United Nations SDGs

Indonesia Palm Oil Facts is committed to doing our part to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Indonesia oil palm community touches all 17 of the goals, but there are 12 goals in particular, where Indonesia palm oil is making a difference.

Achieving the United Nations SDGs by 2030

Prosperous

Indonesia palm oil is committed to creating prosperous communities that alleviate poverty and provides new economic opportunities for the next generation of farmers.

GOAL 1 – No Poverty

Oil palm is perfect for the tropical climate, easy to cultivate, and provides predictable, regular income.

For millions of poor, rural farmers across Indonesia it has been a lifeline. 2.6 million Indonesians were lifted out of poverty exclusively by the expansion of palm oil between 2000 and 2015.

These are real jobs that are providing a living for Indonesian families and communities and helping to eradicate the many horrors of chronic poverty. Those in Europe who campaign to reduce palm oil, or ban palm oil, are campaigning to increase poverty in Asia and Africa. Their campaigns are a shameful protectionist tool that would harm millions of palm oil farmers and their families, across the Global South.

GOAL 4 – Quality Education

Increasing teachers and education: Indonesian palm oil is helping to educate the next generation.

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating long term sustainable development.

Higher incomes have enabled Indonesian farmers to provide higher education for their children, with a large number of locals returning to villages to become teachers.

GOAL 8 – Decent work and economic growth

Indonesian palm oil provides jobs and livelihoods for millions of people, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, employment and decent work for all.

The number of direct employees in palm oil and related sectors is approximately 5.5 million jobs and 12 million indirectly related jobs.

GOAL 10 – Reduced Inequality

Indonesian palm oil is committed to reducing inequalities in income and addressing inequality.

Annual growth of jobs absorption from palm oil industry is up to 10.8%, which contributes directly to the development of social welfare.

GOAL 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

Indonesian palm oil is working to make our cities and communities sustainable and resilient.

The first generations of planters have been able to fund education and healthcare for their children and grandchildren, leading to new generations of well-educated, environmentally-conscious citizens, in cities and communities across Indonesia.

Palm oil is at the vanguard of producing more clean energy, energy from waste products, and renewable biofuels, all overseen by Indonesia’s mandatory ISPO sustainability scheme. As the most land-efficient crop, palm oil also ensure more land is free for forest conservation and wildlife protection, but also for sustainable urban growth.

Responsible

Indonesia palm oil is committed to promoting responsibly produced palm oil, using industry innovation for the best agricultural practices possible.

GOAL 3 – Good Health And Well-Being

Palm oil provides vitamins, nutrients, calories and essential energy for millions of people around the world, in particular the Global South.

Palm oil is by far the world’s most-popular cooking oil; it contains crucial Vitamin A beta-carotenes (ten times more than are contained within carrots) and Vitamin E tocopherols, and is nature’s most valuable source of Vitamin E tocotrienols.

Palm oil contains no trans fats and has a lower negative impact on cholesterol levels than other saturated fats such as butter – and therefore contributes to lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

GOAL 9 – Industry, Innovation And Infrastructure

Promoting downstream industries: Indonesian palm oil is essential in Indonesia’s drive for economic and social advancement for our 260m people.

Lifting an entire generation of rural communities out of poverty is a crucial step in empowering a new generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and national leaders.

Oil palm development has brought roads, hospitals, schools, places of worship and other essential infrastructure to far-flung villages and communities across Indonesia. Indonesia’s palm oil sector is one of the most innovative sectors in the country: as an example, downstream processing capacity for oleochemicals manufacturing has grown at a rate of 20 per cent annually between 2009 and 2019.

GOAL 12 – Responsible Consumption And Production

Indonesian palm oil is focused on sustainable consumption and production patterns. Fundamental to this is producing more food, using less land. Producing more energy, with less waste. Palm oil is four times more land-efficient that European rapeseed; and ten times more efficient that soybean. This is the essential starting point for responsible consumption: using the most efficient crops available. The answer to this is to use palm oil. Indonesian palm oil is a key contributor to Indonesia’s renewable energy target, reducing fossil fuel subsidies for the country and smoothing the transition to a low-carbon economy. Palm biodiesel stops Indonesia fomr improting diesel – saving approximately $1.1 billion. Palm oil biofuels are powering our transport, providing domestic energy and power, and driving innovation.

Sustainable

Indonesian palm oil is committed to promoting sustainability through its production of its own sustainability certification (ISPO), while working in collaboration with the government and NGOs standards elsewhere.

GOAL 2 – Zero Hunger

Indonesian palm oil provides nutritious food for all, full of essential vitamins, nutrients and calories.

Oil palm planting generates decent incomes, specifically focusing on people-centered rural development and poverty reduction.

Financial returns to land for palm oil in Indonesia are ten times higher than other crops such as rice. Additionally, oil palm makes up 27% of agricultural land in Indonesia and makes enough food 257 million people.

GOAL 7 – Affordable And Clean Energy

Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes, access to energy for all is essential. Palm oil is a cheap, abundant and renewable energy source. Indonesia doubled its consumption of palm-based biodiesel between 2016 and 2019, and palm oil waste and by-products are advancing as potential energy sources. Palm biodiesel is an important renewable fuel and is the main source of biodiesel for Indonesia’s 5% renewables target. Indonesia is pushing to increase the percentage of palm biodiesel in transport fuels as part of an ongoing effort to meet our emissions reductions commitment.

GOAL 13 – Climate Action

Indonesian palm oil is the world’s most certified commodity, and Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) has certified 5.2 million ha of oil palm plantations in Indonesia; the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has certified 2.1 million ha.

GOAL 15 – Life On Land

Indonesian palm oil is the perfect balance between land for conservation and land for agricultural development. It allows maximum land-efficiency with producing food and energy, meaning that Indonesia can have strict and strong, laws to protect and sustainably manage forest. Indonesian protects 50 per cent of land area as forest, according to UN FAO.