During the Climate Summit in New York in September 2014, four giant global agricultural companies, Golden Agri Resource, Wilmar, Cargill, and Asian Agri, made a pledge that they would improve environmental stewardship in their palm oil production and trade through zero deforestation practices. The research seeks to understand processes in which companies decide, define and translate zero deforestation into their operation, and engagement with smallholders. The research questions are as follows:
1) Why and how do companies decide to commit for zero deforestation production despite legal uncertainties?
2) Can the implementation of zero deforestation commitment be effective in meeting the targets?
3) Do the companies see smallhoders as the strategic partner in implementing zero deforestation commitment, or do they see smallholders as burden?