Jakarta - On September 24, 2014 at 7:30 pm ET (New York Time) or September 25, 2014 at 7:30 am WIB, the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, witnessed the signing of a commitment on Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil in New York, in conjunction with the UN Climate Summit. This marks the commitment of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and four major palm oil companies - Wilmar, Golden Agri Resources, Asian Agri and Cargill - to sustainable palm oil production.

WWF-Indonesia CEO, Dr. Efransjah, welcomed the tremendous momentum leading to this transformation of the global palm oil industry. "Amidst the gloomy market picture of the impact of palm oil development on forests and communities, WWF is confident that the commitments made today by leading palm oil industry officials and KADIN, provide a bright spot in the global market that Indonesia is serious about taking corrective steps towards sustainable palm oil production."

"We realize the magnitude of the challenges faced in implementing this commitment. The successful implementation of this commitment absolutely requires the support of other producers, environmental organizations, traders, consumers, governments and local communities."

The signatories are committed to advancing the sustainable palm oil industry in Indonesia by improving environmental stewardship; strengthening cooperation to develop policy, legal and regulatory frameworks that support the implementation of this agreement; expanding social benefits; and enhancing the competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil.

Palm oil is not only one of Indonesia's main export commodities, but it is also a commodity that touches many aspects of life - palm oil, for example, is contained in products that are consumed daily such as shampoo, ice cream, lipstick, margarine and cooking oil. In addition, palm oil is also the backbone of the economy of communities and farmers in producing countries.

"It is estimated that there are more than four million farmers in Indonesia who depend on palm oil for their livelihood," said Irwan Gunawan, Strategic Leader of Agriculture & Fisheries Market Transformation WWF-Indonesia. Therefore, the global market is actually an important driver in helping the palm oil industry in Indonesia to achieve sustainability standards in globally recognized schemes. "Boycotting or finding a substitute for palm oil is not a solution, because it has the potential to have side effects on many things outside the commodity. What is important is how to balance the economic interests of the community and environmental sustainability. Basically, WWF believes that the commitments made in New York are already on the right track in trying to achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental," Irwan continued.

For more information, please contact:
Irwan Gunawan, Strategy Leader of Agriculture & Fisheries Market Transformation, WWF-Indonesia
Email: igunawan@wwf.or.id, Phone: +62 8128748535