10/02/2009 (Bernama), Kuala Lumpur - IOI Corporation Bhd announced today that its Pamol Estates Grouping in Sabah has been awarded the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Compliance Certification for its sustainable palm oil production.

For the RSPO certification, IOI participated in thorough sustainability audits of its Pamol Sabah Mill and the surrounding six estates, namely Meliau Estate, Bayak Estate, Nangoh Estate, Rungus Estate, Tindakan Estate and Ulu Estate, to fulfil the RSPO criteria, the company said in a statement.

Currently, IOI is actively pursuing certification audits on its other estates and mills in Malaysia with a view of obtaining the RSPO certification for all its estates and mills by the middle of 2011.

The company has been employing agricultural practices such as zero burning policy, integrated pest management, land terracing, recycling of biomass, reducing fossil fuel consumption and other measures.

This had resulted in higher than industry-average yields at reasonable costs, according to the company.

IOI is one of the founding members of the RSPO, an association created by organisations carrying out their activities in and around the entire supply chain for palm oil to promote growth and use of sustainable palm oil.