05/06/2010 (Daily Express), Kuala Lumpur - Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd has recently received certifications for another eight of its Strategic Operating Units (SOUs) from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), bringing the total number of certified SOUs to 13 to date.

The additional eight SOUs, which are business units comprising a mill and its supply base of one or more oil palm estates, received their RSPO certifications last month. The SOUs were East, West and Sepang (Selangor), Tanah Merah (N. Sembilan), Gunung Mas (Johor), Kempas (Melaka) and Segaliud and Jeleta Bumi (Sabah).

The certifications for the first five SOUs (Mostyn, Giram, Binuang, Merotai and Sandakan Bay - all in Sabah) were received in 2008 and 2009.

With the additional eight certifications, Sime Darby Plantation is now able to produce over 400,000 tonnes of sustainable crude palm oil annually.

Sime Darby Acting President and Group Chief Executive, Dato' Azhar Abdul Hamid, said the Group is now a step closer to realizing its target of having all of its 60 SOUs certified by RSPO by the end of 2011.

"In October 2008, Sime Darby Plantation became one of the first few companies to be awarded with the RSPO certification, which was the start of the journey to provide sustainable palm oil for consumption.

"The additional certifications show our seriousness and commitment to produce RSPO certified oil despite the higher costs involved.

We are in the right direction to produce sustainable palm oil for world consumption," he added.

The quest for more certifications from the RSPO is currently underway where seven more SOUs (four in Malaysia and three in Indonesia) are in the final stages of certifications i.e their reports are awaiting RSPO Executive Board approval.

In addition, 22 other SOUs have been audited by external certification bodies which include British Standards Institution Management Systems and Control Union (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

RSPO is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative towards the production of sustainable palm oil.

Its key objective is "to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue between its stakeholders."

RSPO certification ensures adherence to sustainable agricultural practices, including zero burning, natural pest management, composting of waste and water management, river buffer zone and hill slope protection, as well as the provision of housing, healthcare and educational facilities for the workforce.