Today, after seven years of nonstop pressure from RAN, agribusiness giant Cargill – the largest importer of palm oil into the U.S. – made a major new pledge to root out and remove deforestation, species extinction and human suffering from its palm oil supply chains.
This is a major milestone as Cargill has long resisted change, even in the face of strong public outcry and bold action by its competitors. You have bombarded Cargill with petitions, creative acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, saturated the company’s hometown of Wayzata, MN with ads exposing Cargill’s role in orangutan extinction, rainforest destruction, child labor and human rights abuses and pressured its customers – the Snack Food 20 – to cut Conflict Palm Oil from their products.
Cargill is now committing to build a traceable and transparent palm oil supply chain and is seeking compliance from its suppliers to end egregious practices such as the destruction of rainforests and peatlands and the exploitation of Indigenous Peoples, workers and local communities.
Thanks to your hard work and continued pressure, Cargill is on the move!
As we know, the devil is truly in the details. It is too early to tell if Cargill will successfully transform itself from its current business model into a trusted supplier of responsible palm oil.
Crucial details, including an ambitious deadline to cut Conflict Palm Oil, an implementation plan, and details on the independent oversight that will be used to ensure outcomes for forests, peatlands, and the communities whose lives depend on them are still missing.
Cargill must address the critical gaps in its new pledge. We need your help. Tell Cargill that we are watching its next steps and demanding that the company cuts Conflict Palm Oil for good.
We need you to tweet today!
TWEET THIS-> Hey @Cargill, fix the gaps in your new #palmoil pledge! via @RAN http://a.ran.org/sm
Cargill is the largest privately held corporation in the world and the largest importer of palm oil into the United States. An enormously powerful agricultural company that influences almost every aspect of our food supply, its business lines touch every level of palm oil production, trade, refining and marketing as it moves palm oil from producers to end consumers. This breakthrough shows that by pressuring Cargill’s customers, the Snack Food 20, we are driving reforms throughout the global palm oil supply chain and broader food system.
Cargill’s new pledge is untested. Rest assured, we will hold Cargill to account, starting with demanding that it addresses the critical gaps in its new commitment and stops buying Conflict Palm Oil from controversial companies.
To keep the action going on Cargill and the Snack Food 20 that uses their Conflict Palm Oil join RAN’s Palm Oil Action Team!
