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Here’s to another year of meaningful progress and impactful initiatives! Discover our key sustainability milestones throughout 2023.
Table of contents [show/hide]
Tracking every step: GAR hits 99% traceability to the plantation
We achieved 99% Traceability to the Plantation (TTP) for our palm supply chain in Indonesia. This marks a major milestone in our sustainability journey, built on years of sustained effort since we launched our traceability project in 2015.
We are now extending our traceability efforts to the rest of our supply chain worldwide, for both palm and non-palm products, including sugar and soy.
Why is traceability so important to us?
Gearing up: The road to net zero
We are committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and keep global warming below 1.5°C. This involves significantly cutting Greenhouse Gases (GHG), including Scope 3 emissions, from our own operations and across our entire supply chain.
In 2023, we took a comprehensive and structured approach to building a decarbonisation strategy and a roadmap to cut carbon emissions for all our major companies (entities with at least 50% stake).
Our approach tackles four key areas:
- Implementing No Deforestation and No Peat commitments
- Realising carbon sequestration from carbon removal initiatives
- Methane avoidance and utilisation
- Renewable energy for heat and power
How does focusing on these areas help us meet our emission reduction targets?
No Deforestation and No Peat commitment
By conserving forests and peatlands, we increase their capacity to store carbon, leading to a reduced carbon footprint.
Carbon sequestration
Through carbon sequestration, a process to capture and store atmospheric CO₂, we can reduce the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere, lessening the impact of global warming.
Methane avoidance and utilisation
By capturing methane and converting it into energy, we prevent the gas from entering the atmosphere while reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy.
Transition to renewable energy
By transitioning to renewable energy for heating and power, we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels – major contributors to GHG emissions.
Investing in communities: Bright Future Initiative ignites change
In 2023, GAR launched our Bright Future Initiative, a transformative community partnership programme. Through this initiative, we work hand-in-hand with local communities to cultivate long-term economic prosperity, strengthen their resilience and self-sufficiency, and support vital conservation efforts.
Bright Future Initiative empowers communities in several ways:
Teaches them to grow their own healthy food using organic methods
Provides training in raising fish and livestock in new and better ways
Helps them plant crops that can be sold for a good profit
Teaches them how to improve their business operations and management
Links them to wider markets
Shares know-how on expanding product derivatives
Hear from one of our community members who shares her first-hand experience with the Bright Future Initiative.
From homemaker to hen farmer: A journey of community
Bu Ernawati’s transformation from homemaker to successful hen farmer in Tanjung Harapan village, West Kalimantan, is a testament to the power of community. Together with her farming group, she ventured into poultry farming, a field once foreign to her, with the support of Bright Future Initiative.
“The daily promise of fresh eggs drew us to poultry farming. With guidance from seasoned farmers and the resources from Bright Future Initiative, we not only mastered the practical skills but also gained insights into effective business management,” she says.
Currently, she manages an impressive production of 430 eggs per day, translating to nearly 13,000 eggs per month.
Read the full story here.
Levelling up: Sawit Terampil programme for smallholder success
GAR’s Sawit Terampil programme bridges the gap faced by Indonesian smallholders in accessing training and resources to improve their cultivation methods. It does so by partnering them with experts to equip farmers with the skills they need to thrive.
The success is evident: by the end of 2023, over 7,000 smallholders have reaped its benefits.
Upskilling >7,000 independent smallholders & helping 270 smallholders attain RSPO certification
Promoting respect: GAR’s human rights workshops for suppliers
Our support extends to providing detailed training for preventing child labour, and making sure suppliers are well-equipped to uphold set standards. In partnership with a major customer and several Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), we held more than 11 workshops on human rights from 2022 to 2023, reaching more than 310 participants from over 400 suppliers.
By empowering our suppliers with these tools and knowledge, we’re also supporting local communities to thrive, so that that progress in human rights is progress for everyone involved.
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Explore the full GAR’s Sustainability Report 2023 and discover how we’re transforming sustainable palm oil.
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