and any appropriate performance thresholds such as maximum acceptableslope gradient for planng.



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Pracces maintain the

quality and availabilityof surface and groundwater.

4.4 Indicators:

4.4.1 An implemented water management plan shall be in place.4.4.2 (M) Protecon of water courses and wetlands, including maintaining and restoring appropriate

riparian and other buer zones (refer to naonal best pracce and naonal guidelines) shall bedemonstrated.

4.4.3 Appropriate treatment of mill euent to required levels and regular monitoring of dischargequality, especially Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), shall be in compliance with naonalregulaons (Criteria 2.1 and 5.6).

4.4.4 Mill water use per tonne of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) (see Criterion 5.6) shall be monitored.

Specic Guidance:For 4.4.1: The water management plan will: Take account of the eciency of use and renewability of sources; Ensure that the use and management of water by the operaon does not result in adverse

impacts on other users within the catchment area, including local communies andcustomary water users; Aim to ensure local communies, workers and their families have access to adequate, clean

water for drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning purposes; Avoid contaminaon of surface and ground water through run-o of soil, nutrients or

chemicals, or as a result of inadequate disposal of waste including Palm Oil Mill Euent(POME).

For 4.4.2: Refer to the RSPO Manual On Best Management Pracces (BMP) for management and rehabilitaon ofnatural vegetaon associated with oil palm culvaon on peat, July 2012.

Guidance:Growers and millers should address the eects of their use of water and the eects of their acvies on local

water resources.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon will refer to naonal guidelines or best pracce and where appropriate includeperformance thresholds for requirements such as the size and locaon and methods of restoraon of riparianstrips or acceptable maximum run-o levels.



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Pests, diseases, weeds

and invasive introducedspecies are eecvely

managed using appropriateIntegrated PestManagement techniques.

Pescides are used inways that do not endangerhealth or the environment

4.5

4.6

Indicators:

4.5.1 (M) Implementaon of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans shall be monitored.4.5.2 Training of those involved in IPM implementaon shall be demonstrated.

Guidance:

Growers should apply recognised IPM techniques, incorporang cultural, biological, mechanical and physicalmethods to minimise the use of chemicals.

Nave species should be used in biological control where possible.


Naonal Interpretaon will provide further guidance on what pracces are most appropriate for a parcularcountry, and where needed, on pracces which are appropriate to smallholders.

Indicators:

4.6.1 (M) Juscaon of all pescides used shall be demonstrated. The use of selecve products thatare specic to the target pest, weed or disease and which have minimal eect on non-target

species shall be used where available.4.6.2 (M) Records of pescides use (including acve ingredients used and their LD50, area treated,

amount of acve ingredients applied per ha and number of applicaons) shall be provided.4.6.3 (M) Any use of pescides shall be minimised as part of a plan, and in accordance with Integrated

Pest Management (IPM) plans. There shall be no prophylacc use of pescides, except in

specic situaons idened in naonal Best Pracce guidelines.4.6.4 Pescides that are categorised as World Health Organisaon Class 1A or 1B, or that are listed

by the Stockholm or Roerdam Convenons, and paraquat, are not used, except in specicsituaons idened in naonal Best Pracce guidelines. The use of such pescides shallbe minimised and eliminated as part of a plan, and shall only be used in exceponal

circumstances.



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4.6.5 (M) Pescides shall only be handled, used or applied by persons who have completed the

necessary training and shall always be applied in accordance with the product label.Appropriate safety and applicaon equipment shall be provided and used. All precauons

aached to the products shall be properly observed, applied, and understood by workers (seeCriterion 4.7).

4.6.6 (M) Storage of all pescides shall be according to recognised best pracces. All pescidecontainers shall be properly disposed of and not used for other purposes (see Criterion 5.3).

4.6.7 Applicaon of pescides shall be by proven methods that minimise risk and impacts.4.6.8 (M) Pescides shall be applied aerially only where there is documented juscaon. Communies

shall be informed of impending aerial pescide applicaons with all relevant informaonwithin reasonable me prior to applicaon.

4.6.9 Maintenance of employee and associated smallholder knowledge and skills on pescidehandling shall be demonstrated, including provision of appropriate informaon materials (see

Criterion 4.8).4.6.10 Proper disposal of waste material, according to procedures that are fully understood by

workers and managers shall be demonstrated (see Criterion 5.3).4.6.11 (M) Specic annual medical surveillance for pescide operators, and documented acon to treat

related health condions, shall be demonstrated.4.6.12 (M) No work with pescides shall be undertaken by pregnant or breast-feeding women.

Specic Guidance:

For 4.6.1: Measures to avoid the development of resistance (such as pescide rotaons) should be applied. Thejuscaon should consider less harmful alternaves and IPM.

Specic guidance for 4.6.3: Juscaon of the use of such pescides will be included in the public summaryreport.



