PALMOILMAGAZINE, KUALA LUMPUR — The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RT2025) once again took center stage in the global palm oil industry. Held from 3–5 November 2025 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this year’s annual conference carried the theme “Building the Next 20 Years: Sustainability in Action”, marking two decades of RSPO’s commitment to advancing sustainable palm oil.
One of the key highlights of RT2025 was the presentation of RSPO certifications to 24 farmer groups from various countries. Among the awardees was Perkumpulan Pekebun Sawit Ketapang (PPSK)—a smallholder association from West Kalimantan that has become a symbol of Indonesia’s sustainable palm oil progress on the global stage.
PPSK represents 1,223 independent smallholders from 12 farmer groups managing a total of 2,329.58 hectares in Air Upas and Manis Mata sub-districts, Ketapang Regency. Their commitment to implementing both ISPO and RSPO standards was formally declared on 25 March 2022, followed by official RSPO membership on 25 October 2023 (Member ID: 1-0462-23-000-00).
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After a rigorous process of guidance and audits, PPSK successfully received its RSPO Certificate on 17 January 2025, issued by PT TÜV Rheinland Indonesia (Certificate No. 82450224189). The award was officially presented by Joseph (JD) D’Cruz, RSPO Chief Executive Officer, to Sudarto, Chairman of PPSK, during the RT2025 ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
“We sincerely thank all parties who supported us throughout the certification process. This is a major milestone for independent smallholders in Ketapang to prove that we, too, can produce sustainable, globally competitive palm oil,” said Sudarto, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from FORTASBI, Thursday (6 November 2025) in Kuala Lumpur.
PPSK is also a member of the Forum Petani Kelapa Sawit Berkelanjutan Indonesia (FORTASBI) and received technical support from Cargill during the certification process. This collaboration underscores the vital role of partnerships between smallholders, NGOs, and the private sector in advancing sustainability at the grassroots level.
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With the RSPO certification achieved, Ketapang’s independent smallholders now have greater access to global markets that increasingly demand transparency and sustainability. The certification serves as proof that they have met internationally recognized principles and criteria for sustainable palm oil production.
Through RT2025, RSPO aims to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and open new partnership opportunities within the sustainable palm oil supply chain. In addition to the certification ceremony, the conference also featured discussion sessions, exhibitions, and business matching events connecting smallholder groups with sustainability credit buyers.
During these business matching sessions, facilitated by FORTASBI, WRI, and RSPO, buyers and smallholders engaged directly to explore partnerships for sustainability credit purchases—helping to build a fairer, more inclusive supply chain for small-scale farmers.
RT2025 marks a significant milestone for RSPO and its partners as they move toward a future where sustainability is not just a commitment, but an actionable reality involving all stakeholders—from farmers to end consumers. (P2)
