In this week’s update, we would like to provide you with further details on the activities that we are pursuing to ensure our sustainability commitments are met. Specifically, on the matter related to our temporary suspension by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) of our Group’s Certification:

• On 18 April, 2016, IOI Group (IOI) met with Aidenvironment to discuss the revised Action Plan that we had submitted to RSPO on 6 April. During this meeting, we discussed on-the-ground verification of some of the action plans, together with Global Environment Centre (GEC), who was appointed after consultation with Aidenvironment. GEC is a specialist in peat, HCV and various conservation matters, and will support IOI to execute the corrective measures concerning our plantation operations in Kalimantan Barat including peat restoration and peat protection. 

• A field trip to Kalimantan with GEC is currently in progress which will be followed by a meeting with Aidenvironment on either 28 or 29 April, to discuss the outcome of the field trip and the necessary actions to address the matter of the complaint, with the presence of IOI’s Senior Management team.

• We also discussed with Aidenvironment and Greenpeace the elements of the Action Plan relating to legal compliance issues raised in the complaint, as well as the appointment of a legal consultant, Pak Andiko Mancayo, to support us to address this matter.

• Finally, the HCV Peer Review of the three subsidiaries will be reviewed by a RSPO approved reviewer. The PT BSS’s HCV Assessment is scheduled to be completed on 18 April, while the HCV Assessment for the other two subsidiaries (PT BNS and PT SKS) is to be done one week later.

IOI Group would like to reiterate that we remain dedicated to all necessary actions (both corrective and forward-looking) to demonstrate our continued commitment to building a world class oil palm business, based on our published sustainability principles of no deforestation, no planting on peat and to drive positive socio-economic impact for people and communities.

For further information, please contact:

Dr Surina Ismail
Group Head of Sustainability
IOI Corporation Berhad
Tel: +603-8947 8888 (ext: 6841)
Email: surina@ioigroup.com