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Specic guidance for 4.6.6: Recognised best pracce includes: Storage of all pescides as prescribed in the FAO

Internaonal Code of Conduct on the distribuon and use of pescides and its guidelines, and supplemented byrelevant industry guidelines in support of the Internaonal Code (see Annex 1).

Guidance:

The RSPO has idened some examples of alternaves to pescide use, which include those listed in theResearch project on Integrated Weed Management Strategies for Oil Palm; CABI, April 2011.Due to problems in the accuracy of measurement, monitoring of pescide toxicity is not applicable toindependent smallholders (refer to Guidance for Independent Smallholders under Group Cercaon, June2010).


Naonal Interpretaon will consider: statutory requirements concerning pescide use, lists of legally prohibited

pescides, pescide residues that should be tested for and the appropriate levels of residues, and bestmanagement pracces for pescide use or sources of informaon on these.Naonal Interpretaon will develop best pracce guidelines on the exceponal circumstances that would allow

the use of pescides categorised as World Health Organisaon Class 1A or 1B, or those listed by the Stockholm orRoerdam Convenons, and paraquat as well as how they will be used in ways that do not endanger health or theenvironment.

An occupaonal health andsafety plan is documented,

eecvely communicatedand implemented.

4.7 Indicators:The health and safety plan shall cover the following:

4.7.1 (M) A health and safety policy shall be in place. A health and safety plan covering all acvies shallbe documented and implemented, and its eecveness monitored.

4.7.2 (M) All operaons where health and safety is an issue shall be risk assessed, and procedures andacons shall be documented and implemented to address the idened issues. All precauonsaached to products shall be properly observed and applied to the workers.

4.7.3 (M) All workers involved in the operaon shall be adequately trained in safe working pracces(see Criterion 4.8). Adequate and appropriate protecve equipment shall be available to allworkers at the place of work to cover all potenally hazardous operaons, such as pescideapplicaon, machine operaons, and land preparaon, harvesng and, if it is used, burning.



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4.7.4 (M) The responsible person/persons shall be idened. There shall be records of regular

meengs between the responsible person/s and workers. Concerns of allpares about health, safety and welfare shall be discussed at these

meengs, and any issues raised shall be recorded.4.7.5 Accident and emergency procedures shall exist and instrucons shall be clearly understood

by all workers. Accident procedures shall be available in the appropriate language of theworkforce. Assigned operaves trained in First Aid should be present in both eld and otheroperaons, and rst aid equipment shall be available at worksites. Records of all accidents

shall be kept and periodically reviewed.4.7.6 All workers shall be provided with medical care, and covered by accident insurance.4.7.7 Occupaonal injuries shall be recorded using Lost Time Accident (LTA) metrics

Specic Guidance for 4.7.7: The Naonal Interpretaon will dene the metrics for LTA. For countries where there

are no naonal interpretaons, the growers will determine their own metrics.

Guidance:

Growers and millers should ensure that the workplace, machinery, equipment, transport and processes undertheir control are safe and without undue risk to health. Growers and millers should ensure that the chemical,physical and biological substances and agents under their control are without undue risk to health when

appropriate measures are taken. All indicators apply to all workers regardless of status.The health and safety plan should also reect guidance in ILO Convenon 184 (see Annex 1).


Naonal Interpretaon will dene the metrics for LTA. All legal requirements together with any local or naonal

guidance on safe working pracce in agriculture will be idened and used. It will also be important to idenfywhat constutes a hazardous operaon in the local context.



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All sta, workers,

smallholders andcontract workers areappropriately trained.

4.8 Indicators:

4.8.1 (M) A formal training programme shall be in place that covers all aspects of the RSPO Principlesand Criteria, and that includes regular assessments of training needs and documentaon ofthe programme.

4.8.2 Records of training for each employee shall be maintained.

Guidance:Workers should be adequately trained on: the health and environmental risks of pescide exposure;recognion of acute and long-term exposure symptoms including the most vulnerable groups (e.g. youngworkers, pregnant women); ways to minimise exposure to workers and their families; and internaonal andnaonal instruments or regulaons that protect workers health.

The training programme should include producvity and best management pracce, and be appropriate to thescale of the organisaon.

Training should be given to all sta and workers by growers and millers to enable them to full their jobs andresponsibilies in accordance with documented procedures, and in compliance with the requirements of thesePrinciples, Criteria, Indicators and Guidance.

Contract workers should be selected for their ability to full their jobs and responsibilies in accordance withdocumented procedures, and in compliance with the requirements of the RSPO Principles, Criteria, Indicatorsand Guidance.

Growers and millers should demonstrate training acvies for schemes smallholders who provide Fresh FruitBunches (FFB) on a contracted basis.

Workers on smallholder plots also need adequate training and skills, and this can be achieved through extensionacvies of growers or millers that purchase fruit from them, by smallholders organisaons, or through

collaboraon with other instuons and organisaons (refer to Guidance for Independent Smallholders underGroup Cercaon, June 2010, and Guidance on Scheme Smallholders, July 2009)For individual smallholder operaons, training records should not be required for their workers, but anyoneworking on the farm should be adequately trained for the job they are doing (refer to Guidance for IndependentSmallholders under Group Cercaon, June 2010, and Guidance on Scheme Smallholders, July 2009)

For Naonal Interpretaon:Appropriate occupaonal training qualicaons will be idened.



