Chester Zoo's fight against deforestation has taken a major step forward after two UK food giants signed up to the zoo's sustainable palm oil programme.

Today (December 2), Chester Zoo announced that KTC, a leading supplier of food oils, and leading food manufacturer The Compleat Food Group, have become sustainable palm oil ambassadors. 

Both companies have pledged to use palm oil derived from deforestation-free sustainable sources and to promote the use of sustainable palm oil to protect vulnerable habitats. 

"It's vital that deforestation free palm oil becomes standard," said Eleanor Evans, deforestation-free campaigns project officer at the Zoo.

"It's only through championing this, sourcing responsibly and increased transparency that we can start to shift the dial to make it the norm.

"We hope that this will inspire other businesses to drive positive change."

Chester Zoo began its work on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2012 and has been working with partners in an oil palm dominated landscape in Borneo for two decades.

With palm oil itself not inherently bad, it often receives a bad reputation due to unsustainable production which drives the destruction of huge areas of rainforest in Sumatra, Borneo and other regions.

Commonly found in many supermarket products, it is both versatile and efficient and can yield 10-15 times as much oil per acre than other sources.

This means that swapping to another plant source is not necessarily better and can contribute to an increase in deforestation.

By supporting deforestation-free sustainable palm oil production, Ambassadors are incentivising growers to farm in forest-friendly ways, protecting rainforests and the animals that rely on them. 

"Our mission is to create Food to Feel Good, food that's not only delicious and affordable, but also better for people and the planet," added David Moore, group ESG director at The Compleat Food Group.

"By joining this initiative, we're reinforcing our commitment to sustainable sourcing and encouraging others across the industry to support the transition to responsible palm oil production.

"Together, we can protect vital habitats and drive meaningful change."

Gary Lewis, head of Business Development and Sustainability at KTC Edibles, revealed the company was proud to use and promote certified sustainable palm oil.

He said: "Becoming a Communities Ambassador for Chester Zoo is the latest step in our mission to lead the way on the responsible sourcing of edible oils and to creating a more sustainable future for all."

You can find out more about the Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors scheme here.