Olam Agri Wins Reuters Biodiversity Champion Award for Responsible Forestry in the Congo Basin
Olam Agri has won the Biodiversity Champion Award at the Reuters Events Global Sustainability Awards for its work to connect responsible forestry, biodiversity conservation, and community livelihoods in the Congo Basin.
Presented in London on 21 October 2026, the award, within the Climate and Nature category, recognizes the company’s work through Congolaise Industrielle des Bois (CIB), its wholly owned subsidiary and an FSC certificate holder in the Republic of Congo since 2006. FSC Africa endorsed Olam Agri’s submission, highlighting how its forestry operations combine responsible production with conservation and local economic opportunities.
Responsible forestry that supports nature and people
Through its subsidiary, Olam Agri manages about 2 million hectares of FSC-certified natural tropical forest in the Republic of Congo. Its approach combines responsible timber production with wildlife monitoring, measures to reduce logging disturbance, and community participation.
In his endorsement, Peter O. Alele (Ph.D.), Africa Regional Director, FSC, highlighted the company’s work to address poaching and support wildlife conservation.
“Within and around its FSC-certified landscapes, Olam Agri helps protect and sustainably manage surrounding forests, safeguarding more than 24,000 gorillas and 6,000 forest elephants from illegal poaching through eco-guards, biomonitoring, and community action.”
Olam Agri uses forest monitoring data to plan routes and trails that reduce logging disturbance. It has also set aside 92,000 hectares of the Pikounda concession as a conservation area under the Congo REDD+ programme.
Peter Alele said that independent audits and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent with Indigenous Peoples and local communities are central to FSC certification, helping hold companies accountable for how they manage forests. He highlighted Olam Agri’s provision of skilled employment and support for education, health, and local economic activity as examples of responsible forestry that responds to the needs of people living in and around its concessions.
Recognition for work on the ground
Accepting the award, Vincent Istace, Head of Sustainability, Olam Agri Wood Business, connected the recognition to the work of the company’s teams.
“It is encouraging to see that the positive results our teams have observed on the ground are also being recognized more widely. Protecting forests also means giving them value. Our experience demonstrates that it is possible to develop economic activities that respect the integrity of forest ecosystems while preserving their many benefits for future generations.”
The Reuters Events Global Sustainability Awards recognize companies that move beyond commitments to demonstrate measurable sustainability results and business value.
For the Congo Basin, the award brings international attention to an approach that links responsible production with the long-term value of forests. Olam Agri’s experience illustrates how FSC-certified forest management can support biodiversity conservation while creating economic opportunities for forest communities.
Watch our documentary film on Olam Agri’s efforts in the Republic of Congo
Source: FSC
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