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Aspects of plantaon

and mill management,including replanng,that have environmentalimpacts are idened,

and plans to migate thenegave impacts andpromote the posive onesare made, implementedand monitored, to

demonstrate connualimprovement.

Indicator:

5.1.1 (M) An environmental impact assessment (EIA) shall be documented.5.1.2 Where the idencaon of impacts requires changes in current pracces, in order to migate negave eects, a metable for change shall be developed and implemented within a comprehensive management plan. The management plan shall idenfy the responsible person/persons.5.1.3 This plan shall incorporate a monitoring protocol, adapve to operaonal changes, which shall be implemented to monitor the eecveness of the migaon measures. The plan shall be reviewed as a minimum every two years to reect the results of monitoring and where there are operaonal changes that may have posive and negave environmental impacts.

Guidance:The EIA should cover the following acvies, where they are undertaken: Building new roads, processing mills or other infrastructure; Pung in drainage or irrigaon systems;

Replanng and/or expansion of planng areas; Management of mill euents (Criterion 4.4); Clearing of remaining natural vegetaon; Management of pests and diseased palms by controlled burning (Criteria 5.5 and 7.7).

Impact assessment can be a non-restricve format e.g. ISO 14001 EMS and/or EIA report incorporang elementsspelt out in this Criterion and raised through stakeholder consultaon.Environmental impacts should be idened on soil and water resources (Criteria 4.3 and 4.4), air quality,greenhouse gases (Criterion 5.6), biodiversity and ecosystems, and peoples amenity (Criterion 6.1), both on ando-site.

Stakeholder consultaon has a key role in idenfying environmental impacts. The inclusion of consultaonshould result in improved processes to idenfy impacts and to develop any required migaon measures.

For smallholder schemes, the scheme management has the responsibility to undertake impact assessment andto plan and operate in accordance with the results (refer to Guidance for Independent Smallholders under GroupCercaon, June 2010, and Guidance on Scheme Smallholders,July 2009).

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon will consider any naonal legal requirements together with any other issues that are notrequired by law but are nevertheless important, e.g. independent social and environmental impact assessment(SEIA) for replanng may be desirable under specic situaons.

5.1

PRINCIPLE 5: ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSERVATION

OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY


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The status of rare,

threatened or endangeredspecies and other HighConservaon Valuehabitats, if any, that exist inthe plantaon or that couldbe aected by plantaon or

mill management, shall beidened and operaonsmanaged to best ensurethat they are maintainedand/or enhanced.

Indicator:

5.2.1 (M) Informaon shall be collated in a High Conservaon Value (HCV) assessment that includes both theplanted area itself and relevant wider landscape-level consideraons (such as wildlife corridors).5.2.2 (M) Where rare, threatened or endangered (RTE) species, or HCVs, are present or are aected by

plantaon or mill operaons, appropriate measures that are expected to maintain and/orenhance them shall be implemented through a management plan.

5.2.3 There shall be a programme to regularly educate the workforce about the status of these RTEspecies, and appropriate disciplinary measures shall be insgated in accordance with companyrules and naonal law if any individual working for the company is found to capture, harm,collect or kill these species.

5.2.4 Where a management plan has been created there shall be ongoing monitoring: The status of HCV and RTE species that are aected by plantaon or mill operaons shall

be documented and reported; Outcomes of monitoring shall be fed back into the management plan.

5.2.5 Where HCV set-asides with exisng rights of local communies have been idened, there shall be evidence of a negoated agreement that opmally safeguards both the HCVs and these rights.

Specic Guidance:For 5.2.1: This informaon will cover: Presence of protected areas that could be signicantly aected by the grower or miller;

Conservaon status (e.g. IUCN status), legal protecon, populaon status and habitat requirementsof rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) species that could be signicantly aected by thegrower or miller;

Idencaon of HCV habitats, such as rare and threatened ecosystems, that could be signicantlyaected by the grower or miller;

For 5.2.2: These measures will include: Ensuring that any legal requirements relang to the protecon of the species or habitat are met; Avoiding damage to and deterioraon of HCV habitats such as by ensuring that HCV areas are

connected, corridors are conserved, and buer zones around HCV areas are created; Controlling any illegal or inappropriate hunng, shing or collecng acvies, and developing

responsible measures to resolve human-wildlife conicts (e.g. incursions by elephants).

5.2




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For 5.2.5: If a negoated agreement cannot be reached, there should be evidence of sustained eorts to

achieve such an agreement. These could include third party arbitraon (see Criteria 2.3, 6.3 and 6.4).

Guidance:

This informaon gathering should include checking available biological records and consultaon withrelevant government departments, research instutes and interested NGOs if appropriate. Depending on thebiodiversity values that are present, and the level of available informaon, some addional eld survey workmay be required.

