Frequently Asked Questions

What is palm oil?

Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm. Palm oil is released when the pulp of this oil-rich fruit is milled. Fifty percent (50%) of the palm fruit consists of oil, and one oil palm bears new fruit between 12 and 15 times per year. This means that one oil palm produces between 45 and 50 liters of oil per year. This amounts to an average of 3.7 tons of oil per hectare. And that for at least 25 years. In short: oil palms are extremely efficient oil producers.

What is sustainable palm oil?

Palm oil is only designated sustainable if it is certified in accordance with the Principles and Criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and if it is marketed according to the RSPO-approved trading systems. Read more about the use of palm oil and its unique properties and natural qualities for the food industry.

Is RSPO (group) certification possible and advisable for my company?

Interested in an RSPO group certificate for your company? First check whether your company complies with the criteria for group certification, and then ask yourself the following questions: 

• Which palm oil base materials does your company buy and in what quantities?
• Are you able to purchase these base materials already certified? In other words, is your current supplier certified? You can check this via this link.

How do you register for group certification?

Companies that wish to participate in the RSPO certification should contact us.

Why choose Certain as your Group Manager?

Certain was the first to offer group certification to companies in the RSPO supply chain. Quick, easy and always with personal service. Since its inception, Certain has been involved in the formulation of the requirements for RSPO group certification. As a result, our servicescan rely on many years of experience and knowledge in the field. And we provide these services for all types of companies throughout the entire supply chain, from wood and paper (FSC and PEFC) to fish products (MSC and ASC).

We love a pragmatic approach and help you take the right decisions throughout the certification process. Your satisfaction is our greatest reward. That is why you can continue to count on us throughout the entire term of validity of your certificate.

When does my company obtain its certification?

RSPO certificates are awarded by independent certification agencies. With a group certificate, the RSPO certification and the annual audit are both performed by the Group Manager. With an individual certificate or a multi-site certificate, you arrange this directly with a certification agency. 

What happens if one of the group members does not comply with the regulations?

In principle, participants agree to belong to a group for a period of 5 years. During this time, each company must comply with all of the applicable conditions and regulations. The Group Manager, in turn, monitors the compliance with these conditions and requirements. This means that the Group Manager audits all participating companies on an annual basis in order to ensure that there are no deviations with regard to the requirements.

Who monitors whom in the group certificate?

Each company must comply with all of the applicable conditions and regulations. The Group Manager, in turn, monitors the compliance with these conditions and requirements. This means that the Group Manager must audit all participating companies on an annual basis in order to ensure that there are no deviations with regard to the requirements.

The certification agency is responsible for monitoring the Group Manager. In addition to monitoring the Group Manager, the certification agency also monitors the group certificate. The Group Manager is audited annually, together with a number of the group participants. The participants to be audited are selected at random.

What can we offer you in the context of a multi-site certification?

The management and maintenance of a multi-site certificate is often complicated and demands a great deal of time from your internal organization. Certain assists your company and helps you with this process in various ways:

• We offer you advice on the maintenance of the multi-site certificate. For example, in the preparations leading up to the audit performed by the certification agency or in the follow-up of any deficiencies found.
• We take over the complete management and maintenance of the multi-site certificate. That way you are sure your certificate always complies with the latest regulations. We also take care of the maintenance of the documentation, the performance of the internal audits, the supervision of the external audits performed by the certification agency and the follow-up of any deficiencies found.

How does the group certificate work?

1. Registration

After receipt of the quotation for group certification, you may register for the group certificate. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments you might have. After registration, we contact your company as soon as possible to make an appointment.

2. Intake

One of our employees visits your company for training and consulting. Together, we discuss what the best method is for your company to apply the regulations of one of the Supply Chain models: IP, SG or MB. Based on the information we receive and the relevant work agreements, we then propose a working method, created specifically for you, to implement the requirements of RSPO in your own business process. We also provide an RSPO basic training for the employees who will perform critical tasks within the RSPO supply chain.

3. Acceptance/initial audit

You will receive a procedure for your RSPO business process from us. This procedure, will enabe you to implement the guidelines included in the procedure within your company. The first audit is usually a desk audit. Based on the information from the intake and the documents and registrations submitted (such as the volume administration and any sample documents), the Group Manager assesses whether you have implemented your RSPO working method to a sufficient degree.

4. Certification

Within a number of working days of the initial audit, you will be authorized for the group certificate, at which time you become an RSPO-certified company. You will also be listed in the Certain group certificate.

5. Follow-up audit

What happens once you become a group member? Each year we will pay you a visit for the internal audit to verify that your company continues to comply with the agreements made. Our certification agency may then perform an external audit of your company. The companies to be audited externally are chosen at random. There are no extra charges for this audit.