Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil
ISPO Certification Process
A structured certification process for evaluating conformity with the applicable Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil principles and criteria through application review, Audit Stage 1, Audit Stage 2, independent certification decision, and ongoing surveillance.
Certification Scope
The certification scope is determined by the applicant's operational activities and the applicable ISPO principles and criteria.
From Application to Continued Certification
The following sequence presents the principal ISPO certification activities. Audit duration, sampling, locations, and supporting evidence are determined according to the applicant's category, scope, operational complexity, and applicable requirements.
Application Submission
The applicant submits the ISPO certification application and the required legal, organizational, plantation, processing, and supporting information relevant to the proposed scope.
ISPO Certification Application Form
Complete this form to provide the information required for GSI's initial application and certification-scope review.
- Application type and standard
- Organization and site information
- ISPO scope and prerequisites
- Declaration, signature, and NIB attachment
Application Verification & Certification Agreement
The application is verified to confirm eligibility, certification scope, operational sites, audit resources, and readiness to proceed. Once accepted, the parties establish the certification agreement.
Audit Planning
GSI establishes the audit programme, appoints a competent audit team, confirms the assessment method and sampling, and communicates the audit arrangements to the applicant.
Document, Sampling & Critical-Point Review
Audit Stage 1 evaluates the completeness and correctness of legal documents, determines the plantation and/or processing samples for Stage 2, identifies critical points, and selects relevant stakeholders as information sources.
Stage 1 Correction & Readiness Confirmation
When Stage 1 identifies unmet requirements, the applicant submits corrections and supporting evidence. If correction is not completed within the regulatory period, the Stage 1 process is discontinued and the application is returned with the reason for discontinuation.
Implementation & Conformity Evaluation
Audit Stage 2 evaluates the applicant's documents and the implementation of applicable ISPO principles and criteria at selected plantations and/or processing operations, including personnel competence and confirmation with relevant stakeholders.
Corrective Action Review
GSI reviews the corrections and objective evidence submitted for Stage 2 findings. If the required correction is not completed within the stipulated period, the audit process is discontinued and the application is returned.
Technical Review, Certification Decision & Issuance
The complete audit results are independently reviewed before the certification decision is made. When all applicable requirements are fulfilled and a positive decision is reached, the ISPO certificate is issued.
Certification decision: no later than 1 month after the audit process is completed and declared complete. Certificate validity: 5 years.Surveillance & Continued Conformity
Surveillance is conducted throughout the certification cycle to verify continued conformity with the applicable ISPO principles and criteria and the proper maintenance of certification.
ISPO Recertification
The certificate holder submits a recertification application no later than 12 months before certificate expiry. Recertification normally includes Audit Stage 1 and Stage 2; where there are no significant changes and the same certification body is used, the process may proceed directly to Stage 2 in accordance with the regulation.
Validity remains subject to continued conformity, surveillance, and compliance with certification requirements.
Plantation companies are subject to surveillance every year during the certification cycle.
The first surveillance is within 18 months and the second no later than 36 months after issuance.
Start Your ISPO Certification
Discuss your certification scope and application readiness with GSI.
Download and complete the ISPO certification application form, then contact our team to discuss the next steps for your palm oil cultivation, processing, or integrated operations.