Wherever HCV benets can be realised outside of the management unit, collaboraon and cooperaonbetween other growers, governments and organisaons should be considered.


Appropriate sources of informaon can include government or internaonal lists of threatened species (reddata lists), naonal wildlife protecon legislaon, authories responsible for protected areas and species, orrelevant NGOs.

Note:Operators need to consider a variety of land management and tenure opons to secure HCV management

areas in ways that also secure local peoples rights and livelihoods. Some areas are best allocated tocommunity management and secured through customary or legal tenures, in other cases co-managementopons can be considered. Where communies are asked to relinquish rights so that HCVs can be maintainedor enhanced by the companies or State agencies, then great care needs to be taken to ensure thatcommunies retain access to adequate land and resources to secure their basic needs; all such relinquishment

of rights must be subjected to their free, prior, and informed consent(see Criteria 2.2 and 2.3).




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Waste is reduced, recycled,

re-used and disposed ofin an environmentally andsocially responsible manner.

Indicators:

5.3.1 (M) All waste products and sources of polluon shall be idened and documented.5.3.2 (M) All chemicals and their containers shall be disposed of responsibly.5.3.3 A waste management and disposal plan to avoid or reduce polluon shall be documented and implemented.

Guidance:

The waste management and disposal plan should include measures for: Idenfying and monitoring sources of waste and polluon. Improving the eciency of resource ulisaon and recycling potenal wastes as nutrients or

converng them into value-added products (e.g. through animal feeding programmes). Appropriate management and disposal of hazardous chemicals and their containers. Surplus

chemical containers should be reused, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally and socially

responsible way using best available pracces (e.g. returned to the vendor or cleaned using a triplerinse method), such that there is no risk of contaminaon of water sources or risk to humanhealth. The disposal instrucons on the manufacturers labels should be adhered to.

Use of open re for waste disposal should be avoided.


Naonal Interpretaon (or an RSPO recognised parallel means) should include, as appropriate: details ofrelevant naonal laws or policies, a list of waste types (hazardous, non-hazardous, domesc, etc.) which must beconsidered, any types of disposal which are not acceptable (e.g. untreated waste water may not be dischargeddirectly into streams or rivers (see Criterion 4.4), exisng best pracce guidelines on recycling and re-use of

nutrients, managing euent ponds, increasing mill extracon eciency and appropriate disposal of wastes.

5.3




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Eciency of fossil fuel use

and the use of renewableenergy is opmised.

Indicators:

5.4.1 A plan for improving eciency of the use of fossil fuels and to opmise renewable energy shall be in place and monitored.

Guidance:

Renewable energy use per tonne of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) or palm product in the mill should be monitored.

Direct fossil fuel use per tonne of CPO or Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) should be monitored.

Energy eciency should be taken into account in the construcon or upgrading of all operaons.

Growers and millers should assess the direct energy use of their operaons, including fuel and electricity, and

energy eciency of their operaons. This should include esmaon of fuel use by on-site contract workers,

including all transport and machinery operaons.

The feasibility of collecng and using biogas should be studied if possible.

5.4




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Use of re for preparing

land or replanng isavoided, except in specic

situaons as idenedin the ASEAN guidelinesor other regional bestpracce.

Indicators:

5.5.1 (M) There shall be no land preparaon by burning, other than in specic situaons as idened in the Guidelines for the Implementaon of the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning 2003, or

comparable guidelines in other regions.5.5.2 Where re has been used for preparing land for replanng, there shall be evidence of prior approval of the controlled burning as specied in Guidelines for the Implementaon of the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning 2003, or comparable guidelines in other regions.

Guidance:

Fire should be used only where an assessment has demonstrated that it is the most eecve and leastenvironmentally damaging opon for minimising the risk of severe pest and disease outbreaks, and exceponallevels of cauon should be required for use of re on peat. This should be subject to regulatory provisions underrespecve naonal environmental legislaon.

Extension/training programmes for associated smallholders may be necessary.


Naonal Interpretaon will idenfy any specic situaons where such use of re may be acceptable, for examplethrough reference to Guidelines for the Implementaon of the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning 2003, or comparableguidelines in other regions.

5.5




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Preamble

Plans to reduce polluonand emissions, including

greenhouse gases, aredeveloped, implementedand monitored.

Growers and millers commit to reporng on operaonal greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is recognised that

these signicant emissions cannot be monitored completely or measured accurately with current knowledge andmethodology. It is also recognised that it is not always feasible or praccal to reduce or minimise these emissions.

Growers and millers commit to an implementaon period unl the end of December 2016 for promong best

pracces in reporng to the RSPO, and thereaer to public reporng. Growers and millers make this commitment

with the support of all other stakeholder groups of the RSPO.

Indicators:

5.6.1 (M) An assessment of all pollung acvies shall be conducted, including gaseous emissions, parculate/soot emissions and euent (see Criterion 4.4).5.6.2 (M) Signicant pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions shall be idened, and plans to reduce or minimise them implemented.

