Why become a Partner?

Organisations and individuals can join the Academy as Partners. Join the Academy as a Partner now to enjoy some great Partner Benefits.

Why should you become a Partner if you only want to become an Academy Master Trainer? Academy Partnership is a requirement in order to become a Master Trainer. Each Partner can have one or more people join the Academy Master Trainings. Read more about the Master Trainer benefits here.

As a Partner, you:

  • Get free access to the Academy training materials – available in six languages - which you can use to run your own smallholder (training) programme
  • Can have one or more of your team join one or more Academy Master Trainings worldwide
  • Run your own smallholder training, group training, or training-of-trainers and have access to the Master Trainers of other Academy Partners to help you
  • Are entitled to direct support by the Academy through the Academy Partner Portal
  • Have access to peer support by other Partners as your organisation develops and implements its own smallholder training programme
  • Have access to a growing body of learning and resources from the Academy Community
Partner Benefits

Access to the Academy Training Guides

As an Academy Partner you can use three comprehensive guides offered by the Academy (available in six languages: English, French, Indonesian, Malay, Spanish and Thai):

  • the Smallholder Training Guide,
  • the Group Training Guide, and
  • the Programme Design Guide.

The Training Guides are global and will be reviewed periodically. Partners can collaborate with each other and with the Academy Team to create local adaptations of the Guides, the only condition being that the adapted materials are shared with the larger Academy Community through the Academy Partner Portal.

Read more


Free Access to Academy Master Training

As an Academy Partner you are entitled to have two people join for free as participants to one of the Academy Master Trainings per year. Over the course of 6 days, participants learn to use the Academy Training Guides and the Academy’s adult-learning and learner-centered training methodology. Finishers receive a Training Certificate and commit to a 1-year involvement as an Academy Master Trainer. Academy Master Trainers get access to training opportunities throughout the Academy Community.

Read more


Run your own Academy Trainings

As an Academy Partner you can run your own Academy Training Programme using the Academy Training Materials. You can get Master Trainers of other Academy Partners to (co-)lead your Training of Trainers, Group Trainings or Smallholder Trainings at discounted rates.

Read more


Access to Training and Programme Support

As an Academy Partner you are entitled to support for your Academy trainings and smallholder programme via the Academy Partner Portal. This gives you access to:

  • A variety of free knowledge resources and online learning paths on training methodology and programme planning
  • A growing body of learning and resources from the larger Academy Partner Community
  • Dedicated monthly support by the Academy team on training and programme design and implementation
  • Peer support by other Partners as your organisation develops and implements its own smallholder training programme

Join a Global Community of Peers

As an Academy Partner you join a pioneering global community of peers who work with smallholders and their communities towards more sustainable livelihoods. This Community:

  • Provides opportunities for Partners to train and be trained
  • Co-creates local adaptations of Academy Training Materials and new training resources
  • Advances the Academy together through active participation and innovation
  • Connects directly through the Master Trainings, Academy Partner Portal, and at Academy meetings.

Our Partners
Forever Sabah
Forum Petani Kelapa Sawit Berkelanjutan Indonesia (FORTASBI)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Musim Mas
Solidaridad
Wild Asia
De Guru Consulting
ASOFA
Logo LTKL
WRI Indonesia
SPKS
GIZ Indonesia
Setara Jambi
APKASINDO Aceh
Environmental Governance Institute
Natural Habitats Group B.V.
MISI
IFC Posters
Association Interprofession de la filière Palmier à Huile
FUNDACIÓN PROYECCIÓN ECO-SOCIAL
ANCUPA
Norpalm
Proforest
ICADE
Univanich-Playpraya Community Enterprise Group
TA Commodity Producers Co Nig Limited
Zowasel Inc.
Sustainable Smallholders Oil Palm Services Company Limited
Socfin
Samsela Consult Nigeria Enterprise
TWIFO OIL PALM PLANTATIONS LTD
THASAE RSPO COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE
Aoluek Land Settlement Cooperative Limited
Earthworm Foundation
Perkumpulan Alam Hijau (A-Hi)
GAR
Javlec
Nectary
PIL
kawal borneo
WWF
Sol De Palma
JUNPALMA
Canapalma
Procter & Gamble
What Materials Does the Academy Offers its Partners?

Smallholder Training Guide

  • Focus on helping smallholders have sustainable livelihoods
  • Aimed at trainers of smallholders
  • Consisting of 33 session plans
  • Covering topics from good agricultural practices (GAP) and socially and environmentally sustainable practices to financial literacy and RSPO Certification
  • Each training session plan is good for 2 hours of training or more and contains a range of optional activities to allow for full customisation by trainers.
  • Providing extensive instructions on how to carry out interactive and learner-focused training sessions and how to make the sessions more context-relevant.

Group Training Guide

  • Focus on helping group organisers and managers form and strengthen sustainable smallholder groups
  • Aimed at trainers of smallholder group organisers and managers
  • Containing 7 sections, each good for approximately 1 day of group training or more
  • Containing 17 additional Powerpoint slide decks and 10 handouts
  • Containing a range of activities to allow for customisation by trainers
  • Covering group formation and strengthening, the basics of group finance, Group Manager’s essentials for RSPO Certification, and GAP, and sustainability.
  • Providing instructions on how to carry out interactive and learner-focused training sessions for group organisers/managers.

Programme Design Guide

  • Focus on helping supporting organisations set up smallholder programmes that support their sustainable livelihoods
  • Aimed at programme designers/ managers, and group managers tasked with setting up their organisation’s smallholder programme.
  • Offering 150+ pages of practical tools and examples for effective programme design
  • Covering every step in the process of designing your own oil palm smallholder programme: Goal setting and strategic planning, field assessment, key agronomic, business, social and environmental sustainability issues, setting up your training programme, designing activities around group building, traceability, inputs and technical support, access to finance, market, scaling, and M&E.

The Training Guides are global and are all available in six languages (English, French, Indonesian, Malay, Spanish and Thai). The Training Guides are global and will be reviewed and updated periodically by the Academy. Partners can collaborate with each other and with the Academy Team to create local adaptations of the Guides, the only condition being that the adapted materials are shared with the larger Academy Community through the Academy Partner Portal.

What Training Does the Academy Provide to Partners?

Master Training (MT)

The Academy Team organises 6-day Master Trainings for qualified trainers preparing them to give their own trainings using the Academy guides.
Read more

Group, Smallholder, and Training-of-Trainers

Partners can request the Academy for trainer support on their ToTs, Group or Smallholder Training. The Academy can source trainers through the Academy Master Trainer Community.
Read more

Seminars and Workshops

The Academy offers seminars and workshops on specific related topics at RSPO events

Join as an Academy Partner

Step 1

Review and prepare the required documentation* for the Partnership application.

Step 2

Complete and submit the online Partnership application

Step 3

Answer any further questions or concerns

Step 4

Sign the Academy Partnership Agreement

* The following documents are required to be uploaded as part of the Partnership application:

  • Document 1: Latest Annual Financial Report, or Business Plan or Bank Statement header showing bank account details
  • Document 2: Organisation's Prospectus/Corporate Profile or Latest Audit Document
  • Document 3: Company registration or Documents to prove Directorship/Shareholding