Golden Agri Resources Ltd

1.1.. Is the company an RSPO member?

Yes, Golden Agri Resources Limited (GAR) has been an RSPO member since 2011.

1.2.. Has the company submitted its most recent Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP) report to the RSPO?

Yes.

1.3.1.. In the company's most recent and up-to-date RSPO ACOP report, does the company refer to itself as an oil palm grower?

Yes, Golden Agri Resources refers to itself as an oil palm grower.

1.3.2.. In the company's most recent and up-to-date RSPO ACOP report, does the company state all the countries and regions in which it operates?

Yes. Golden Agri Resources states all the countries and regions in which it operates: Indonesia (Jambi, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan; Bangka Belitung; Lampung; Papua; Riau; South and North Sumatra).

Note that this does not include Golden Veroleum (Liberia) Inc. (GVL). GVL is owned by The Verdant Fund LP, an investment fund, of which Golden Agri Resources is a major investor. However GVL is not a subsidiary of Golden Agri Resources nor is it affiliated to Golden Agri Resources. Both Golden Agri Resources and GVL operate as separate RSPO members in their own rights.

1.4.1.. Has the company RSPO-certified its first plantation estate: a) By November 2010, for companies joining prior to finalisation of the RSPO certification systems in November 2007? b) Within three years of joining the RSPO or of acquiring plantation operations as an RSPO member?

Yes, Golden Agri Resources has been an RSPO member since 2011 and certified its first plantation estate in 2011. Golden Agri Resources has a time-bound plan to complete certification by 2020 (for "units as per 30 June 2010").

1.4.2.. Has the company missed any of its public targets to be 100% RSPO-certified?

No. A target of 2015 for 100% certification of estates (for "units as per 30 June 2010") was extended to 2020. In order to comply with ongoing changes in ISPO regulations regarding the land ownership certification, GAR have extended the timeframe for completion of RSPO certification for the remaining 10 mills (as at 30 June 2010).

1.5.. What percentage of the company's total plantation estates is RSPO-certified?

55.4 - 55.4% of Golden Agri Resources's plantation estates are RSPO-certified.

Calculation: 212,903 ha (total area RSPO-certified) divided by 384,387 ha (stated planted area) x 100.

1.6.. Are the company's RSPO Principles and Criteria certification assessments publicly available?

Yes.

1.7.1.. Have the first of the company's independent FFB suppliers achieved RSPO certification?

No information could be found using the research protocols. ACOP states "2020" under "year expected to achieve 100% RSPO certification of independently sourced FFB".

1.7.2.. Has the company missed any public targets for 100% of its independent FFB suppliers to be RSPO-certified?

No.

1.8.1.. Has the company RSPO-certified its first scheme smallholders?

Yes, Golden Agri Resources certified its first plantation estate in 2011 and the first scheme smallholders in 2012. Golden Agri Resources has a time-bound plan to complete certification of its scheme smallholders by 2020 (for "49,232 ha of schemed smallholders").

1.8.2.. Has the company missed any public targets for 100% of its scheme smallholders to be RSPO-certified?

No. A target of 2015 for 100% certification was extended to 2020 (for "49,232 ha of schemed smallholders"). Please note that RSPO allows three years for certification, taking the deadline to 2023.

1.9.. What percentage of the company's scheme smallholder plantations is RSPO-certified?

50.3 - 50.3% of Golden Agri Resources's scheme smallholder plantations are RSPO-certified.
Calculation: 50,874 ha (total area RSPO-certified) divided by 101,219 ha (scheme smallholder hectarage) x 100.

1.10.. Does the company have any open complaints filed through the RSPO complaints system?

Yes, Golden Agri Resources has the following open complaint filed through the RSPO complaints system:
October 2014: PT Kartika Prima Cipta (subsidiary of Golden Agri) is accused by Forest Peoples Programme and TUK to have breached RSPO Principles & Criteria on FPIC, HCV assessment prior to development and compliance with Indonesian laws.

2.1.1.. Does the company have a publicly available statement detailing its land acquisition criteria?

Yes.

2.1.2.. Does this statement apply to all of the company's scheme smallholders and independent FFB suppliers?

Yes.

2.2.1.. Has the company publicly disclosed its total landbank area for oil palm cultivation?

412281 - Yes, landbank for oil palm cultivation is 412,281 ha. Calculation: 384,387 (total planted area) + 27,894 (total remaining landbank).

2.2.2.. Has the company publicly disclosed its total planted area?

384387 - Yes, planted area is 384,387 ha.

2.2.3.. Has the company publicly disclosed its total scheme smallholder area?

101219 - Yes, scheme smallholder hectarage is 101,219 ha.