5.6.3 A monitoring system shall be in place, with regular reporng on progress for these signicant pollutants and emissions from estate and mill operaons, using appropriate tools.

Specic Guidance:

For 5.6.2: Plans will include objecves, targets and melines. These should be responsive to context and anychanges should be jused.

For 5.6.2 and 5.6.3: The treatment methodology for POME will be recorded.For 5.6.3 (GHG): For the implementaon period unl December 31st 2016, an RSPO-endorsed modied versionof PalmGHG which only includes emissions from operaons (including land use pracces) can be used as amonitoring tool.

5.6

5.6




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For 5.6.3: In addion, during the implementaon period, growers will start to assess, monitor and report

emissions arising from changes in carbon stocks within their operaons, using the land use in November 2005as the baseline. The implementaon period for Indicator 5.6.3 is the same implementaon period for Criterion

7.8.

During the implementaon period, reporng on GHG will be to a relevant RSPO working group (composed of

all membership categories) which will use the informaon reported to review and ne tune the tools, emission

factors and methodologies, and provide addional guidance for the process. Public reporng is desirable, but

remains voluntary unl the end of the implementaon period.

During the implementaon period the RSPO working group will seek to connually improve PalmGHG,

recognising the challenges associated with measuring GHG and carbon stock.

PalmGHG or RSPO-endorsed equivalent will be used to assess, monitor and report GHG emissions. Pares

seeking to use an alternave to PalmGHG will have to demonstrate its equivalence to the RSPO for

endorsement.

Guidance:

Where praccally feasible, operaons should follow best management pracces to measure and reduce

emissions. Advice on this is available from the RSPO.




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Aspects of plantaon

and mill managementthat have social impacts,including replanng,are idened in a

parcipatory way,and plans to migatethe negave impactsand promote theposive ones are

made, implementedand monitored, todemonstrate connual

improvement.

Indicators

6.1.1 (M) A social impact assessment (SIA) including records of meengs shall be documented.6.1.2 (M) There shall be evidence that the assessment has been done with the parcipaon of aected pares.6.1.3 (M) Plans for avoidance or migaon of negave impacts and promoon of the posive ones,

and monitoring of impacts idened, shall be developed in consultaon with the aected pares, documented and metabled, including responsibilies for implementaon.6.1.4 The plans shall be reviewed as a minimum once every two years and updated as necessary, in those cases where the review has concluded that changes should be made to current pracces. There shall be evidence that the review includes the parcipaon of aected pares.

6.1.5 Parcular aenon shall be paid to the impacts of smallholder schemes (where the plantaon includes such a scheme).

Guidance:Idencaon of social impacts should be carried out by the grower with the parcipaon of aected pares,

including women and migrant workers as appropriate to the situaon. The involvement of independent expertsshould be sought where this is considered necessary to ensure that all impacts (both posive and negave) areidened.

Parcipaon in this context means that aected pares are able to express their views through their ownrepresentave instuons, or freely chosen spokespersons, during the idencaon of impacts, reviewing

ndings and plans for migaon, and monitoring the success of implemented plans.

Potenal social impacts may result from acvies such as: building new roads, processing mills or otherinfrastructure; replanng with dierent crops or expansion of planng area; disposal of mill euents; clearing ofremaining natural vegetaon; changes in employee numbers or employment terms; smallholder schemes.

6.1

PRINCIPLE 6: RESPONSIBLE CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYEES AND OF INDIVIDUALS

AND COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY GROWERS AND MILLERS


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Plantaon and mill management may have social impacts (posive or negave) on factors such as:

Access and use rights; Economic livelihoods (e.g. paid employment) and working condions; Subsistence acvies; Cultural and religious values; Health and educaon facilies;

Other community values, resulng from changes such as improved transport /communicaon orarrival of substanal migrant labour force.

The review can be done (once every two years) internally or externally.


As social impacts are parcularly dependent on local social condions, Naonal Interpretaon will idenfy

the important issues, and methodologies for collecng data and using the results. This should includeadequate consideraon of the impacts on the customary or tradional rights of local communies andindigenous people, where these exist (Criteria 2.3 and 6.4).




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There are open and

transparent methodsfor communicaon andconsultaon between

growers and/or millers,local communies andother aected or interestedpares.

Indicators:

6.2.1 (M) Consultaon and communicaon procedures shall be documented.6.2.2 A management ocial responsible for these issues shall be nominated.6.2.3 A list of stakeholders, records of all communicaon, including conrmaon of receipt and that

eorts are made to ensure understanding by aected pares, and records of acons taken in response to input from stakeholders, shall be maintained.

Guidance:

Decisions that the growers or mills are planning to make should be made clear, so that local communies and

other interested pares understand the purpose of the communicaon and/or consultaon.Communicaon and consultaon mechanisms should be designed in collaboraon with local communies andother aected or interested pares. These should consider the use of appropriate exisng local mechanismsand languages. Consideraon should be given to the existence/formaon of a mul-stakeholder forum.

