A white paper examining labor exploitation in palm oil production and proposing concrete strategies for ethical and sustainable supply chains.
This white paper investigates the prevalence of forced labor and human trafficking risks in palm oil supply chains across Southeast Asia. It documents Verité’s field research findings on exploitative recruitment, child labor, debt bondage, and poor living conditions among migrant workers. The report critiques gaps in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) framework and calls for stronger labor standards, fair recruitment, and credible grievance systems. It also presents actionable solutions—ranging from improved audits to fee-repayment policies—to advance human rights and accountability in the global palm oil industry.
Palm Oil, Child Labor, RSPO, Forced Labor
