Driving Sector Transformation: Olam Agri’s Role For A 1.5 Celsius Future

As part of our commitment to support the 1.5 °C climate goal, Olam Agri recognises its critical role in the global palm oil supply chain - particularly as an intermediary trading player operating predominantly at the downstream level. This unique position comes with the responsibility to drive positive change across the sector, especially by supporting the transformation of small-to medium-scale refineries that are still in the early stages of adopting sustainability practices.

Since 2023, we have focused on strengthening the capacity of these downstream actors - many of whom were unfamiliar with NDPE (No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation) commitments or the broader palm oil sustainability roadmap. We’ve worked directly with these partners to build awareness, establish traceability systems, monitor deforestation risks, and support their ability to report progress through the NDPE Implementation Reporting Framework (NDPE IRF).

To date, we have engaged five refineries that previously had limited exposure to industry collaboration platforms such as the Palm Oil Collaboration Group (POCG). With our support, they have begun to increase awareness of sustainability risk, implementing responsible sourcing systems,  strengthening reporting capability and enhancing transparency. One of these refineries has successfully published their NDPE IRF and traceability profiles on their public website - a significant milestone in improving supply chain visibility and accountability.

Olam Agri is active member of the POCG and contributes meaningfully to various working group and task forces. By dedicating our time and technical input to these platform, we help shape collaborative solution to support the broader transformation of the palm oil sector.
 

This workshop was facilitated by Proforest, who brought their expertise in delivering capacity-building sessions tailored to sustainability frameworks such as the NDPE IRF. Proforest plays a key technical and facilitative role within the POCG, lead the development of NDPE IRF templete.

The workshop took place at a pivotal moment, just prior to the release of NDPE IRF Version 6. It was attended, 192 number of palm oil mills - mostly indirect suppliers - as well as 19 downstream refineries.
 

The presence of participants from both upstream and downstream crated a unique and collaborative learning environment. This convergence reflects our holistic approach to sector transformation - recognising that meaningful change requires alignment and shared understanding accorss all level of supply chain.

The session provided practical guidance on implementing traceability, deforestation monitoring, and responsible sourcing aligned with the updated IRF framework.

We believe that true transformation must be inclusive. Rather than leaving smaller players behind, we aim to empower and walk alongside them on the path to sustainability. This approach reflects our long-term commitment to driving transparency, accountability, and climate alignment across the palm oil supply chain.