WASHINGTON (September 3, 2015) – The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today commended the Clorox Company for committing to responsibly sourcing palm oil in its supply chain by 2020.
Palm oil is in everything from French fries to donuts to personal care products. Often, palm oil growers destroy tropical forests to establish plantations, a practice that contributes to climate change. Thankfully, scientists say, it’s possible to grow palm oil without doing so. Major brands, along with multi-national palm oil traders, have committed to curtailing deforestation in recent years.
Clorox Company uses palm oil in product lines such as Burt’s Bees and Green Works, which the company markets as “natural” and environmentally friendly.
“This is a win for forests,” said Lael Goodman, an analyst with UCS’s Tropical Forests and Climate Initiative. “Clorox’s competitors, including Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive, have already issued deforestation-free palm oil commitments, so it’s good to see Clorox follow their lead, especially since they market some of their products as green. ”
Earlier this year, UCS scored 10 major personal care companies on their palm oil sourcing standards. Clorox was the only company in that category which lacked any such standards, earning it zero out of a possible 100 points. Its new policy would put it in the middle of the pack, according to UCS.