Greenpeace accuses P&G over Indonesian forest destruction
Environmental group Greenpeace today accused US consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble of responsibility for the destruction of Indonesian rain forests and the habitat of endangered orangutans and tigers.
|Last Updated: Feb 26, 2014, 09:18 PM IST|Source: AFP
Cental Kalimantan (Indonesia): Environmental group Greenpeace today accused US consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble of responsibility for the destruction of Indonesian rain forests and the habitat of endangered orangutans and tigers.
In an extensive new report, Greenpeace said the company was using Indonesian palm oil from suppliers with links to the destruction of ancient rain-forest, haze-inducing forest fires and an orangutan "graveyard".
The company uses Indonesian palm oil in its popular household products, including Head & Shoulders and Pantene shampoos and Gillette shaving gel.
"The maker of Head & Shoulders needs to stop bringing rain-forest destruction into our showers. It must clean up its act and guarantee its customers that these products are forest-friendly," said Greenpeace`s Indonesian forest campaign head Bustar Maitar.
Procter & Gamble were not immediately available for comment. The company`s website says it is "committed to growing our business responsibly" and has introduced sustainability scorecards for suppliers.
P&G is the latest company to be targeted by Greenpeace as the campaign group seeks to embarrass major firms it accuses of sourcing Indonesian palm oil and paper from suppliers that cause environmental destruction.
An AFP photographer accompanied by Greenpeace saw rampant forest destruction in the concessions of the company`s suppliers on the Indonesian part of Borneo island.
Borneo, which is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, has lost half its trees to logging and mining in recent decades but still has vast tracts of untouched forest.
The report urged P&G to join other leading companies which have committed to implementing a no-deforestation policy.
Greenpeace`s campaigns have caused several global companies, including Unilever, Nestle and L`Oreal, to commit to zero deforestation, though some plan to implement their policies in coming years.
Many palm oil and paper companies, such as Asia Pulp & Paper, have made such commitments after losing major clients because of Greenpeace`s campaigns.
In its report, Greenpeace linked a Malaysian palm oil supplier to Procter & Gamble with forest fires on Indonesia`s island of Sumatra in June last year.
The blazes cloaked Singapore and Malaysia with a choking haze in the region`s worst pollution for a decade.
The report also accused the same supplier of destroying deep Portland forests, which are dense in carbon stocks, have some of the world`s most bio diverse ecosystems, and are prime habitat for critically endangered Sumatran orangutans and tigers.
The report said that on the island of Borneo a "graveyard" of orangutans, including a buried skull, had been found in November partly within the concession area of a supplier to Procter & Gamble.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.