Reflection on Risk Mitigation-EUDR.
I urge companies not to avoid risk mitigation and become overly pragmatic by sourcing only from “safe” areas for products such as palm oil, cocoa, coffee, and rubber.
In my view, there is meaning behind the repeated delays of the EUDR. It has provided ample time for improvement and preparation. Since the EUDR was introduced in 2020, companies should have moved quickly to assess the origins of their supply chains. This is what matters if you are truly building a business and not merely acting as a speculator.
* What strengths do these locations have? (forests, smallholders, communities/IPLCs)
* What gaps still need to be addressed to meet EUDR requirements?
* Who can collaborate and provide support?
* How can a concrete plan be developed to close these gaps?
I have seen many inspiring initiatives at district and provincial levels, where companies, buyers, and NGOs work together on the ground to protect forests, improve smallholder traceability, and strengthen sustainability efforts. Examples include the Aceh Tamiang Landscape, the Siak–Pelalawan Landscape, and the Jurisdictional Approach in Seruyan. So many forests have been protected, planning processes have been developed, and countless farmers have already been mapped and documented.
Yet the challenge is this: many companies seem to be walking away from these meaningful landscapes. Instead, they are becoming more pragmatic, choosing areas that are cheaper and easier simply because there are no remaining forests, degradation concerns, or Indigenous Peoples to consider. In addition, they prefer supply sources with volumes that are easier to control — often from their own plantations or tightly managed plasma schemes.
This makes me a little sad. The transformation that was meant to drive sustainability risks becoming a form of liberalization in the business sector — where companies are free to choose the easiest path because there is no real obligation to support more challenging but important landscapes.
Well then, perhaps we must wait another two years until the regulation is revised. We will continue advocating for at least a 20% quota for smallholder farmers in the European Union market.
Greetings — a Sunday reflection after coming home from church 😁
A gold medal for coconuts? That sounds like a tropical Olympic victory for sustainability! 😉 So if coconuts win gold, it’s far more than just a tropical victory – it’s a wake-up call for the entire food industry. The fact that AAK has achieved this status as a pioneer serves as a shining example of traceable and deforestation-free supply chains. At AAK, integrity is firmly embedded in the corporate strategy; this cannot be overstated and is an indispensable milestone for the protection of our resources! 👏