PUBLICATIONS

Minister of Agriculture Regulation (Permentan) ISPO 38/2020 introduced several positive updates, including the addition of a Transparency principle, the expansion of forest protection from primary forests to all natural forests, the involvement of independent monitors, and the explicit recognition of FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent).

However, Permentan ISPO 38/2020 still contains gaps, such as limited involvement of Indigenous Peoples (MHA) in land clearing for palm oil, weak safeguards for natural forests and peatlands, and the absence of public access to Beneficial Ownership data.

Substantively, Permentan 38/2020 does not differ significantly from Permentan 11/2015. Nevertheless, mandatory ISPO certification for all business actors risks excluding independent smallholders from the palm oil supply chain due to land legality issues and certification costs.