The goal of the Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil (FONAP) is to significantly increase the proportion of sustainable palm oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil derivatives in the German market as fast as possible and to improve existing standards and certification schemes.
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PartnersWhat is FONAP doing to achieve its goal?
To promote sustainable palm oil cultivation in the countries of origin, the Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil (FONAP) is taking the concrete steps listed below, among others.
- All members made a public commitment to use 100% certified palm oil in their products and are already implementing this goal.
- The ambitious voluntary commitment is assessed annually based on an established monitoring and review system, and results are communicated transparently.
- Development of proposals to enhance and improve existing certification systems.
- The certification systems recognised by FONAP do not yet meet all the desired standards. Therefore, FONAP members voluntarily defined add-on criteria.
- Networking with other national initiatives, interested companies and non-governmental organisations worldwide.
- Increasing transparency as to which certified products, derivatives and fractions are already available in segregated quality.
- Organisation of various events, ranging from general assemblies and international dialogues along the palm oil supply chain open to the general public, to webinars and assemblies exclusively for members.
- Informing the public about certified palm (kernel) oil and current developments of the palm oil market, for example by regularly publishing the globally unique analysis of the palm oil sector in Germany.
- From 2018 to 2021, FONAP members carried out a project for smallholder farmers in Malaysia. In addition, they continue to contribute to improving the environmental and social sustainability of palm oil production.
- From 2022 and 2024, a project in cooperation with FORTASBI was carried out in Sumatra, Indonesia, to support farmers in the sustainable management of their land and train them in regenerative agriculture, with the aim of improving soil health on palm oil plantations.
- From 2025 onwards, FONAP members are implementing a project in Johor, Malaysia, in cooperation with Wild Asia to support smallholder farmers in accessing sustainable and traceable palm oil value chains. The project promotes RSPO certification, regenerative agriculture, and closer collaboration with palm oil mills, with the aim of strengthening inclusive, climate-friendly, and nature-positive palm oil production in the long term.
How does FONAP work together in partnership to achieve its goal?
The Forum’s activities are managed and coordinated by the member’s General Assembly and the Steering Committee. The current Steering Committee was elected at the General Assembly in October 2019 and is composed of representatives from industry, non-governmental organisations, an association and the German government (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture [BMEL] and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development [BMZ]).
Companies join FONAP to jointly address challenges such as human rights due diligence and certification issues. Various opportunities exist for FONAP members to get involved. These include exchanges at professional events, participation in working groups, or supporting sustainable cultivation as part of the smallholder project in Malaysia.
How is FONAP financed?
The Forum was established in September 2013 and has been a registered association since November 2015. The mandate was commissioned by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) on behalf of the BMEL (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH until 2021 and supplemented by association funds. Since June 2021, FONAP e.V. has been financed entirely by membership fees. Since 2026, the Global Nature Fund (GNF) carries out the task of running the association’s secretariat.