Johor Plantations Group Bhd (previously Kulim (Malaysia) Bhd)

1. Sustainable palm oil policy or commitment for all its operations?

The company has a Sustainability Handbook that details its policies.

2. Policy or commitment applies to direct and third-party suppliers?

3. High-level position of responsibility for sustainability?

The Sustainability Department is headed by a Deputy Manager.

4. Sustainability report published within last two years?

The company includes a sustainability report in their 2016 annual report.

5. Member of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to improve sustainability in relation to palm oil?

6. Verification report on compliance with POIG Charter, if a POIG member?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

7. Activities with government and/or NGOs to improve palm oil sustainability?

The company collaborates with NOG's and governments on the issues of poaching and encroachment, but are not focussed on wider sustainability issues.

8. Total land area managed/controlled for oil palm (ha)?

115378 - The company also reports an area of 164,494 ha in its 2016 ACOP however this seems like a reporting error, as it clearly states in its 2016 Annual Report that its total landbank is 115,378 ha.

9. Total oil palm planted area (ha)?

55680 - The company also reports a planted area of 117,013 ha in its 2016 ACOP however this seems like a reporting error, as it clearly states in its 2016 Annual Report that its total planted area is 55,680 ha.

10. Plasma/scheme smallholders planted area (ha)?

2683.47 - 0ha reported in RSPO ACOP 2016. Data more than one year old.

11. Unplanted (areas designated for future planting)(ha)?

38947.2 - Kulim is now being reported on under its parent company, Johor Corporation.

12. Conservation set-aside area, including HCV area (ha)?

8533.89 - Sum of HCV areas and other conservation areas. Kulim is now being reported on under its parent company, Johor Corporation.

13. Area for infrastructure (ha)?

3500 - The company reports 3,500 hectares to include "reserved land, building, sites etc." Not clearly just for infrastructure.

14. Number of company owned mills?

5 - Kulim is now being reported on under its parent company, Johor Corporation.

15. Maps or coordinates of company owned mills?

Mill locations have been made available on Global Forest Watch. However, ZSL is currently unable to ascertain if the maps disclosed constitute 100% of the company's palm oil mills.

16. Number and names of supplier mills?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

17. Maps of estates/management units?

Concession boundaries have been made available to the RSPO and the company declares these represent 100% of their concession sites, but not all may not be publicly available due to ongoing legal issues. Maps will become available on GeoRSPO.

18. Maps of scheme/plasma smallholders?

19. Time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to mill level?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

20. Time-bound commitment to achieve 100% traceability to plantation level?

21. Percentage of supply traceable to mill level (above 80%)?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

22. Percentage of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from own mills traceable to plantation level (is above 75%)?

26.5% - The RSPO reports the company has two mills that are identity preserved, covering 30,618 ha. This means that approximately 26.5% is traceable to plantation out of a total landbank of 115,378 ha.

23. Percentage of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from supplier mills traceable to plantation level (is above 75%)?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

24. Commitment to address deforestation?

25. Commitment to zero deforestation?

26. Deforestation commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?

27. Criteria for defining deforestation?

HCV, primary forest, peat areas.

28. Evidence of monitoring deforestation?

The company only states that "Special attention will be given to FFB traders who provide services to outgrowers who own land assets near primary forests and peat land. Closer monitoring mechanism will be established to strengthen our commitment to prevent any exploitation of HCV areas for oil palm cultivation".

29. Commitment to set aside areas for conservation?

30. Evidence of habitat management and/or habitat restoration?

The company launched the Natural Corridor Initiative, that links natural habitats separated by human modified landscapes. "To create these natural corridors we have an annual tree planting event rebranded as Infaq 1 Warisan, which brings together employees as well as members of the public to play their part in enhancing biodiversity in our estates".

31. A landscape-level approach?

The company states "In any development, Kulim will also take into account the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of cultural and customary land use within the context of a sustainably managed landscape" but no further details are given. The company also has a natural corridor initiative to plant wildlife corridors.

32. Commitment to biodiversity conservation?

33. Commitment to not endanger species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification?

The company states it is committed to protecting the national biodiversity and endangered species, and makes reference to the IUCN Red List.

