Spotlight

Collaboration for Impact: How companies are advancing human rights in the palm oil sector

ORGANIZED BY

Proforest, Earthworm Foundation

15-Sep

10:30-11:00

Conference Room 4

Palm oil companies are advancing human rights through a 'Smart Mix of Actions' that focuses on stakeholder collaboration. This session highlights how collective efforts strengthen resilience, accountability, and responsible sourcing while addressing challenges and supporting the scale-up of responsible business practices.

Overview

This spotlight session explores how companies can translate human rights commitments into practical action through a 'Smart Mix of Actions'. Drawing on real-life examples from the palm oil sector in Malaysia and Indonesia, Proforest and Earthworm Foundation will examine how company-led measures such as HRDD, responsible sourcing and supplier engagements can be combined with multistakeholder collaboration to address the root causes of salient human rights issues.

While grounded in the palm oil sector, the session will use its complex, multi-tiered supply chains as a case study for other industries facing similar implementation challenges. Speakers will also introduce the Human Rights Action Plans for Palm Oil in Malaysia and Indonesia - a practical framework for companies to take coordinated action that strengthens worker protection, supply chain resilience and responsible business conduct.

Why it matters

Many human rights issues in global supply chains are rooted in complex operational practices, uneven supplier capacity and wider structural conditions that no company can address alone. Policies and due diligence processes are necessary, but progress also depends on practical implementation, rightsholder participation, and coordination among businesses, civil society and government. The palm oil sector offers valuable lessons for other sectors confronting similar systemic challenges.

Who should attend?

Supply chain companies from across industries, NGO/CSOs, Human Rights Practitioners supporting companies with HRDD and responsible sourcing.

What participants will gain

An understanding of the “Smart Mix of Actions” and how it can help bridge the gap between corporate commitments and practical implementation.
Practical examples of how companies can combine supply chain interventions and multistakeholder collaboration to address salient human rights issues in complex supply chains.
Dissemination of the Human Rights Action Plans for Palm Oil in Malaysia and Indonesia, illustrating the implementation strategy of the 'Smart Mix of Actions' for companies.

Shantoy Sijabat

Head of Labour Rights, Earthworm Foundation

Shantoy is the Head of Labour Rights at Earthworm Foundation, based in Indonesia, with more than 15 years of experience working on human rights across Asia Pacific. She has been working in sustainability field since 2014, delivering and leading projects and programmes through social and labour audits, assessments, research, capacity building, programme development, and stakeholder engagement. Her experience also includes delivering training for RSPO Social Lead Auditors and Social Auditors, contributing to stronger understanding of labour and social requirements in the palm oil sector. Her experience spans multiple sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, fisheriesm and electronics, with a strong focus on translating human rights commitments into practical improvements for workers and businesses. At Earthworm Foundation, she works with companies, suppliers, and other stakeholders to strengthen labour practices, address salient human rights risks, and advance practical, risk-based and management-system approaches to responsible business conduct.

Aravin Pillai

Principal Project Manager, Proforest

Aravin is a Principal Project Manager at Proforest, with more than five years of experience in the sustainability sector. He primarily works on responsible sourcing projects for agricultural commodities and contributes to thought leadership on the implementation of Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) in supply chains. He has also designed and delivered training for companies across the Asia-Pacific region on a range of sustainability and human rights topics. In addition, he supported multi-stakeholder collaboration projects under the Palm Oil Collaboration Group (POCG).

His experience spans all segments of agricultural supply chains across multiple geographies—from providing advisory services to global brands and retailers to supporting production companies and SMEs in implementing their No Deforestation, No Development on Peat and No Exploitation (NDPE) commitments. Earlier in his career, Aravin gained experience in ESG reporting and sustainability frameworks as an intern at KPMG. He has also led capacity-building initiatives for a Malaysian NGO that raises youth awareness of climate change policies in the country.