The Socially and Environmentally Sustainable Oil Palm Research (SEnSOR) programme is testing the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable palm Oil (RSPO): the major certification standard for sustainable palm oil. We are using cutting-edge scientific research to test whether RSPO standards are achieving the aim of improving the sustainability of palm oil production. Our team includes experts from across the environmental and social sciences enabling us to test impact across the full spectrum of issues that contribute to sustainability.

Our research is highly applied and policy-relevant. We not only aim to quantify the level of impact that the RSPO is having on key aspects of sustainability such as biodiversity conservation and smallholder livelihoods, but also to provide solutions and recommendations if we identify areas where improvements are required. We produce accessible, easy-to-digest reports of our findings to ensure the information is readily available to inform policy development.

MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME