Orangutan Foundation International Australia (OFI Australia) has proudly joined alongside 17 leading zoo-based conservation and wildlife organisations across Australia and New Zealand to urgently drive the transition to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) to protect the homes of endangered species like orangutans and tigers.

To coincide with International Orangutan Day, The Australasian Responsible Palm Oil Network has been launched, with the release of a Position Statement calling for urgent action from companies and consumers alike. Our aim is to mobilise the community, work with Australasian manufacturers to move to 100% segregated certified sustainable Palm Oil use, introduce clear palm oil labelling and support the genuine achievements of companies who are leading the market.

Orangutans are one of many species threatened by habitat loss driven by unsustainable palm oil, with the Bornean Orangutan recently joining their cousins, the Sumatran Orangutan on the list as Critically Endangered. Unsustainable palm oil production is the leading driver of deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, with global consumption of palm oil forecast to see up to 50 per cent further growth by 2050.

You can read the Responsible Palm Oil Network position statement here.