By: Kruah Thompson
Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) has reaffirmed its dedication to assembly the sustainability pointers of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), saying it’s totally complying with all directives regardless of renewed strain from NGOs calling for the reinstatement of a stop-work order.
In an announcement responding to a public letter despatched to the RSPO, the palm oil firm mentioned it has made ongoing efforts to fulfill its obligations and adjust to the RSPO Complaints Panel’s steering, in step with its publicly obtainable complaints process.
Lately, Mates of the Earth, in a public letter to the RSPO, repeated its request that the physique “reverse its choice and keep the present stop-work order on GVL.”
The NGO’s letter argues that lifting the stop-work order “successfully permits GVL and GAR to relinquish their obligations towards forest safety and their obligations towards respecting communities’ rights, together with the proper to FPIC.”
In response, GVL reiterated that it’s following its Sustainability Motion Plan, developed as a part of efforts to handle the RSPO grievance.
The corporate mentioned it commonly publishes progress updates on its web site, noting that a part of the plan entails strengthening operational procedures to make sure compliance with the RSPO Rules and Standards and different requirements to which GVL has dedicated.
“GVL continues to implement the RSPO Grievance Panel’s directives and stays dedicated to the HCSA strategy, which incorporates working with the appointed unbiased facilitator Proforest to resolve remaining group grievances, signing revised Memoranda of Understanding with communities, and implementing an HCS compensation program,” the assertion mentioned.
The corporate added that it’ll proceed to report progress on its web site and to related stakeholders. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
