At Harrods, we recognise the issues with palm oil as a cause of deforestation of biodiverse ecosystems but also that it is a versatile raw material and the most land-use efficient among vegetable oils. For this reason, we will permit the use of palm oil in our products only in instances where more sustainable sourcing practices have been implemented. The policy applies to all palm oil sourced for Harrods own-label products, including crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, derivatives and fractions.
The foundation of Harrods' policy is built upon the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Criteria and Principles. The RSPO standards for oil palm plantations and their supply chains provides the assurance that the standard of palm oil used in production is environmentally and socially more sustainable.
Behave ethically and transparently.
Operate legally and respect human rights.
Optimise productivity, efficiency, positive impacts and resilience.
Respect community and human rights and deliver benefits.
Support smallholder inclusion.
Respect workers’ rights and conditions.
Protect, conserve and enhance ecosystems and the environment.
Harrods recognises both the physically separated and non-separated routes by which the RSPO’s supply chain requirements can be met. These are:
Fully Segregated
Ensuring that various different certified sources are mixed together but kept separate from non-certified palm oil.
Identity Preserved
Assuring 100% of the physical product originates from a specific estate or plantation. However, the costs associated with such strict control mean that it is expensive and so it is not expected to be used except in exceptional circumstances.
Mass Balance
The controlled mixing of certified & non-certified palm oil.
Book and Claim
Manufacturers can buy credits from RSPO-certified growers, crushers and independent smallholders
In order to source palm oil-containing products or ingredients responsibly, Harrods will take the following actions:
1. We commit to only using RSPO-certified palm oil in our products. Harrods does not recognise Green Palm certified palm oil.
2. We will not encourage our suppliers to actively remove palm oil from our products in favour of other vegetable oils.
3. Suppliers must only purchase palm oil and palm oil derivatives from traceable, known and sustainable certified sources.
4. We will request that suppliers provide documentary evidence confirming certification to an accredited scheme.
5. Suppliers must be transparent about the palm oil suppliers they deal with and the origins they source from. We undertake periodic traceability audits to ensure that our specifications are met by suppliers.
6. We commit to promoting responsible and sustainable palm oil and we will actively work towards increasing our messaging in-store and on our packaging to inform customers of the sourcing of palm oil.