2.2.4.. Has the company publicly disclosed its total area of land managed for conservation that is set aside (i.e. including areas of High Conservation Value)?

38782 - Yes, landbank for conservation reported in the 2015 ACOP is 38,782 ha. This has decreased from the figure of 48,321 ha reported in the 2014 ACOP.
However, in its 2015 sustainability report GAR reports a conservation area of 75,000 ha (HCV/HCS).

2.3.1.. Are all of the company's concession maps publicly available for all countries in which it operates?

Concession boundaries have been made available to the RSPO, but not all are publicly available due to ongoing legal issues.

2.3.2.. Are all of the company's scheme smallholders' concession maps publicly available for all countries in which it operates?

Scheme smallholder boundaries have been made available to the RSPO as part of their estate maps according to the company, but not all are publicly available due to ongoing legal issues.

3.1.1.. Does the company have a publicly available statement to address deforestation resulting from its operations?

Yes, GAR does not develop High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests or High Conservation Value (HCV) areas.

3.1.2.. Does this statement apply to all its scheme smallholders and independent FFB suppliers?

Yes.

3.2.1.. Does the company have a publicly available commitment to undertake Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) prior to any new planting taking place?

Yes.

3.2.2.. Does the company make its Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process publicly available?

Yes.

3.3.1.. Does the company have a publicly available commitment to conduct SEIA (Social and Environmental Impact Assessments) assessments prior to any new planting taking place?

Yes.

3.3.2.. Are all SEIA assessments conducted after November 2005 publicly available?

There is public availability of some of Golden Agri Resources' SEIA assessments:

Central Kalimantan: Buana Artha Sejahtera, PT Aditunggal Mahajaya, PT Agrokarya Primalestari, PT Mitrakarya Agroindo, PT Agrolestari Sentosa, PT Buana Adhitama, PT Binasawit Abadi Pratama, no further SEIA assessments could be found

South Kalimantan: No SEIA assessments could be found

West Kalimantan: PT Cahaya Nusa Gemilang, PT Agrolestari Mandiri, PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri, PT Persada Graha Mandiri, PT Paramitra Internusa Pratama, PT Kartika Prima Cipta, PT Kencana Graha Permai, and for smallholders of PT PIP, no further SEIA assessments could be found

East Kalimantan: PT Tapian Nadenggan, PT Kresna Duta Agroindo, no further SEIA assessments could be found

South Sumatra: PT Bumi Sawit Permai, no further SEIA assessments could be found

North Sumatra: No SEIA assessments could be found

Central Sumatra: PT Satya Kisma Usaha, no further SEIA assessments could be found

Papua: No SEIA assessments could be found.

3.4.1.. Does the company have a publicly available commitment to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments prior to any new planting taking place?

Yes.

3.4.2.. Has the company publicly committed to only using licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Network's Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?

No. The company only states that HCV assesments will be "completed by credible service providers" and it will "engage appropriate experts whenever competent and credible assessors are not readily available".

3.4.3.. Are all of the company's High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments conducted after November 2005 publicly available?

There is public availability of some of Golden Agri Resources' HCV assessments:

Central Kalimantan: PT Buana Artha Sejahtera, PT Aditunggal Mahajaya, PT Agrokarya Primalestari, PT Mitrakarya Agroindo, PT Agrolestari Sentosa, PT Buana Adhitama, PT Binasawit Abadi Pratama, no further HCV assessments could be found

South Kalimantan: No HCV assessments could be found

West Kalimantan: PT Cahaya Nusa Gemilang, PT Agrolestari Mandiri, PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri, PT Persada Graha Mandiri, PT Paramitra Internusa Pratama, PT Kartika Prima Cipta, PT Kencana Graha Permai and for smallholders of PT PIP, no further HCV assessments could be found

East Kalimantan: PT Tapian Nadenggan, PT Kresna Duta Agroindo, no further HCV assessments could be found

South Sumatra: PT Bumi Sawit Permai, no further HCV assessments could be found

North Sumatra: No HCV assessments could be found

Central Sumatra: PT Satya Kisma Usaha, no further HCV assessments could be found

Papua: No HCV assessments could be found.

3.4.4.. Does the company make its High Conservation Value (HCV) management and monitoring plans for all of its estates publicly available?

