Nestle Letter

Dear Nestle NZ

Hi, we are Bradley and Logan. We go to Hornby High School and we are concerned about the environment and what you do to it. We heard that you guys use palm oil in your products. Do you have any idea what cost that has on the environment? Every day 300 football (American) fields are cut or burnt down to plant palm oil plantations. Places like Borneo and Sumatra are turning from islands to palm oil factories. And the reason for this happening is, YOU!! You have decided to use palm oil in your products, so the money that you make for people buying your products go toward people cutting down more and more forests. Soon the 33 kms a day will turn into 1,086 Kms a day (that's the size of Auckland).

Palm oil has many different names. Did you know that 37% of vegetable oil named in the ingredients is actually vegetable oil? Can you guess what the other 83% is? You're probably thinking, palm oil. Palm oil is taking over. Palm oil has at least 186 names other than palm oil.

All the animals in the forests are being killed by the chainsaws and fire burning. The orangutans are nearly extinct because where they live is being burnt to a crisp, just so you can make some Kit Kats. Is killing the Sumatran tiger worth getting money? And if you don’t stop, you could at least donate it to Greenpeace or The World Wildlife Fund. They have been trying for years to stop Palm oil but companies like you are too strong and always defeat them in battle. People think that wars like the cold war and world war 2 were bad but the real battle is making the earth survive. Do you think that cutting down trees is going to help? Orangutans eat the seeds of plants and spread the seeds by their manure. If you are killing them then they can not spread the seeds. You are the bad guys of this war. And you’re winning! World War save the World is being won by the bad guys.

So please, stop using palm oil in your products. You are killing animals and most importantly the environment. You are the bad guys, and everyone knows the bad guys don’t win.

Thank you for reading.

Your sincerely, Bradley and Logan.

This is what they sent back

Hi Logan,

Thank you for contacting us with your concern about our purchase of palm oil.

Nestle views the deforestation of rain forests as one of the most serious environmental issues facing the world today and we have repeatedly called for a moratorium on deforestation. It is estimated that destruction of the world's rain forest contributes to about 20% of greenhouse gases - more than the entire transport sector. And the growing use of bio-fuels, which we have vigorously condemned, is a serious factor in this destruction.

Regarding palm oil, we have:

In 2010, we joined forces with The Forest Trust (TFT), a global non-profit organisation, to ensure our supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of rainforests.  Nestlé is the first consumer goods company to become a TFT member. 

Reduced our use of palm oil globally by 42,000 tonnes over the past few years. Palm oil is not a major resource for us - we buy around 320,000mt annually which accounts for 0.7% of the world's production. 

At the end of September 2013:

-45 % of our volume can be traced back at least to the mill in the country of origin. 

-13% of our volume is Responsibly Sourced, meaning traceable to plantation, RSG assessed, compliant or engaged in continuous improvement. 

-5% of our volume is fully compliant, meaning traceable to plantation level and fully compliant against our Responsible Sourcing Guideline requirements. 

-By September 2013, 100% of our palm oil was RSPO certified (Including 16% RSPO segregated and an estimated 84% in the form of Green Palm certificates). 

In Oceania, as a minimum, all the palm oil we use is covered by GreenPalm certificates, as we rapidly increase the proportion that is sustainable and traceable.  As at November 2013, all the palm oil we use in our locally made chocolate products is RSPO certified sustainable (segregated).

Once again thank you for taking your time to contact us and expressing your concerns. Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us again or for more information please visit http://bit.ly/mKfPBy

As you have made contact with us we invite you to visit our website www.nestle.co.nz where you will find more information on new products, promotions, recipes and a resource centre dedicated to health and wellness.

At Nestlé, we welcome your comments, suggestions and feedback.  You can contact us via our website or ringing toll free on 0800 830 840, and we will attempt to handle your enquiry promptly between the hours of 9am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Kind Regards,

Stephanie

Consumer Engagement Services

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