While the European Union (EU) has positioned itself as a global leader in promoting sustainability through trade, particularly by regulating high-risk commodities such as palm oil, existing policy frameworks remain predominantly focused on environmental metrics such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the often-overlooked social equity dimensions embedded within EU palm oil trade policies, particularly their implications for labour welfare, indigenous communities, smallholder access, and procedural inclusion in producing countries. This research employs a qualitative literature review method, analysing peer-reviewed academic journals, institutional reports, and regulatory documents published between 2015 and 2025. Data were collected through systematic identification and thematic synthesis of over 80 scholarly and policy sources using Mendeley Desktop. The analytical process involved open coding, thematic categorisation, and comparative interpretation to identify recurring patterns of exclusion and inequity. The findings reveal six major blind spots: limited Global South participation in policy formulation, certification barriers for smallholders, labour welfare issues, indigenous epistemologies issues, market concentration favouring large corporate actors, and forms of green protectionism that reinforce trade asymmetries. These gaps suggest that the EU’s sustainability approach, while environmentally rigorous, lacks sufficient integration of social justice considerations. In conclusion, advancing a more inclusive and equitable trade regime requires reforms that prioritise procedural fairness, recognise diverse knowledge systems, and expand smallholder participation. Future research should explore comparative policy innovations that integrate both environmental and social sustainability standards in global commodity governance.
Loso Judijanto (Tue,) studied this question.