LONDON: Of the seven commodities sectors driving deforestation, palm oil companies are doing the most to alleviate their environmental impact following years of public pressure, a study by a global environmental disclosure group shows.
The CDP study, which will be released on Monday but was given to Reuters in advance, is likely to ramp up pressure on commodity companies to go green given the progress in palm oil, which is widely blamed by environmentalists for much of the destruction of tropical rainforests.
Based on responses from more than 550 leading companies in the agri-commodities sector, the study found nearly all who use or produce palm oil are taking at least one industry accepted measure to address deforestation, such as having sufficiently ambitious traceability targets.
Companies involved with rubber, by contrast, are doing the least, while the coffee and cattle products sector also perform poorly, the study found.
“Palm oil has been the subject of public campaigns in recent years. Companies see palm oil as a reputational risk,” it noted.
CDP measures the environmental risk and impact of more than 10,000 companies, cities, states and regions on behalf of leading global investors.
Sareh Forouzesh, associate director of forests at CDP said: “There is a solid business case for companies (to source) commodities sustainably.”
Companies are requested to make disclosures through CDP because they use or produce the seven commodities that drive deforestation: timber, palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber, cocoa and coffee.
However, only a third of companies asked to disclose to the CDP study did so. This still represents significant progress compared to previous studies but also shows a gap in the commodity industry’s transparency and, most likely, in its actions to tackle deforestation.
Scientists say protecting forests is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to curb climate change because trees suck in carbon dioxide, the main gas heating up the planet.
According to the United Nations, 10 million hectares of forest were destroyed annually in the five years since 2015.
Facing public pressure, palm oil firms are going green — study
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Facing public pressure, palm oil firms are going green — study
- Study: Nearly all who use or produce palm oil are taking at least one industry accepted measure to address deforestation
QIA, Franklin Templeton launch $200m Qatar equity fund
RIYADH: Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has teamed up with Franklin Templeton to launch a $200 million equity fund focused on the local stock market, part of efforts to deepen liquidity and attract institutional investors to Qatar’s capital markets.
The Qatar Investment Authority and the US asset manager said the Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund will operate as a day-traded mutual fund investing in companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, according to the Qatar News Agency.
The launch follows a series of recent global partnerships by QIA, including a preliminary deal with Goldman Sachs targeting up to $25 billion in investments, as Qatar pushes to diversify its economy and expand its financial sector.
Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA, said: “With the launch of Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund, QIA is further expanding our Active Asset Management Initiative to support Qatar’s financial markets.”
He added: “As one of the largest global asset managers, Franklin Templeton brings a wealth of experience and resources to QSE and the broader Qatari economy and we look forward to working closely together on this initiative.”
The fund aims to give investors exposure to Qatar Stock Exchange-listed equities, allowing local and international institutions to access an actively managed portfolio in the domestic market, QNA reported.
QIA is the fund’s lead investor, contributing cash and shares, underscoring its commitment to the Qatari stock market. The reallocation of QSE-listed shares is intended to support the domestic economy and enhance market liquidity, it added.
Franklin Templeton manages about $1.68 trillion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2025, making it one of the world’s largest investment firms.
“Through our partnership with QIA, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the continued development of the Qatari financial ecosystem. We see this collaboration as the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership and part of a broader, multi-asset collaboration between Franklin Templeton and QIA,” said Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton.
The Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund represents a key step in QIA’s active asset management strategy and highlights its partnership with Franklin Templeton in supporting Qatar’s capital markets through global investment expertise.
