Social Aspects in the Pilot Project of Jurisdictional Certification in the Ecuadorian Amazon: An Initial Approach

This report aims to provide some inputs into the process of building Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Jurisdictional Certification, using a rights-based perspective and based on the specific pilot case of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The report analyses the approach and implementation of the pilot project for the Jurisdictional Certification of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CJAE – Spanish abbreviation), with a focus on social aspects. In particular, this assessment gives emphasis to how the pilot CJAE has treated land and resources rights; participation; free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and consultation; as well as compliance, governance and grievance systems for the programme.

The findings and lessons included in this study draw from the two stages that have been identified in the development of the pilot project to date: i) 2017-2018: a start-up phase with concrete progress made in establishing the institutional and strategic framework (mainly with the creation of the Interinstitutional Steering Committee for Sustainable Palm Oil (CISPS – Spanish abbreviation)), and strategic planning with principles, objectives and an action plan; and ii) 2019: a year focused on the initial implementation of the plan, through consultancies undertaken for different activities, and early outreach to actors located in the Amazonian jurisdiction.