ProForest and Wild Asia's Stepwise Support Programme (SSP) is one of the first global support programmes specifically designed for the oil palm sector. ProForest and Wild Asia both share the common goal of promoting sustainability in agriculture through a combination of training, policy development, field assessments and supply chain audits. Learn more about this programme.

Written by Wild Asia on 1 Feb 2010 with 0 comments.

ProForest and Wild Asia recognise that a number of RSPO member plantations are starting the process of formal certification. They will need support and guidance to understand certification requirements, assess current performance, and implement action plans. It is sometimes difficult to decide where to start and some common questions that have been asked include:

• How do I get certified?
• What do I need to do first?
• Where do I need to focus management efforts in improving performance?
• If I have an existing plantation, do l need to do an impact assessment?
• How do I show my investors and buyers that I am committed to RSPO when I am not yet certified?

The Stepwise Support Programme aims to provide answers to these questions. The programme is designed for producers who want to achieve certification but may not have the in-house capacity to ensure that all the requirements are met. The Programme has been designed to:

• (a) assist producers to achieve RSPO certification; and
• (b) assist producers to demonstrate their commitment and progress to the rest of the supply chain.

What is the process?

The Stepwise Support Programme is designed to give you confidence in planning, implementing and communicating your approach to RSPO standards. This includes identifying the key challenges in achieving compliance and setting targets to improve performance.

Coupled with stringent monitoring, the programme will also be able to provide producers with verified and credible means to be able to demonstrate that they are making progress towards achieving RSPO certification. All programme participants will be issued with statements of progress, making communication to clients much easier.

What does it mean to be part of SSP?

The Stepwise Support Programme is designed to give you confidence in planning, implementing and communicating your approach to RSPO standards. This includes identifying the key challenges in achieving compliance and setting targets to improve performance.

Coupled with stringent monitoring, the programme will also be able to provide producers with verified and credible means to be able to demonstrate that they are making progress towards achieving RSPO certification. All programme participants will be issued with statements of progress, making communication to clients much easier.

Why the Stepwise Support Programme?

ProForest and Wild Asia are both known and respected technical organisations within the global sustainability sector. We share the common goal of promoting sustainability in agriculture and have experience throughout the entire sustainable palm oil supply chain; combining our expertise from policy development to field implementation.

For producers:

• Assess your current operations against the RSPO principles & criteria.
• Develop specific action plans to address your weak areas.
• Implement new approaches or solutions to achieve sustainability.
• Communicate your plans and achievements to customers.

For buyers, processors & investors:

• Risk assess your current supply chain.
• Increase your confidence in buying from your supply chain.
• Support a credible monitoring programme for your supply chain.
• Develop joint training and awareness activities to support your suppliers.

Contact us to make an appointment. We would be happy to explore ways to make the Stepwise Support Programme work for you.

What else do we do?

Who have we worked with?

Wild Asia goes beyond theories! We have been privileged to work with some of the largest oil palm companies in Malaysia and the region, and this experience has helped us gain a deeper insight into how a plantation company works.