We have invited Kristjan Jespersen to host our next oikos Academy guest lecture where he will share with us his insights into sustainability certifications, standards, and compliance within the coffee sector – and their origins in the palm oil sector.
Large-scale palm oil plantations are associated with deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, tenurial conflicts, and, most recently, labour and human rights. At the same time, initiatives like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) attempt to incentivise and certify responsible behaviours among palm oil producers.
The RSPO has been in operation for almost two decades and is the primary global consumer-facing sustainability certification organisation for palm oil. It has encountered a range of challenges in its history, leading to several significant instances of attempted or successful adaptation of fundamental rules in the name of continuing the standard’s overall project.
These developments were so transformational that they inspired and influenced the development of the Rainforest Alliance Certification - the governing certification that oversees a large percentage of sustainable coffee production.
The lecture will explore the recent developments of Rainforest Alliance Certification and explore whether there remain gaps in the certification.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kristjan Jespersen is an Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School and coordinator of the CBS Impact for Innovation Lab. As a primary area of focus, he studies the growing development and management of Ecosystem Services in developing countries. Within the field, Kristjan focuses his attention on the institutional legitimacy of such initiatives and the overall compensation tools used to ensure compliance.
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oikos Academy is an initiative by oikos Copenhagen. The events are planned for and directed at our oikos Copenhagen members and our network, to join us in learning about various topics within sustainability and responsibility. Registration is open to our network at: https://bit.ly/32OyBI2