Integrating better HCV monitoring into HCV assessment, HCV management and HCV auditing processes
Monitoring and management of HCVs is an integral part of the RSPO Principles and Criteria, yet HCV protection continues to be poor. The Zoological Society of London therefore ran a series of workshops to raise awareness of better practices and identify weak points in the system.
It is a requirement under the RSPO standard for the oil palm industry to identify, manage, monitor and audit company performance on High Conservation Values (HCVs). However very little standardization of practices on HCVs across companies and even within concessions has been achieved. Assessors provide companies with recommendations on HCV management and monitoring of varying quality and often of little practical value; companies do not standardize practices and lack capacity to manage HCVs; and auditors lack an understanding of how to effectively audit performance.
As part of a previous BACP grant, The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) developed and field-tested a unique HCV Impact Monitoring System and trained staff of two oil palm companies on its implementation. In order to better integrate the system into that of the RSPO, ZSL developed and conducted three workshops for HCV assessors, oil palm producers, and auditors to increase their awareness of the ZSL System and to discuss current practices and identify areas of weakness.
Workshops were well attended with over 60 persons across the stakeholder groups attending the workshop series. The format of the workshops included presentations on the activities of various stakeholders within HCV management and monitoring; plenary discussions on specific issues related to HCVs and smaller group discussions designed to answer specific questions. The results of the discussions were amalgamated into a summary report given the overlap of the answers given (and the differing opinions of stakeholder groups on same issues) and this was published online on the Sustainable Palm Oil Platform (www.sustainablepalmoil.org).
The results of the discussions were, overall, disappointing. There was a demonstrated lack of knowledge and/or capacity for HCV management and monitoring identified by many of the participants from all three of the stakeholder groups. A lack of standardization was visible across the board and a wide variety of standards were in operation at the ground level. However, the workshops resulted in a wealth of information being provided for those involved within the certification standard. It allows stakeholders to identify issues of priority and potential ways to overcome them. After all, no one claims that the RSPO is perfect, however we now are a step closer to overcoming those gaps that still need to be closed.