34. Commitment to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species?

35. Commitment not to operate within internationally and nationally designated protected areas?

36. Evidence of species conservation activities?

The company undertakes anti-poaching activities, build wildlife corridors and donate to the Orangutan Land Trust.

37. Commitment to High Conservation Value (HCV) approach?

38. HCV commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?

39. Commitment to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Network's Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?

The company does not have a explicit commitment itself, but commits under the RSPO NPP through its parent company Johor Corporation being an RSPO member.

40. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for planting undertaken prior to January 2015, and associated management and monitoring plans?

There is public availability of the following HCV assessments:
Central Kalimantan: PT Harapan Barito Sejahtera, PT Sawit Sumber Rejo, PT Wahana Semesta Kharisma.

41. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments for all estates planted since January 2015?

The company states that 307 hectares were planted according to RSPO NPP procedures in Indonesia in 2015 but no HCV assessments found.

42. High Conservation Value (HCV) management and monitoring plans for all estates planted since January 2015?

The company states that 307 hectares were planted according to RSPO NPP procedures in Indonesia in 2015 but no HCV management and monitoring plans found.

43. Satisfactory review of all High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments undertaken since January 2015 by the HCV ALS Quality Panel?

44. Commitment to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) approach?

45. High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments?

This indicator is disabled as according to 2016 RSPO ACOP no new planting has occurred.

46. Commitment to conduct social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs)?

47. Social and environmental impact assessment (SEIAs) undertaken, and associated management and monitoring plans?

There is public availability of the following SEIA assessments:
Central Kalimantan: PT Harapan Barito Sejahtera, PT Sawit Sumber Rejo, PT Wahana Semesta Kharisma.

48. Commitment to no planting on peat of any depth?

The company states it has an on-going commitment to no peat development but they do not specify of any depth.

49. Peat commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?

50. Commitment to best management practices for soils and peat?

51. Landbank or planted area on peat (ha)?

1380

52. Evidence of best management practices for soils and peat?

The company only details best management practices for soils.

53. Commitment to zero burning?

The company only states it has a zero-burning approach for replanting.

54. Zero burning commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?

55. Evidence of management and monitoring fires?

56. Details/number of hotspots/fires in company estates?

57. Details/number of hotspots/fires within surrounding landscape/smallholders?

58. Time-bound commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?

The company states "Kulim targets to cut the Group's overall carbon footprint to 58% by 2020".

59. GHG commitment applies to scheme smallholders and independent suppliers?

60. GHG emissions?

61. GHG emissions from land use change?

62. Methodology used to calculate GHG emissions?

PalmGHG Version 3.0.1.

63. Progress towards commitment to reduce GHG emissions?

64. Percentage of mills with methane capture (is above 75%)?

2 (40%)

65. Time-bound commitment to improve water use?

The company has an on-going target to reduce water usage to 1.2 m3 per tonne of FFB which was met in 2016 at 1.15 m3 per tonne FFB.

66. Time-bound commitment to improve water quality?

The company only has a commitment to "maintain the quality of ground and surface waters" and seeks to prevent pollution, but does not have a time-bound commitment.

67. Progress towards commitment on water use?

The company has an on-going target to reduce water usage to 1.2 m3 per tonne of FFB which was met in 2016 at 1.15 m3 per tonne FFB.

68. Progress towards commitment on water quality?

69. Protection of natural waterways through buffer zones?

70. Evidence of treating palm oil mill effluent (POME)?

The company only states that organic fertilisers are produced from treated and dried POME, but no further details are given.

71. Commitment to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers?

72. No use of paraquat?

73. No use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides?

74. No use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention?

75. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach?

76. Chemical usage per ha or list of chemicals used?

Herbicide use per hectare.

77. Commitment to human rights, referencing the UN Declaration of Human Rights or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?

78. Commitment to respect legal and customary land tenure rights?

The company only states that they take into account the protection of cultural and customary land use but no reference customary ownership rights or legal land rights.

