SD Guthrie Commits to Living Wage policy for Employees in Malaysia

• This initiative ensures equitable pay for all employees while supporting Malaysia’s broader socio-economic goals
   

Petaling Jaya, 26 December 2025 – SD Guthrie Berhad is committed to raising the standard of living of employees in its Malaysian operations, pledging to develop a living wage policy in the first quarter of 2026. The policy will be rolled out in phases to ensure alignment with existing commitments and the Employee Provident Fund’s Belanjawanku Expenditure Guide. The first phase will involve 8,000 non-plantation employees and is targeted to be completed by December 2026.

In developing the policy, Guthrie is taking into consideration its current labour-related commitments, and international standards that it has already signed up to. These include obligations to provide benefits for workers under Malaysian law, mainly, Act 446 or the Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990, which was amended in July 2019. Additionally, Guthrie also adheres to guidelines and standards set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and the International Labour Organization.  

This latest commitment by Guthrie aligns with the announcement by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) to commit to and adopt a living wage policy. The announcement was made collectively with other Government-linked Investment Companies (GLICs), as part of the Government-linked Enterprises Activation and Reform Programme (GEAR-uP) led by the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Guthrie’s operations in Malaysia stretch across 11 states and include, 121 estates, 31 mills, and several downstream and renewable energy facilities, employing more than 35,000 people from several countries. In developing its Living Wage Policy, Guthrie will consider several factors, including the different costs of living in various parts of the country, and the value of the comprehensive range of benefits employees enjoy. 


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