Coconut, Palm and Soya - A Debrief on June’s Sustainable Commodities Conferences

Hosts Barnaby Patchett and Judith Murdoch catch up on a whirlwind few weeks of back-to-back commodity conferences across the UK, giving their thoughts from events at Chester Zoo and in London.

With no guests this week, it's a direct conversation between the co-hosts as they unpack the latest developments in forest risk commodities discussed at Sustainable Coconut Gathering Europe, Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue 2026 and the UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative.

Key Discussion Points

• The Sustainable Coconut Gathering Europe: Barnaby gives his thoughts on the Sustainable Coconut Partnership's (SCP) first major European event. He discusses the differences in the standard, and the focus on smallholder finances, aging plantations, and structural supply chain issues. Judith details some of the critical, overlooked social risks inherent to coconut farming, including harvesting hazards and regional worker welfare.
• Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue (SPOD) 2026: Held at the Chester Zoo under the theme "Resilience in Palm Oil: Thriving in a Turbulent World," the co-hosts dissect the event's biggest themes, from resilience and certification to legislation and smallholder inclusion.
• Shifting the Palm Oil Narrative: Barnaby outlines his experience moderating SPOD's first-ever communications panel, featuring representatives from Ferrero, the Little Soap Company, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The panel confronted why "palm oil-free" marketing remains successful and called for the industry to move from a defensive position into more proactive comms.
• The Closing of Chester Zoo's Sustainable Palm Oil Communities Program: Judith and Barnaby reflect on the sudden, disappointing news that Chester Zoo is winding down its flagship sustainable community campaign. They deliberate on the broader messaging this sends to the market just as global supply chains face maximum regulatory pressure.
• UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative Update: Judith gives an insider look into the latest Efeca-chaired meeting in London. The update reveals ongoing delays regarding UK domestic regulations for forest risk commodities, issues with funding, and discussion about the direction of travel on palm oil, soya, certification and oleochemicals.

What are your thoughts on how the industry should communicate sustainability to everyday consumers? If you have ideas on keeping local palm oil campaigns alive or want to weigh in on the coconut supply chain, reach out!

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Links

Sustainable Coconut Partnership
Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue
UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative

One Nine Nine
Murdoch Associates