"Final Statement: Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth Netherlands/Milieudefensie - Rabobank", 15 Jan 2016

The Dutch National Contact Point published its Final Statement on the specific instance “Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth Netherlands/Milieudefensie - Rabobank” on January 15th, 2016. The final statement describes the process and outcomes of the dialogue facilitated by the NCP...It is based on the information received from the parties and the outcomes of the dialogue. Confidential information disclosed to the NCP in the course of the dialogue has not been used in the preparation of this final statement. This final statement marks the completion of the procedure by the NCP…FoE challenges the concept of sustainable palm oil production and trade, because in their experience the mere scale of the sector makes it impossible to produce palm oil sustainable. FoE approaches Dutch financiers of internationally operating companies that process palm oil for biomass and other products to ask them to take responsibility for the environmental and social problems that they cause through the production and sale of palm oil. It urges the companies for instance to stop importing and producing unsustainable palm oil and expanding plantations at the expense of forests, peatlands and people. As part of its efforts, FoE also holds the financial sector to account for the latter’s role in financing the palm oil industry.