Palm Oil Scorecard 2015

Fries, Face Wash, Forests

Published Mar 3, 2015

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Palm oil is a globally traded commodity used in a wide array of common consumer products, from shampoo to cookies. And much of this palm oil is produced in ways that involve the destruction of tropical forests and peatlands, adding to global warming emissions and reducing habitat for many already threatened species.

The good news is that palm oil can be produced without deforestation—and many companies have begun to make public commitments to use deforestation-free palm oil in their products.

The bad news is that too many companies are lagging behind, with weak commitments or none at all. UCS is asking consumers to tell these companies that deforestation is an unacceptable ingredient in their products.

In 2014 UCS released the first edition of our Palm Oil Scorecard. The scorecard evaluated 30 companies that produce major brands across the packaged food, fast food, and personal care product sectors for their commitments to use deforestation-free palm oil.

For 2015 we've produced a new edition of the scorecard, recalculating each company's score to account for their progress (or lack thereof) during 2014. We've also added a new sector to the mix, scoring the store brands of 10 retail stores (including supermarket, pharmacy, and discount stores) for the first time.

Company Updates

Sept. 14, 2015 Costco announced a new commitment.
Company announcement | Lael Goodman’s blog post
Sept. 2, 2015 Clorox announced a new commitment.
Company announcement | UCS statement
Sept. 1, 2015 Target announced a new commitment.
Company announcement | Lael Goodman’s blog post
July 27, 2015 Avon updated its commitment.
Company announcement | UCS statement
June 25, 2015 Wendy's updated its commitment.
Company sustainability page | UCS statement | Lael Goodman's blog post
April 21, 2015 McDonald's updated its commitment.
Company announcement | UCS statement | Ken Kimmell's blog post
April 2, 2015 Yum! Brands updated its commitment.
Company announcement | UCS statement | Lael Goodman’s blog post
2015 Kraft announced a new commitment.
Company announcement

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