KUCHING: SD Guthrie Berhad (SD Guthrie), formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad, has launched its ambitious new sustainability framework, Beyond Zero.
Unveiled at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RT2024) conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Beyond Zero outlines SD Guthrie’s commitment to mitigating negative impacts and actively creating positive outcomes for people and the planet, while driving business growth.
The framework is built on three pillars: Zero, Restore, and Transform.
These pillars are designed to deliver credible positive impacts and create long-term value for stakeholders.
Key initiatives under Beyond Zero include:
- Restoring Nature: SD Guthrie aims to restore and conserve 100,000 hectares of land by 2030, building on existing projects and partnering with key stakeholders.
- Regenerative Agriculture: The company will develop a Regenerative Agriculture Framework for Palm Oil by 2025 and implement a pilot program in its palm oil operations by 2028.
- Empowering Smallholders: SD Guthrie plans to improve the livelihoods of 50,000 smallholders by 2035, providing support to increase yields, improve income, and access new markets, including the European market.
- SD Guthrie’s Beyond Zero framework aligns with its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated net-zero targets, making it the first palm oil company globally to achieve SBTi validation.
“Beyond Zero captures our long-standing commitment to sustainability and outlines how we will address global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss, while improving lives and livelihoods. We are taking responsibility to do more and ensure sustainability is integral to our strategy and operations,” said SD Guthrie’s Group Managing Director Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha.
Developed through rigorous consultation with the Board of Directors, partners, and stakeholders, Beyond Zero is built on an exhaustive audit of SD Guthrie’s current initiatives and an external review to align with evolving industry standards and regulations.
SD Guthrie manages a vast and complex supply chain spanning four source countries, 1,173 third-party mills, and over 47,000 smallholders worldwide.
