AIC at 20: Helping UK feed sector meet sustainability targets with palm oil credit scheme
As AIC marks 20 years as the UK agri-supply industry’s leading trade association, we're looking back at some of its greatest achievements since it was founded in 2003.
Each week throughout 2023, we’ll explore a major achievement where AIC represented its Member businesses, promoted the benefits of modern commercial agriculture in the UK, and supported collaboration throughout the food chain.
This week we’re revisiting how AIC is helping the industry meet sustainability targets.
Global effort
To help the UK feed sector play its part in meeting the UK Government’s target of using only sustainably-sourced palm, AIC created a new scheme to assist Members’ environmental ambitions.
Retailer and consumer awareness of the effects of uncontrolled palm production on land use, deforestation, and biodiversity has risen significantly in recent years, and the topic features regularly in the media.
In August 2019, the AIC Services Palm Oil Credit Scheme (APOCS) was launched, and AIC became an affiliate member of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) - a leading not-for-profit organisation working to increase the global supply of sustainable palm products.
The scheme purchases RSPO Credits for palm and its derivatives on behalf of AIC Members or assurance scheme Participants, giving the feed sector a way to support the production of sustainable palm using a book and claim system.
Each Credit is proof that one tonne of RSPO-certified sustainable palm has entered the global supply chain.
By purchasing Credits, APOCS Members and scheme Participants are encouraging the production of certified sustainable palm with the funds going directly to supporting this global effort.
Visit the AIC Services website to find out more about APOCS.
Watch the video below to find out more about AIC and the work it does on behalf of its Members.
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Visit the AIC at 20 webpage for more content like this.
Authors
Oli Hill
As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.
Roberta Reeve
Roberta Reeve is Technical Manager for AIC Services. She is based at AIC Head Office, Peterborough and is responsible for the management and coordination of the AIC assurance schemes.