79. Commitment to respect indigenous and local communities' rights, referencing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or ILO 169?

80. Commitment to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)?

81. FPIC commitment applies to independent suppliers?

82. Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process?

83. Process for addressing land conflicts?

84. Commitment to ensure food security for local communities?

The company only mentions a commitment to national food security.

85. Commitment to respect all workers' rights?

The company has a commitment to protect labour rights but it is not clear if this is for all workers.

86. Reference to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles?

87. Total number of employees?

8487

88. Percentage or number of temporary employees?

89. Percentage or number of women employees?

11.5%

90. Minimum wage that the company pays?

The company states "Kulim labour policies are grounded on good labour practices and its commitment to protect labour rights with the implementation of non-discriminatory policies, minimum wage, overtime wages, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining", but it is not clear if this applies to all workers.

91. Commitment to address occupational health and safety?

92. Lost time accident rate?

3.51

93. Number of fatalities as a result of work-based accidents?

0

94. Provision of personal protective equipment and pesticide training?

95. Member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?

2004 - Kulim (Malaysia) joined the RSPO in 2004, and its parent company, Johor Corporation, joined in 2009. Kulim is now being reported on under its parent company, Johor Corporation.

96. Submitted most recent RSPO Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP)?

Kulim is now being reported on under its parent company, Johor Corporation.

97. Listed all countries and regions in which operates in most recent RSPO Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP)?

The company reports it operates in Indonesia (Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra) and Malaysia (Johor, Pahang).

98. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of estates within 5 years or achieved 100% RSPO-certification of estates?

2025 - Time-bound plan more than 5 years away.

99. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of scheme/associated smallholders within 5 years or achieved 100% RSPO-certification of scheme/associated smallholders?

2025 - Time-bound plan more than 5 years away.

100. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% RSPO certification of all supply chains?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

101. RSPO-certified within three years of joining the RSPO or by November 2010, for companies joining prior to finalisation of the RSPO certification systems in November 2007?

2009

102. Percentage of mills RSPO-certified (is above 75%)?

5 (100%)

103. Percentage of area (ha) RSPO-certified (is above 75%)?

60637.9 (52.6%)

104. Percentage of scheme/associated smallholders (ha) RSPO-certified (is above 75%)?

0 (0%)

105. Percentage of FFB supply (tonnes) from independent FFB suppliers that is RSPO-certified (is above 75%)?

27263.8 (7.5%) - The company reports that 27263.75 tonnes out of 53123.94 tonnes from outgrowers is certified, and that 0 tonnes out of 311653 tonnes from other 3rd party suppliers is certified.

106. Percentage of all palm oil and oil palm products handled/traded/processed (tonnes) that are RSPO-certified (is above 75%)?

This indicator is disabled as it is not applicable to this company.

107. Sells or processes/trades RSPO-certified palm oil through Segregated or Identity Preserved supply chains?

Book & Claim, Mass Balance, Identity Preserved.

108. Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certified (100%)?

109. Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certified (100%)?

110. Certified under voluntary sustainability certification scheme (e.g. ISCC, SAN, RSB, etc.)?

ISCC, ISO 14001.

111. Programme to support scheme smallholders?

112. Details of support programme for scheme smallholders?

113. Number or percentage of scheme smallholders involved in programme?

114. Programme to support independent smallholders?

115. Details of support programme for independent smallholders?

Assisting outgrowers or smallholder in achieving certification, incentives given for RSPO certified FFB, assisting outgrowers or smallholder in good agriculture practice and legal compliance.

116. Number or percentage of independent smallholders involved in programme?

The company states that "So far, two (2) outgrower groups have achieved certification and we continue to work with other outgrowers".

117. Process used to prioritise, assess and/or engage suppliers on compliance with company's policy and/or legal requirements?

118. Suspension or exclusion criteria for suppliers?

119. Number or percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged?

120. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?

121. Whistleblowing procedure?

122. Own grievance or complaints system?

The company has a grievance system but cannot report all issues.

123. Grievance system accessible to internal stakeholders (i.e. employees)?

124. Grievance system accessible to external stakeholders?

125. Details of grievances disclosed?