The Sustainable Commodities Podcast

Welcome to the first episode of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast for 2026! After a short break, hosts Barnaby Patchett and Judith Murdoch are back to tackle the pressing question facing businesses this year: What comes next? With the 2025 deforestation targets now in the rearview mirror, companies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate not just ambition, but tangible results. To help navigate this shifting landscape, we are joined by Dr. Jeff Milder, Director of the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi). In this episode, Jeff walks us through the AFi’s recently published Operational Guidance on Commitments and Progress Pathways – a new roadmap for setting, achieving, and reporting on goals to eliminate deforestation, conversion, and human rights abuses in agricultural/forestry supply chains. We explore what new guidance means for your business and how it can help you at every step of the journey – from making high-level pledges to ongoing monitoring. Key topics discussed: The "Why Now": Understanding the new AFi guidance released in December and why it’s so useful for businesses in 2026. Commitments vs. Reality: How to set credible time-bound targets and what to do if you’ve missed them. Engagement vs. Exclusion: How to handle non-compliance in the supply chain—is it better to cut them loose or help them improve? The Regulatory Landscape: How the AFi framework aligns with and supports compliance for major regulations like the EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation). Building Trust: Avoiding "greenwashing" and the danger of "greenhushing" by communicating your progress (and failures) transparently. Whether you are struggling with traceability, worried about compliance, or just trying to set your next set of sustainability goals, Dr. Milder explains how AFi can provide the practical roadmap you need. Useful Links: The Guidance - Operational Guidance: Commitments and Progress Pathways Accountability Framework initiative One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

In this special end-of-year edition of The Sustainable Commodities Podcast, hosts Barnaby Patchett and Judith Murdoch look back at a chaotic 2025 and look ahead to what’s next. Fresh from a two-week trip to Malaysia, Judith shares some on-the-ground insights from the RSPO RT and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council tour. The duo then tackles the defining topic of the year: the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). After another delay and further changes they dissect why the implementation has been a "dreadful" bureaucratic failure, risking the exclusion of smallholders while failing to solve the core problem of deforestation. Finally, they grade the year in sustainability (it’s not an 'A'!!) before looking ahead to 2026, moving away from doom and gloom to focus on solutions, soil health, and the potential of regenerative agriculture. One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

Has the myopic focus on traceability hamstrung EUDR? How can we integrate nature and biodiversity into corporate policies? Will regenerative agriculture be the bedrock of future corporate action? With us to answer these questions is Neil Judd, Co-founder of Proforest, a global not-for-profit working to advance the sustainable production and sourcing of forest-risk commodities including palm oil, soy, sugar, and timber. Neil shares insights from Proforest's 25-year journey, highlighting the industry's shift from minimal action to widespread recognition of the need for responsible sourcing. The discussion focuses on the complexities of sustainable supply chains, from the evolution of voluntary standards to the impact of new legislation like EUDR. Proforest One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

How do you make toothpaste more sustainable? Turns out there are some real challenges! In this episode, we’re talking about mint, palm oil and oleochemicals. Barnaby and Judith are joined by Ben Thornton Jones, former Director of Sustainable Supply at Haleon, the global consumer health company behind household brands like Aquafresh, Sensodyne, and Panadol. Ben offers a fascinating look into the complexities and innovative solutions required when sourcing sustainable ingredients for some of the world’s best known consumer health products – especially when it comes to tracing oleochemicals and derivatives! Links Ben Thornton-Jones Haleon One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

This week on the podcast, we’re talking deforestation, supply chain monitoring, the power and limitations of tech platforms and data, and why working in partnership with producers is the most effective way to drive positive change! To help us, we welcome Priscillia Moulin, Senior Advisor for Indonesian Environmental Non-Profit Earthqualizer Foundation, and Director of Strategy at MosaiX - a European based start-up helping organisations meet sustainability targets and navigate evolving legislation. Priscillia brings her decade of experience in NDPE (No deforestation, No peat, No exploitation) policy implementation in the palm oil sector – as we talk about how we can turn policy into practice, especially in light of legislation like EUDR. Along the way, we talk about the challenges and opportunities, the role of tech platforms, and the balance between activism and collaborative engagement with corporates when it comes to advancing sustainability.
 Links Earthqualizer Foundation MosiaX Inovasi Digital One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

