Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 13 November 2024 - SD Guthrie Berhad (SD Guthrie), formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad, has unveiled its bold, new sustainability framework - Beyond Zero. Launched at an event during the annual Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil conference (RT2024) in Bangkok, Thailand, Beyond Zero articulates SD Guthrie’s responsibility to mitigate negative impacts on people and the planet, and also to actively create positive outcomes, all while supporting the Company’s business growth.

The three pillars of the Beyond Zero framework, Zero, Restore and Transform, focus on driving credible positive impacts and creating long term value for stakeholders. It reinforces SD Guthrie’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles in keeping with its role as a global leader in certified sustainable palm oil production.

Three headline projects under the Beyond Zero framework are:

1. Restoration and conservation of 100,000 hectares by 2030, leveraging on existing projects and initiatives. This will be implemented across SD Guthrie’s operations and sourcing landscapes, working closely with strategic partners. To date, the company has more than 45,000 hectares of conservation set-asides across its operations.
2. Development of a Regenerative Agriculture Framework for Palm Oil by 2025. SD Guthrie will work with partners to develop a Regenerative Agriculture framework, and by 2028, will implement a pilot programme in its palm oil operations.
3. Improving the livelihoods of 50,000 smallholders by 2035, an increase from the current 33,793 smallholders supported by SD Guthrie. Through targeted programmes, smallholders will receive necessary assistance to increase their yields, improve income sustainably, achieve certification and gain access to new markets. This initiative includes a comprehensive programme to prepare smallholders within the company’s supply chain for the European market.

SD Guthrie’s Beyond Zero framework supports its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated net-zero targets, with action plans that are aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal. SD Guthrie is the first palm oil Company globally to achieve SBTi validation.

Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha, SD Guthrie’s Group Managing Director said: “Beyond Zero captures SD Guthrie’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and articulates clearly how we will contribute to address global challenges, such as climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, as well as improving lives and livelihoods.

We have drawn on our inherent strengths as an organisation with a wide geographical reach and our commitment to continuous improvement to implement our Beyond Zero framework.

We drive meaningful change across one of the most complex supply chains in the world, but now, we are accepting the responsibility to do more – to ensure that sustainability is built into our strategy and our operations. This is our promise to our stakeholders.”

Developed through a rigorous process with insights from SD Guthrie’s Board of Directors, partners and stakeholders, Beyond Zero began with an exhaustive audit of the Company’s current initiatives. An external review was also conducted to align with evolving industry standards and regulations, shaping the framework’s structure. This approach enabled the Company to set new, ambitious yet realistic targets.

SD Guthrie manages an extensive and complex supply chain spanning four source countries, 1,173 third-party mills, and over 47,000 smallholders worldwide. It requires extraordinary coordination to manage its sustainability performance and transparency across such vast and diverse operations, and supply chains globally.