Communicaons should take into account dierenal access to informaon by women as compared to men,village leaders as compared to day labourers, new versus established community groups, and dierent ethnic

groups.

Consideraon should be given to involving third pares, such as disinterested community groups, NGOs, orgovernment (or a combinaon of these), to facilitate smallholder schemes and communies, and others asappropriate, in these communicaons.


Naonal Interpretaon will consider issues such as appropriate levels of consultaon and the types oforganisaon or individuals that should be included.

6.2




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Indicators:

6.3.1 (M) The system, open to all aected pares, shall resolve disputes in an eecve, mely and appropriate manner, ensuring anonymity of complainants and whistleblowers, where requested.6.3.2 (M) Documentaon of both the process by which a dispute was resolved and the outcome shall be available.

Specic Guidance:For 6.3.1: The system should aim to reduce the risks of reprisal.

Guidance:

See also to Criterion 1.2.

Dispute resoluon mechanisms should be established through open and consensual agreements with relevantaected pares.

Complaints should be dealt with by mechanisms such as Joint Consultave Commiees (JCC), with genderrepresentaon as necessary. Grievances may be internal (employees) or external.

For scheme and independent smallholders, refer to Guidance for Independent Smallholders under GroupCercaon, June 2010, and Guidance on Scheme Smallholders, July 2009.

Where a resoluon is not found mutually, complaints can be brought to the aenon of the RSPO ComplaintsSystem.

Refer to helpful texts for guidance, such as the Human Rights Commission (HRC) endorsed Guiding Principles

on Business and Human Rights: Implemenng the UN Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework, 2011.

6.3 There is a mutually

agreed anddocumented system fordealing with complaints

and grievances, whichis implemented andaccepted by allaected pares.




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Any negoaonsconcerning compensaonfor loss of legal,customary or user

rights are dealt withthrough a documentedsystem that enablesindigenous peoples, localcommunies and other

stakeholders to expresstheir views throughtheir own representaveinstuons.

Indicators:

6.4.1 (M) A procedure for idenfying legal, customary or user rights, and a procedure for idenfyingpeople entled to compensaon, shall be in place.

6.4.2 A procedure for calculang and distribung fair compensaon (monetary or otherwise) shall be

established and implemented, monitored and evaluated in a parcipatory way, and correcve acons taken as a result of this evaluaon. This procedure shall take into account: gender dierences in the power to claim rights, ownership and access to land; dierences of transmigrants and long-established communies; and dierences in ethnic groups proof of legal versus communal ownership of land.

6.4.3 (M) The process and outcome of any negoated agreements and compensaon claims shall be documented, with evidence of the parcipaon of aected pares, and made publicly available.

Specic Guidance:

For 6.4.2: Companies should make best eorts to ensure that equal opportunies have been provided to bothfemale and male heads of households to hold land tles in smallholder schemes.

Guidance:

This criterion should be considered in conjuncon with Criteria 2.2 and 2.3, and the associated Guidance.

6.4




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Pay and condions foremployees and for contractworkers always meet at least

legal or industry minimumstandards and are sucientto provide decent livingwages.

Indicators:

6.5.1 (M) Documentaon of pay and condions shall be available.6.5.2 (M) Labour laws, union agreements or direct contracts of employment detailing payments and

condions of employment (e.g. working hours, deducons, overme, sickness, holiday entlement, maternity leave, reasons for dismissal, period of noce, etc.) shall be available in the languages understood by the workers or explained carefully to them by a management ocial.6.5.3 Growers and millers shall provide adequate housing, water supplies, medical, educaonal

and welfare amenies to naonal standards or above, where no such public facilies are available or accessible.6.5.4 Growers and millers shall make demonstrable eorts to monitor and improve workers access to adequate, sucient and aordable food.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon will dene a Decent Living Wage. Where there is no Naonal Interpretaon, thelegal minimum wage will be used.

6.5




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The employer respects therights of all personnel toform and join trade unions

of their choice and tobargain collecvely. Wherethe right to freedom ofassociaon and collecvebargaining are restricted

under law, the employerfacilitates parallel meansof independent and freeassociaon and bargainingfor all such personnel.

Indicators:

6.6.1 (M) A published statement in local languages recognising freedom of associaon shall be available.6.6.2 Minutes of meengs with main trade unions or workers representaves shall be documented.

Guidance:

The right of employees, including migrant and transmigrant workers and contract workers, to form associaonsand bargain collecvely with their employer should be respected, in accordance with Convenons 87 and 98 ofthe Internaonal Labour Organisaon (ILO).

Labour laws and union agreements, or in their absence direct contracts of employment detailing paymentsand other condions, should be available in the languages understood by the workers or explained carefully tothem by a management ocial.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon will dene migrant and transmigrant workers. ILO denions and other internaonalprotocols, instruments and explanaons should be used throughout.

6.6

Children are not employedor exploited.