Is palm oil really in 50% of packaged supermarket products? No – according to a new report published this week! On this edition, it’s time for some serious mythbusting on this often repeated claim! We sit down with Emily Meijaard from Borneo Futures, a scientific consultancy based in Brunei. Emily is the lead author on a new report, Does Palm Oil Really Rule The Supermarket? We discuss the findings of the study, which examines the real prevalence of palm oil in supermarket products across various countries. Topics include the origins of the 50% figure, the surprising results from the analysis of product ingredient lists, the challenges with identifying oils found in oleochemicals (used in toiletries and homecare products), and the big gaps in ingredient transparency. Links Full Report - Does Palm Oil Really Rule the Supermarket Other Report - Exploring the future of vegetable oils Emily Meijaard Borneo Futures One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

A special mini-edition of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast, recorded live at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe in September 2025. Host Barnaby Patchett sits down with Simon Kraemer, Executive Director of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA), an independent farmer-led coordination, advocacy and collective action organisation. We cover the challenges, solutions and lessons we can learn in regenerative agriculture - including why a farmer-led approach is so important, how we can scale, the dangers of moralising and why policy makers need to shift their mindset if we’re going to drive successful change. Look out for the other interviews in this series and check for the special report episode on the conference, which is available now. Links EARA One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

A special mini-edition of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast, recorded live at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe in September 2025. In this episode, Barnaby speaks with former Carbon Farmer of the Year Douglas Christie. Doug, a farmer for over 35 years, shares his journey, as well as the many challenges, opportunities, benefits and downsides of regenerative farming – covering finance, soil health, yields and barriers to adoption. This interview is part of a series of short conversations recorded with experts from across the supply chain during the event. Look out for the other interviews and check for the special report episode on the conference, which is available now. Links One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates Douglas Christie

The latest mini-episode of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast, recorded live at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe! Barnaby Patchett sit down with Carlotta Costa, Director of ESG at Dimitra, to unpack why technology and data are so important to the Regenerative Agriculture movement. Why is data so fundamentally important? Are credit systems actually any good? Does delaying EUDR make sense? And most importantly… Is regenerative agriculture a hippie movement? Have a listen and find out! Links One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates Dimitra

From farm to finance – how do we make it easier for farmers to access the financial rewards they need and deserve for investing in climate-positive practices? Jen Godderidge, from ATMO explains in the latest mini edition of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast – recorded live at Regenerative Agriculture Summit 2025. Hear more about some of the challenges around farmers, finance and fragmented data – and how connecting farmers, solution providers and corporates/banks can help solve them. Links One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates ATMO Jen Godderidge

A special mini-edition of the podcast, recorded live at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe 2025 with Robyn Cooper – Senior Manager, Regenerative Agriculture - CZ. We explore the Vive programme, as well as current challenges in scaling regenerative agriculture, and some solutions – with a focus on sugar. Look out for the other live interviews from the summit, and our special roundup episode – available now. Links Robyn Cooper One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates CZ Vive

A special edition of The Sustainable Commodities Podcast, and the first in a short series on The Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe 2025, a conference held in Amsterdam, in September 2025. Barnaby provides a broad overview of the big themes of the conference and the current state of the regenerative agriculture space – covering finance, farmer-first approaches, scaling, harmonisation, collaboration, data, tech and much more! Look out for a series of short interviews with delegates and speakers recorded live at the conference over the coming weeks. Thanks to Kisaco Research for allowing us to record. Links Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe 2025 Kisaco Research One Nine Nine Agency Murdoch Associates

What is the state of the palm oil industry in 2025? Why do we need to improve current palm oil sourcing practices? How can we transition our approach to ensure a better deal for smallholders? Today on the podcast, we’re talking about palm oil – and specifically, the 2025 Palm Oil Barometer, a new report from Solidaridad. To help us, we’re joined by Marieke Leegwater from Solidaridad. Marieke is a palm oil expert and sustainable policy development specialist. The Solidaridad Network is an international organization that supports the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound, and profitable supply chains. Links Palm Oil Barometer 2025 One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates Solidaridad

