First batch of RSPO-RED certified palm oil arrived at Neste Oil's refinery in Rotterdam

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Neste Oil has received the first RSPO-RED certified batch of palm oil which the company uses as a raw material in its renewable fuel production. The batch was delivered to Neste Oil's renewable fuel refinery at Rotterdam on 26 July, and supplied from Golden Agri-Resources (GAR).

“We are glad to work together with Neste Oil and meet their requirements for RSPO-RED certified palm oil for biofuel production. The RSPO-RED certification is an extension of our commitment to RSPO certification. As markets evolve, we want to ensure no deforestation palm oil in our entire supply chain. GAR will continue to leverage the multi-stakeholder platform to achieve solutions for sustainable palm oil production”, says Peter Heng, Managing Director of Communications and Sustainability, Golden Agri-Resources Ltd.

In 2013, Neste Oil was the world's first company to be awarded an RSPO-RED Supply Chain certificate under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil's (RSPO) new, more demanding certification system. The certificate covers the production of NEXBTL renewable diesel at Neste Oil's refineries in Rotterdam and Singapore. The RSPO's new RSPO-RED overall certification system calculates greenhouse gas emissions released over the entire life cycle of a product, in line with the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED).

"Receiving the RSPO-RED certified palm oil batch as the first company in the world is again a great milestone in our efforts to promote more sustainable palm oil production. We want to show example and take part in making palm oil production more sustainable", says Simo Honkanen, SVP, Sustainability & Public Affairs, Neste Oil.

Neste Oil has been a member of the RSPO since 2006 and requires all its palm oil suppliers to be members of the organization and commit themselves to strict sustainability requirements. Neste Oil only buys certified palm oil that has been produced sustainably. In addition to mandatory traceability and sustainability requirements, Neste Oil announced in April 2013 an industry-leading guideline to work proactively with its biomass suppliers to prevent deforestation. TFT (The Forest Trust), a non-profit organization focused on preventing deforestation, is verifying the implementation of Neste Oil's No Deforestation Guideline within the palm oil supply chain. Sustainability of the supply chain in the biofuel industry is more strictly regulated than in other industries using palm oil.