Indicators:

6.7.1 (M) There shall be documentary evidence that minimum age requirements are met.

Guidance:

Growers and millers should clearly dene the minimum working age, together with working hours. Only workersabove the minimum school leaving age in the country or who are at least 15 years old may be employed. Theminimum age of workers will not be less than stated under naonal regulaons. Any hazardous work should notbe done by those under 18, as per Internaonal Labour Organisaon (ILO) Convenon 138.

Please refer to Guidance for Independent Smallholders under Group Cercaon, June 2010, and Guidance onScheme Smallholders,July 2009for addional guidance on family farms.

6.7




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Any form of discriminaonbased on race, caste,naonal origin, religion,disability,gender, sexual orientaon,

union membership, policalaliaon, or age, isprohibited.

Indicators:

6.8.1 (M) A publicly available equal opportunies policy including idencaon of relevant/aected groups in the local environment shall be documented.6.8.2 (M) Evidence shall be provided that employees and groups including local communies, women, and migrant workers have not been discriminated against.

6.8.3 It shall be demonstrated that recruitment selecon, hiring and promoon are based on skills, capabilies, qualies, and medical tness necessary for the jobs available.

Guidance:

Examples of compliance can be appropriate documentaon (e.g. job adversements, job descripons,

appraisals, etc.), and/or informaon obtained via interviews with relevant stakeholders such as aected groupswhich may include women, local communies, foreign workers, and migrant workers, etc.

Notwithstanding naonal legislaon and regulaon, medical condions should not be used in a discriminatoryway.

The grievance procedures detailed in Criterion 6.3 apply. Posive discriminaon to provide employment andbenets to specic communies is acceptable as part of negoated agreements.

6.8




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There is no harassment orabuse in the work place,

and reproducve rightsare protected.

Indicators:

6.9.1 (M) A policy to prevent sexual and all other forms of harassment and violence shall be implemented

and communicated to all levels of the workforce.6.9.2 (M) A policy to protect the reproducve rights of all, especially of women, shall be implemented and communicated to all levels of the workforce.6.9.3 A specic grievance mechanism which respects anonymity and protects complainants where

requested shall be established, implemented, and communicated to all levels of the workforce.

Specic Guidance:

For 6.9.1 and 6.9.2: These policies should include educaon for women and awareness of the workforce. Thereshould be programmes provided for parcular issues faced by women, such as violence and sexual harassment

in the workplace. A gender commiee specically to address areas of concern to women will be used to complywith this Criterion. This commiee, which should include representaves from all areas of work, will consider

maers such as: training on womens rights; counselling for women aected by violence; child care facilies tobe provided by the growers and millers; women to be allowed to breaseed up to nine months before resumingchemical spraying or usage tasks; and women to be given specic break mes to enable eecve breaseeding.

For 6.9.2: see Indicator 4.6.12.

Guidance:

There should be a clear policy developed in consultaon with employees, contract workers and other relevantstakeholders, and the policy should be publicly available. Progress in implemenng the policy should be regularly

monitored, and the results of monitoring acvies should be recorded.Notwithstanding naonal legislaon and regulaon, reproducve rights are respected.

6.9




PRINCIPLE 6 RESPONSIBLE CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYEES AND OF INDIVIDUALS

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Growers and millers dealfairly and transparentlywith smallholders andother local businesses.

Indicators:

6.10.1 Current and past prices paid for Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) shall be publicly available.6.10.2 (M)Evidence shall be available that growers/millers have explained FFB pricing, and pricing mechanisms for FFB and inputs/services shall be documented (where these are under the control

of the mill or plantaon).6.10.3 Evidence shall be available that all pares understand the contractual agreements they enter into, and that contracts are fair, legal and transparent.6.10.4 Agreed payments shall be made in a mely manner.

Guidance:

Transacons with smallholders should consider issues such as the role of middle men, transport and storage ofFFB, quality and grading. The need to recycle the nutrients in FFB (see Criterion 4.2) should also be considered;where it is not praccable to recycle wastes to smallholders, compensaon for the value of the nutrients

exported can be made through the FFB price.

Smallholders should have access to the grievance procedure under Criterion 6.3 if they consider that they arenot receiving a fair price for FFB, whether or not middle men are involved.

The need for a fair and transparent pricing mechanism is parcularly important for outgrowers who arecontractually obliged to sell all FFB to a parcular mill.

If mills require smallholders to change pracces to meet the RSPO Principles and Criteria, consideraon shouldbe given to the costs of such changes, and the possibility of advance payments for FFB can be considered.

6.10




PRINCIPLE 6 RESPONSIBLE CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYEES AND OF INDIVIDUALS

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Growers and millerscontribute to localsustainable developmentwhere

appropriate.

Indicators:

6.11.1 Contribuons to local development that are based on the results of consultaon with local communies shall be demonstrated.6.11.2 Where there are scheme smallholders, there shall be evidence that eorts and/or resources have

been allocated to improve smallholder producvity.

