Justin’s Nut Butter, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Raising Sustainable Palm Oil Awareness

BOULDER, Colo.—Justin's Nut Butter and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) are working together to raise awareness regarding the timely issue of producing and using sustainable palm oil. Both members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Justin’s is including the new CMZ logo for Orangutan Friendly Palm Oil on its squeeze packs hitting shelves July 2011. The new logo will make it easier for consumers to identify products manufactured with sustainable palm oil.

“It’s my belief sustainable, certified palm oil is the most responsible way to use this common ingredient, and Justin’s Nut Butter has been proactive to address this important issue. Having the logo on the packaging also helps create awareness around the issues associated with unsustainably harvested palm oil," said Catherine Greener, principal and co-founder of Cleargreen Advisors.

Demand for palm oil has steadily increased as the health concerns swirling around trans fats continue to have consumers looking for alternatives. However, the practices frequently employed while producing palm oil crops—especially clear-cutting—have had devastating effects to the ecosystem and wildlife living in those areas.

“We don’t believe boycotting palm oil—the harvesting and production of which is the livelihood of so many—is the solution; but rather it’s being conscientious about where and how we source the ingredient. For us the choice was easy: Justin’s has always used sustainable organic palm oil supplied by CIRANDA and sourced from Brazil," explained Justin Gold, CEO and founder of Justin’s.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's mission is to make a difference for wild orangutans by raising awareness about the palm oil crisis, and encouraging people to take action by providing tools and information allowing them to make globally responsible consumer choices. “By being the first company to use our logo, Justin's is helping us achieve our goal of moving the palm oil industry toward sustainability," said CMZ animal care manager, Dina Bredahl.

For a product to carry the CMZ’s Orangutan Friendly Palm Oil logo, a company must:
- Be a member of RSPO.
- Purchase palm oil and derivatives solely from producers and suppliers who are members of the
RSPO.
- Keep consumers informed via frequent company website updates, announcing what percentage of
certified sustainable palm oil is in their products.