21/03/2012 (Bangkok Post) - Pathum Vegetable Oil has become the first Thai company to be certified at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for responsible oil palm plantation management.

The certification, awarded by the RSPO approved certification body, SGS Thailand Co, endorses the company's business has complied with global demand for sustainable palm oil production.

Sanin Triyanon, the managing director of Pathum Vegetable Oil, a producer of the Kasorn-brand cooking palm oil, said demand for sustainable growth has increased along with products that support communities and the environment.

Mr Sanin has worked for years with the Agriculture Ministry and the German International Cooperation to set the principles and criteria.

Montri Tangtermsirikul, manager of system and services certification division of SGS (Thailand), said about 10 other firms are expected to comply with the standard this year.

The RSPO was formed in 2004 as a joint initiative by the World Widlife Fund (WWF) and companies in the palm oil sector, food companies, and green groups after decades of heavy exploitation of the produce.

World consumption of palm oil has expanded an average of 7.6% a year since 2003 to about 45 million tonnes in 2010. The commodity is used in making edible oil and biofuel, as well as ingredients in several industrial goods.

Thailand has 19 RSPO members, comprising processors, traders and growers.