Oreo Maker Linked to Ongoing Deforestation and Human Rights Abuses

Mondelēz International, the company behind Oreo biscuits, continues to source palm oil from suppliers linked to rainforest destruction, exploitation of workers, and #violence against #Indigenous land defenders. Despite marketing its palm oil as “sustainable” and RSPO-certified, investigations show that these claims amount to greenwashing, with human rights abuses and #deforestation ongoing in its supply chain. We demand urgent action to expose these deceptive practices and protect marginalised indigenous peoples, endangered animals and endangered plants. #BoycottPalmOil #HumanRights

Rainforest Action Network. (2025, May 14). The maker of Oreos is not taking its human rights responsibilities seriously.

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Mondelēz International, the global food giant responsible for Oreo biscuits, faces renewed scrutiny for its palm oil sourcing practices. Despite public claims of using “sustainable” RSPO-certified palm oil, evidence from multiple investigations shows that human rights abuses and deforestation remain widespread in the company’s supply chain.

Between 2015 and 2017, 22 of Mondelēz’s palm oil suppliers cleared over 70,000 hectares of rainforest, including 25,000 hectares of orangutan habitat in Indonesia. These suppliers have also been accused of child labour, worker exploitation, illegal deforestation, forest fires, and land grabbing. Much of this palm oil is sourced from Wilmar International, the world’s largest palm oil trader, which has repeatedly failed to monitor or control its suppliers’ destructive practices.

Despite adopting a “No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation” policy, Mondelēz’s reliance on RSPO certification has been widely criticised as ineffective and misleading. The RSPO standard has failed to prevent land grabs, forced labour, and environmental harm, while the company continues to market its products as ethical and sustainable.

Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Indonesia forests campaign, said: “It’s outrageous that despite promising to clean up its palm oil almost ten years ago, Mondelēz is still trading with forest destroyers. Palm oil can be made without destroying forests, yet our investigation discovered that Mondelēz suppliers are still trashing forests and wrecking orangutan habitat, pushing these beautiful and intelligent creatures to the brink of extinction. They’re literally dying for a cookie”.

The article highlights that these issues are not isolated incidents but reflect systemic failures in the palm oil sector’s self-regulation and corporate accountability. The continued use of “sustainable” palm oil claims is described as greenwashing, misleading consumers while abuses persist.

The article calls for urgent action from consumers, advocates, and policymakers to demand real accountability from companies like Mondelēz. Protecting Indigenous communities, upholding workers’ rights, and halting deforestation are identified as urgent priorities.

Rainforest Action Network. (2025, May 14). The maker of Oreos is not taking its human rights responsibilities seriously.

ENDS

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Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

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