Guidance:

Contribuons to local development should be based on the results of consultaon with local communies.See also Criterion 6.2. Such consultaon should be based on the principles of transparency, openness andparcipaon, and should encourage communies to idenfy their own priories and needs, including the

dierent needs of men and women.

Where candidates for employment are of equal merit, preference should always be given to members of local

communies. Posive discriminaon should not be recognised as conicng with Criterion 6.8.Eorts should be made to idenfy independent smallholders in the supply base.

Where sourcing of fruit is from idened independent smallholders, eorts should be made to contribute to theimprovement of their farming pracces.


Naonal Interpretaon will consider specic parameters or thresholds such as use of local and naonal goodsand services where possible, whether a certain percentage of the plantaons prot/turnover should be used forsocial development projects, and minimum quotas for local employment.

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No forms of forced ortracked labour

are used.

Indicators:

6.12.1 (M)There shall be evidence that no forms of forced or tracked labour are used.

6.12.2 Where applicable, it shall be demonstrated that no contract substuon has occurred.6.12.3 (M)Where temporary or migrant workers are employed, a special labour policy and procedures shall be established and implemented.

Specic Guidance:For 6.12.1: Workers should enter into employment voluntarily and freely, without the threat of a penalty, andshould have the freedom to terminate employment without penalty given reasonable noce or as per agreement.

For 6.12.3: The special labour policy should include: Statement of the non-discriminatory pracces; No contract substuon; Post-arrival orientaon programme to focus especially on language, safety, labour laws, cultural

pracces etc.; Decent living condions to be provided.

GuidanceMigrant workers should be legalised, and a separate employment agreement should be drawn up to meetimmigraon requirements for foreign workers and internaonal standards. Any deducons made should not

jeopardise a decent living wage.

Passports should only be voluntarily surrendered.

There should be evidence of due diligence in applying this to all sub-contract workers and suppliers.Naonal guidance should be used on contract substuon.

For Naonal Interpretaon:Naonal Interpretaon will dene the following: temporary workers; migrant workers; special labour policy;contract substuon; and decent living wage. Internaonal Labour Organisaon (ILO) denions (ILO Convenon29 and 105) and other internaonal protocols, instruments and explanaons should be used throughout. SeeCriterion 6.5 for further guidance.

6.12





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Growers and millers

respect human rights.

Indicators:

6.13.1 (M)A policy to respect human rights shall be documented and communicated to all levels of the

workforce and operaons (see Criteria 1.2 and 2.1).

Guidance:

See also Criterion 6.3.

All levels of operaons will include contracted third pares (e.g those involved in security).

Note:

From the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights:

The responsibility of business enterprises to respect human rights refers to internaonally recognised human

rights understood, at a minimum, as those expressed in the Internaonal Bill of Human Rights and the

principles concerning fundamental rights set out in the Internaonal Labour Organizaons Declaraon on

Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (The corporate responsibility to respect human rights in Guiding

Principles on Business and Human Rights).

The RSPO WG on Human Rights will provide a mechanism to idenfy, prevent, migate and address human

rights issues and impacts. The resulng Guidance will idenfy the relevant issues on human rights to all RSPO

Members.

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A comprehensive andparcipatory independent

social and environmentalimpact assessment isundertaken prior toestablishing new planngs

or operaons, or expandingexisng ones, and theresults incorporated intoplanning, management andoperaons.

Indicators:

7.1.1 (M) An independent social and environmental impact assessment (SEIA), undertaken through a

parcipatory methodology including the relevant aected stakeholders, shall be documented.7.1.2 Appropriate management planning and operaonal procedures shall be developed and implemented to avoid or migate idened potenal negave impacts.7.1.3 Where the development includes an outgrower scheme, the impacts of the scheme and the

implicaons of the way it is managed shall be given parcular aenon.

Guidance:

See also Criteria 5.1 and 6.1.The terms of reference should be dened and impact assessment should be carried out by accredited

independent experts, in order to ensure an objecve process. Both should not be done by the same body. Aparcipatory methodology including external stakeholder groups is essenal to the idencaon of impacts,

parcularly social impacts. Stakeholders such as local communies, government departments and NGOsshould be involved through the use of interviews and meengs, and by reviewing ndings and plans formigaon.

It is recognised that oil palm development can cause both posive and negave impacts. These developmentscan lead to some indirect/secondary impacts which are not under the control of individual growers andmillers. To this end, growers and millers should seek to idenfy the indirect/secondary impacts within the SEIA,and where possible work with partners to explore mechanisms to migate the negave indirect impacts andenhance the posive impacts.

The potenal impacts of all major proposed acvies should be assessed in a parcipatory way prior todevelopment. The assessment should include, in no order of preference and as a minimum:

Assessment of the impacts of all major planned acvies, including planng, mill operaons, roadsand other infrastructure;

Assessment, including stakeholder consultaon, of High Conservaon Values (see Criterion 7.3)that could be negavely aected;

Assessment of potenal eects on adja