Saving the trees

Sourcing sustainable palm oil helps support healthy ecosystems

by SHERI FLIES

Costco understands that it has a responsibility to source its products in a way that is respectful to the environment and to the people associated with that environment. Our goal is to help provide a net positive impact for communities in the areas that produce commodities by helping to reduce the loss of forests and other important natural ecosystems. Sustainable sourcing decisions revolve around trade-offs, and palm oil sourcing is a good illustration.

First, why is palm oil important? This oil is found in many products, from pastries to ice cream, cosmetics to cleaning products. It goes by many names and it may be difficult for people to know if it’s in the product they are purchasing.

The challenge is that palm oil production can contribute to deforestation and habitat loss for endangered species like orangutans and rhinos. Converting peatlands to plant palm also has negative consequences. Peatlands store tremendous amounts of carbon, and when they are disturbed, this stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Palm is one of the most efficient vegetable oil crops to grow per acre. If consumers choose to switch to other crops for their vegetable oil, anywhere from four to 10 times the amount of land may be used to produce the same amount of oil—potentially contributing to more deforestation and critical habitat loss.

We are committed to ensuring that the palm oil used in our Kirkland Signature™ products is responsibly and sustainably sourced. We have been working with our suppliers since 2015 to move toward using palm oil that is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO; rspo.org), or the equivalent. This includes palm kernel oil and palm oil derivatives. For a product to be RSPO certified, it must come from producers that have met certain criteria that help minimize the negative impacts of palm oil cultivation on the environment and local communities.

Our goal is that all palm oil used in Kirkland Signature products will be 100% RSPO certified (or equivalent). As of our most recent RSPO report, we are meeting that goal.