There is public availability of some of Golden Agri Resources' HCV management plans:

Central Kalimantan: PT Buana Artha Sejahtera, PT Aditunggal Mahajaya, PT Agrokarya Primalestari, PT Mitrakarya Agroindo, PT Agrolestari Sentosa, PT Buana Adhitama, PT Binasawit Abadi Pratama, no further HCV management plans could be found

South Kalimantan: No HCV management plans could be found

West Kalimantan: PT Cahaya Nusa Gemilang, PT Agrolestari Mandiri, PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri, PT Persada Graha Mandiri, PT Paramitra Internusa Pratama, PT Kartika Prima Cipta, PT Kencana Graha Permai and for smallholders of PT PIP, no further HCV management plans could be found

East Kalimantan: PT Tapian Nadenggan, PT Kresna Duta Agroindo, no further HCV management plans could be found

South Sumatra: PT Bumi Sawit Permai, no further HCV management plans could be found

North Sumatra: No HCV management plans could be found

Central Sumatra: PT Satya Kisma Usaha, no further SEIA assessments could be found

Papua: No HCV management plans could be found.

3.5.. Has the company publicly committed to applying a High Carbon Stock (HCS) methodology to all of its landholdings and not developing on HCS areas?

Yes.

3.6.. Does the company have a publicly available Water Management Plan or equivalent for its operations?

Yes.

3.7.. Does the company have a publicly available Integrated Pest Management Plan for its operations?

Yes.

3.8.. Does the company have a publicly available commitment to not use WHO Class 1A and 1B pesticides and paraquat, or time-bound plan for phasing out their use?

No. GAR 2015 Sustianability Report states "Starting in January 2016, GAR stopped using paraquat. In addition, pesticides that are categorised as World Health Organization Class 1A or 1B, or that are listed by the Stockholm or Rotterdam Conventions are not used, except in specific situations identified in national best
practice guidelines. The use of such pesticides shall be
minimised and eliminated as part of a plan, and shall
only be used in exceptional circumstances in ways that
do not endanger health or the environment.".

3.9.. Has the company been mentioned in any relevant media stories and/or reports that make reference to wildlife conflict or deforestation within the company's plantation estates and/or its scheme smallholders' or independent FFB suppliers' plantations?

Please find the relevant media stories listed in the media monitor below.

4.1.1.. Does the company have a publicly available statement stating that it is committed to a strict 'no new development on peat' policy?

Yes. GAR has a commitment to no development of and the conservation of peatlands of any depth.

4.1.2.. Does this policy apply to all its scheme smallholders and independent FFB suppliers?

Yes.

4.2.. What percentage of the company's landbank for oil palm cultivation is located on peat?

No information could be found using the research protocols.

5.1.1.. Does the company have a publicly available statement stating that it is committed to a strict policy of zero burning?

Yes.

5.1.2.. Does this policy apply to all its scheme smallholders and independent FFB suppliers?

Yes.

5.2.. Has the company been mentioned in any relevant media stories and/or reports that make reference to fires found within the company's plantation estates and/or its scheme smallholders' or independent FFB suppliers' plantations?

Please find the relevant media stories listed in the media monitor below.

6.1.1.. Does the company have a publicly available time-bound plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?

Golden Agri Resources is committed to reducing GHG emissions, but no time-bound plan found using the research protocols.

6.1.2.. Does this time-bound plan apply to all its scheme smallholders and independent FFB suppliers?

No information could be found using the research protocols.

6.2.. Does the company publicly report on progress made towards achieving its time-bound plan?

No information could be found using the research protocols.

6.3.. Does the company publicly report its GHG emissions from land use change associated with new planting?

Yes, for PT Kartika Prima Cipta (PT KPC) in West Kalimantan. The company reports 'verified GHG emissions from plantation and mill' for North Sumatra and Riau in its 2015 sustainability report, but it is not clear if this includes emissions specifically from land use change associated with new planting.

6.4.. Has the company made a public commitment to report and to reduce effects from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME)?

Yes.

6.5.. Has the company made a public commitment to eliminate methane emissions from all of its palm oil mills?

No. In its 2013 Sustainability Report, the company reported it had a "bio-digestor system to capture methane gas" at one of its mills.

7.1.. Are all of the company's mill locations publicly available for all countries in which it operates?

Mill locations have been made available previously, which are viewable on the SPOTT map. However, ZSL is currently unable to ascertain if the maps disclosed constitute 100% of the company's mills.

7.2.. What percentage of the company's total palm oil mills is RSPO-certified?

65.90 - 65.90% of Golden Agri Resources' palm oil mills are RSPO-certified
Calculation: 29 (stated number of palm oil mills RSPO-certified) divided by 44 (stated number of palm oil mills operated) x 100.

7.3.. What percentage of the company's total fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) purchased from independent suppliers (not including outgrowers and scheme smallholders) is RSPO-certified?

No information could be found using the research protocols.

7.4.. Does the company have a public commitment to move towards Segregated and/or Identity Preserved certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO)?

No information could be found using the research protocols.

7.5.. Does the company prioritize certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) from Segregated or Identity Preserved supply chain models over Mass Balance or GreenPalm?

Book & Claim, Mass Balance, Segregated.