What are the practical steps to improve biodiversity on oil palm plantations? What does the life of a palm oil smallholder really look like? What do palm oil smallholders in Indonesia think about EUDR and certification? Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Thijs Pasmans, a sustainability consultant who focuses on tropical commodities like palm oil and cocoa. We talk with Thijs about palm oil, biodiversity and smallholders - and in particular, some of his recent reports and fieldwork out in Indonesia. Other topics covered include the value of RSPO credits, smallholder inclusion, EUDR and the future of sustainable palm oil. Links Thijs Pasmans One Nine Nine Agency Murdoch Associates IUCN Report - Visual guide to boosting biodiversity in palm oil landscapes | IUCN NL Intercropping resources Resources - SustainPalm Science Direct Article - Unpacking Indonesia’s independent oil palm smallholders: An actor-disaggregated approach to identifying environmental and social performance challenges - ScienceDirect

Has timber been forgotten in the EUDR conversation? How is wood and paper packaging treated under EUDR? How good are the FSC and PEFC as certification schemes? This week, we’re joined by David Coleman, Chief Product Officer at Interu - a digital platform from IOV42 that helps enable regulatory compliance for complex supply chains. David brings his extensive experience in traceability systems and compliance to talk timber, wood and paper – as we chat EUDR, packaging, verification and traceability. Links One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates IOV 42 Interu

How do we define regenerative agriculture, and how do we move beyond ambition to action? In this episode, we’re joined by Santiago Gowland, CEO of the Rainforest Alliance, about the upcoming launch of its new Regenerative Agriculture Certification Standard. Other topics covered include the challenges associated with defining Regenerative Agriculture, the past, present and future value of certification schemes, the challenges facing key forest risk commodities like cocoa, coffee and tea, and what the future looks like for Rainforest Alliance. One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates Rainforest Alliance Our Regenerative Agriculture Homepage What is Regenerative Agriculture? Case study: Mount Kenya Case study: Selva Maya 2024 Annual Report Sustainable Agriculture Standard

How do we protect savannah and grasslands from land conversion? Will Trump derail EUDR? How can we support and protect smallholders in global sustainability efforts? This episode, we're joined by Vivian Ribeiro, Head of Consulting & R&D at AgTech innovators Meridia. Topics include land conversion beyond deforestation, the crucial role of grasslands, the potential impact of tariffs and US politics on EUDR and worldwide sustainability efforts, the importance of smallholder inclusion and the role of data in ensuring responsible sourcing. Meridia One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

What does the future look like for sustainably sourced forest commodities? In this episode, we welcome Neha Simlai, Head of Market Development for the Asia Pacific region at the Forest Stewardship Council - FSC. The FSC is the world’s leading commodity certification schemes that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests through certification. Topics covered include challenges facing smallholders, the changing political climate, and how businesses, individuals and even KPOP bands are embracing certification and the FSC’s mission to ensure Forests for All, Forever. Please note, this podcast was recorded in January 2025, shortly after US President Trump's inauguration - and before the announcement on US tariffs in April 2025. Newer information on the number of FSC certificates, FSC FM area growth and FSC’s EUDR related tools may have since developed. FSC One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

What is the Co-op doing around sustainable sourcing? Our first guest from a major retailer - Alistair Pattrick, sustainable sourcing manager at the Co-op, joins the podcast. We talk sustainability challenges, supply chain risks, deforestation, traceability, EUDR and what suppliers need to do in terms of sustainability if they want to work with the Co-op! Links Co-op One Nine Nine Murdoch Associates

Can beef be sustainable? Find out in the latest episode of The Sustainable Commodities Podcast, with special guest Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable For Sustainable Beef Topics covered include sustainability issues and animal welfare in beef farming and how to improve them, the scalability of regenerative beef, consumer trends in beef consumption, misconceptions, sustainability legislation and much more! Ruaraidh also gives his opinion on recent cow controversies, like the media frenzy around ARLA and the Bovaer feed additive and the culling of cattle to meet carbon targets. Links Global Roundtable For Sustainable Beef [One Nine Nine](oneninenine.agency) Murdoch Associates