For Cookie Buyers

Palm oil is an ingredient found in many baked snacks sold in the United States and is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. Per GSUSA's licensed bakers, it is necessary to use palm oil in our cookies because of its unique ability to provide volume and texture in baked goods, usually without adding trans fats. Additionally, growing palm oil requires less land in comparison to other vegetable oils and supports the livelihoods of more than 4 million farmers globally. One of the primary goals of our Girl Scout Cookie bakers is to create the best-tasting cookies possible using the best ingredients available. 

The world's food supply is intricately tied to the use of palm oil, so we believe promoting sustainable manufacturing principles is the most responsible approach for Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Cookie development. At Girl Scouts, we have an opportunity to use our strong voice to bring about positive change on this important issue, and our bakers have made the following commitments:

• GSUSA and our licensed bakers are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization of growers, buyers, manufacturers, conservationists, and other interested parties striving to develop and follow best practices to ensure sustainability.
• Our licensed bakers are committed to Sustainable Palm Oil in Girl Scout Cookies and are continuing to research viable alternatives. To read more about our bakers’ positions on palm oil, visit their websites: Little Brownie Bakers or ABC Bakers.  
• Thanks to the encouragement of and partnership with Girl Scout members, GSUSA and our bakers have realized the power of the Girl Scout brand to make a positive difference in the move toward sustainably produced palm oil.