CREMER OLEO becomes member of ASD
The ASD is a joint initiative that brings together well-known companies from the cosmetics, household and personal care, and oleochemical industries to make the global supply chains of palm oil derivatives more transparent and sustainable. The initiative is organized by the recognized French sustainability organisation Transitions and BSR®, a sustainable business network and consultancy.
Steffen Mainzer is a member of CREMER OLEO’s sustainability team and has organized the ASD membership. In this interview, he explains what we expect from it.
Constant efforts to increase sustainability have become an integral part of CREMER OLEO's daily work. What role does the cooperation with Transitions and the ASD membership play now?
It is true that we are permanently working on building a sustainable business - but at the same time we see where the limits of our possibilities as an independent supply chain services company lie. The market for OLEO derivatives is highly interconnected globally. Tracking each shipment completely and securely to all plantations and oil mills is a huge task.
Transitions and ASD help us improve our processes by being directly active in the cultivation regions.
Does that really make a difference to conditions on the ground?
We are convinced of this - and it’s a point that is very important to us: If it comes to our attention today that a plantation is not working in a way that meets our guidelines, we can engage with it and drive change. If we are one of many customers, this will hardly change anything on site, so we are very realistic about our market position. But if more and more major companies join forces in the ASD initiative, we will have much stronger leverage and together we can actively push for real change.
What is this change aimed at? What does sustainability mean in CREMER OLEO's supply chains?
Like ASD, we aim to be guided by the internationally recognized NDPE Policy: No deforestation, no peat, no exploitation. This means no further burning of forests, no new plantations on peatlands and no exploitation of workers, local communities or small-scale farmers in the production of agricultural commodities. In this way, we are following the UN climate goals to which CREMER is committed.
What are the concrete benefits for CREMER OLEO's customers?
In the future, we will be able to ensure even better that our goods and supply chains meet our customers' requirements. Transactions are easier to track, and we can respond to complaints comprehensively and, above all, more quickly than before. All our customers have their own sustainability goals, and they approach us with their requirements. With our commitment to the ASD standards, the quality of our goods is verifiable at all times and no longer has to be requested and confirmed individually. This is not only good for our future and our conscience - it also brings real efficiency gains for everyone involved.