MSPO (Malaysian Standard for Sustainable Palm Oil Production)

The Malaysian Standard for Sustainable Palm Oil Production

The Malaysian Standards MS2530 series (Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil - MSPO) provide general principles for the implementation, establishment and improvement of the operational practices of sustainability to ensure sustainable production of palm oil.

Addressing issues on climate change such as planting on peat lands, haze, fire and greenhouse gases

Addressing issues of deforestation such as biodiversity loss and conservation of High Conservation Value areas

Addressing issues on social such as employment and work conditions, child and forced labour

What is MSPO standard?

This standard covers the areas of operations of the oil palm industry along the whole supply chain comprising independent and organized smallholders, plantations, palm oil mills, dealers and palm oil processing facilities. This certification procedure needs to be adhered to in order to be sustainably certified.

The scheme owner of MSPO is the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council (MPOCC) and only accredited certification bodies by DSM such as DQS who are registered and approved by MPOCC are allowed to offer MSPO certification. Accredited MSPO certificates will be issued after the audit has been successfully conducted as per the scheme and accreditation requirements.

With the growing demands of sustainability products, global recognition through certification in sustainability is a way forward to prove to the world wide that our palm oil products are sustainably produced by adhering to the stipulated principles in the MSPO standard.

In the MSPO standards, the palm oil actors along the supply chain are required to adhere to the stipulated principles and criteria as follows;

Principle 1 - Management commitment and responsibility
Principle 2 - Transparency
Principle 3 - Compliance to legal and other requirements
Principle 4 - Responsibility to social, health, safety and employment conditions
Principle 5 - Environment, natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services

What are the MSPO certification standards that we offer as an accredited certification body?

Part 2-1: General Principles for Independent Smallholders (less than 40.46 hectares)
Part 2 2: General Principles for Organised Smallholders (less than 40.46 hectares)
Part 3-1: General Principles for Oil Palm Plantations (40.46 hectares to 500 hectares)
Part 3-2: General Principles for Oil Palm Plantations (more than 500 hectares)
Part 4-1: General Principles for Palm Oil Mill including Supply Chain Requirements
Part 4-2: General Principles for Palm Oil Processing Facilities including Supply Chain Requirements
Part 4-3: General Principles for Dealers including Supply Chain Requirements

Who Needs to Be Certified?

(1) Independent Smallholders

Independent smallholders are individual farmers who own or lease less than 40.46 hectares of an oil palm smallholding and manage the smallholding themselves. Independent smallholders or leases may employ workers to carry out daily work at their smallholdings

(2) Organised Smallholders

Organised smallholders are individual farmers who own or lease less than 40.46 ha of an oil palm smallholding and the holdings managed by government agencies such as FELDA, RISDA, FELCRA, SALCRA, SLDB and other organisations

(3) Plantations

Oil palm plantation which is not categorized under independent smallholders, SPOCS or organized Smallholders.

(4) Palm Oil Mill

Produces crude palm oil and kernels as primary products and biomass as secondary product

(5) Palm Oil Processing Facilities

(6) Dealers

Organisation which is categorised under all types of dealers under MPOB Licensing, including exporter and importer that purchases and sells oil palm products that do not change the chemical properties of the materials

How does MSPO certification work?

In the first step of the process, we discuss your company or organization, your current quality management system, and the goals of MSPO certification. On this basis, you will receive an individual quote tailored to your needs.

These steps serve to prepare the actual certification audit. Project planning can be useful for larger projects to plan schedules and execution of audits for locations or departments. In addition, a pre-audit provides an opportunity to identify system strengths and areas for improvement in advance.

The assessment starts with a system analysis (audit stage 1) and an evaluation of your documentation, objectives, the results of your management review and internal audits. The actual certification audit (Stage 2 audit) must follow Stage 1 after a maximum of 90 days. In the audit, the auditors take a holistic view of people, processes, and results and also show you opportunities and potential.

After the audit, the audit report will be peer-reviewed prior to technical review process within an additional 14 days. If all requirements are met, you will receive your MSPO certificate. However, if nonconformities have been identified, a period of 90 days begins for the management of these nonconformities, the so-called "decertification process". Necessary corrective actions must be submitted within a maximum of 30 days.

Annually, key components of the system are re-audited on-site for further improvement.

The certificate is valid for a maximum of five years. Before the certificate expires, recertification is performed to ensure continued compliance with the requirements. We recommend recertification three months (90 days) before certificate expiration.

What are the costs for MSPO certification?

Even though the MSPO audit is to be performed according to structured guidelines, the costs depend on different factors, for example hectarage of your plantation. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all offer for every company.