RSPO response to the report titled “Palm-Oil Migrant Workers Tell of Abuses on Malaysian Plantations”, published by The Wall Street Journal on 26th July 2015

Kuala Lumpur, 28th July 2015 – In relation to the report titled “Palm-Oil Migrant Workers Tell of Abuses on Malaysian Plantations”, published by The Wall Street Journal on 26th July 2015.

The report describes alleged employment by  third party providers , uncontracted/forced labour, within Felda plantation (an RSPO member) in Malaysia. The report also mentions alleged instances in which, in the same company’s operations, the national minimum wage requirements have not been met.

No forms of forced labour are permitted in RSPO members’ plantations, as specified under Criteria 6.12 of the RSPO Principle and Criteria (P&C). Moreover minimum wage requirements shall be met at all times under Criteria 6.5, whether or not workers are employed directly by the RSPO member company or through third party labour providers/contractors.

The RSPO is taking this matter very seriously and has already contacted the source of the report and the company in order to gather more information and further the investigations on the case.

The RSPO will escalate this case to the RSPO Complaints Panel, for discussion during the Panel’s next meeting on Wednesday 29th July, and will issue further updates on this matter following the Panel’s deliberations.