Delivering Sustainable Futures

People | Planet | Prosperity

Sustainable practices in the oils and fats industry

Sime Darby Oils plays a leading role in the development and promotion of sustainable practices in the Oils and Fats industry. With an integrated supply chain and an extensive network of refineries, we seek to advance the production, procurement, and use of sustainable oil in line with our promise of Delivering Sustainable Futures.

Smallholder engagement for sustainable farming

We actively engage with a wide range of stakeholders – from farmers to consumers, NGOs and governments - and work closely with our business partners to achieve our targets for sustainable development, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We are dedicated to providing employment in remote rural areas, contributing to community services, and supporting local smallholder farmers.

Through our smallholder program, we reach out to local farmers and educate them on good agricultural practices and sustainable farming. As a result, these smallholders obtain access to the international market to receive a fair price for their goods. Our European palm oil supply chain includes over 17,000 smallholders who have all been fully certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2012.

smallholder engagement

Sustainable palm oil

sustainable palm oil

The RSPO is the leading certifying body for sustainable palm oil in the world and has developed a set of environmental and social criteria. Companies must comply with these criteria to produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). This significantly reduces the negative impact of palm oil cultivation on the environment and communities in palm oil-producing regions. Sime Darby is a founding member of the RSPO. We have been a frontrunner when it comes to sustainability and transparency of our supply chain since our Zero burning in plantations pledge in 1985. Every year our sites are audited by the RSPO to ensure ongoing compliance. You can download the most recent RSPO certification for Sime Darby Oils Zwijndrecht Refinery (SDOZR) here.

Our sustainability journey

sustainable palm oil is most efficient oil

Sustainable soybean oil

Our journey of propelling and promoting sustainable agricultural practices is not limited to the production of palm oil. We can provide our customers with certified sustainable Soybean oil suitable for various types of applications. ProTerra Foundation is our partner for the certification of Soybean oil.

ProTerra Foundation has set a comprehensive standard for human rights and good labor practices. This pertains to workplace safety, equal opportunities, and the prevention of child and forced labor. Moreover, it guarantees that any oil sourced is non-GMO and is the product of good agricultural practices. This regards soil fertility, water management, and continuous efforts to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

You can access our Proterra certification for Sustainable Soy here.

sustainable palm oil

Above and beyond Sustainability

We are committed to providing a transparent supply chain for innovative oil-based products, thus avoiding deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and loss of high-value conservation areas. Our commitments go above and beyond what law or certifying bodies are demanding. You can find more information about our commitments in:

a. The Responsible Agriculture Charter

This charter outlines our commitment to further improve agriculture practices through responsible environmental, social, and governance practices.

b. The Human Rights Charter

This charter enshrines our commitment to respect human rights in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

c. The Responsible Sourcing Guidelines

These guidelines enable us to engage with suppliers and obtain their commitment that all products supplied come from legally compliant, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible sources.

Traceability and transparency

Our vision is that a sustainable future can be attained through transparent supply chains. Therefore, we launched our online open-source traceability platform Crosscheck in 2019. This in-house developed tool provides you with full visibility on the origin of fruits and crude palm oil we processed. We use satellite technology and machine learning to track sensitive landscapes with accuracy and speed. This transparency makes it possible to identify where supply chains are associated with deforestation on the ground. We operate our plantations on No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) standards and extend these expectations to all our suppliers. Through in-depth supply chain analysis, we prioritize and progressively work with our suppliers to raise the standards.

Sustainability report

Our bi-annual Sime Darby Plantation Sustainability Report gives you a detailed overview of our sustainability performance, initiatives, and achievements. You can read the latest Sustainability Report here.

Watch this video about our leading plantation sustainability