WHAT POLICIES HAS REA IMPLEMENTED?

The group endeavours to operate in a responsible and transparent manner and has made its policy framework publicly available since 2015.

In addition to the sustainability information published each year in the annual report, the group publishes more detailed information regarding the group’s environmental and social performance, as well as the sustainability challenge, in accordance with internationally recognised standards. This allows the group’s sustainability performance to be compared with that of other oil palm growers and allows stakeholders to monitor the group’s progress in meeting its sustainability commitments. This additional sustainability information is updated regularly through the year. This regular provision of updated information now substitutes for standalone hard copy sustainability reports such as were published by the group in the past.

Each year, the group participates in the Sustainable Palm Oil Transparency Toolkit (SPOTT) assessment by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). SPOTT uses publicly available information to assess palm oil producers, processors and traders on the transparency of their disclosures regarding policies, operations and commitments to environmental, social and governance (ESG) best practice. The overall SPOTT score comprises three ESG disclosure categories: organisation (the operations, assets and management structure); policies (the commitments and processes that guide the operations); and practices (the activities that actively progress towards targets and implementation of policies and commitments), within which the number of assessment categories, indicators and companies varies from year to year.

The toolkit is designed to incentivise implementation of best practice with respect to, inter alia, sustainability and traceability, forest management, biodiversity, high conservation values (HCVs), high carbon stocks (HCSs), peatlands, fire, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water, chemicals, pest management, smallholders, community (land) rights and labour rights, and grievances. In the 2023 SPOTT assessment, the group increased its score from 87.0% to 88.7%, compared with the average score of 47.2% and the top score of 95.6%, and is ranked 12th out of the 100 palm oil companies assessed against 186 ESG indicators.

The group follows a policy framework that underpins the group’s commitment to recognised sustainable practices and demonstrates the group’s desire to remain at the forefront of sustainable palm oil production. The group’s policies, which are regularly reviewed and updated, embody best practices with respect to NDPE (no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation) and sustainable development, the provision of socioeconomic benefits for local communities, the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem functions, zero burning, reducing GHG emissions, human rights and a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and slavery.

Policies available for download Downloads
Business ethics policy
Human rights policy
Environment and biodiversity conservation policy
Health and safety policy
Responsible development policy
Crocodile protection policy
NDPE policy

Commitments and Targets

Commitment Target Status
Achieve the RSPO certification for REA’s three 3 existing palm oil mills Ongoing
  • POM & COM initial certification was obtained in June 2011
  • POM 2nd cycle recertification audit was conducted in April 2021 (remote audit) and in October 2021 (onsite audit). The audit was carried out in 2 stages due to Covid-19 restrictions
  • POM 2nd cycle recertification achieved in October 2021
  • COM 2nd cycle recertification audit conducted in May 2022
  • COM 2nd cycle recertification achieved in August 2022
  • POM 1st surveillance audit successfully conducted in April 2022
  • POM 2nd surveillance audit successfully conducted in April 2023 with extension scope for Tepian Estate and Plasma Kahad Bersatu . The certificates for Tepian Estate and Plasma Kahad Bersatu will be issued when the Compensation Plans for the two management units are approved. These are currently being reviewed by RSPO
  • COM 1st surveillance audit successfully conducted in May 2023 with extension scope for Plasma Etam Bersatu*. The certificate for Plasma Etam Bersatu will be issued when the Compensation Plan is approved. This is currently being reviewed by RSPO
  • SOM and supply base initial certification audit successfully conducted in March 2023*. The certificate for SOM and supply base will be issued when the Compensation Plan for Satria Estate is approved by RSPO. SOM certification is expected to be achieved by the end of 2023
  • KMS estate successfully recertified as part of COM’s supply base in 2020
*Management units with liability compensation and remediation can start with an initial certification audit with the requirement that the Concept Note has been approved by RSPO (RSPO System Certification, November 2020)
Achieve RSPO certification for the 2 new palm oil mills that the group had expected to commission in 2019/2020 in CDM and PBJ Not applicable Development of the CDM mill has been delayed as there is no immediate requirement; PBJ was sold in 2018, obviating the need for an additional mill
Biodiversity
No new development after 15 November 2018 within the HGU area without an HCV and HCS assessment conducted by an independent HCV-HCS ALS (Assessor License Scheme) assessor Ongoing Achieved. No new development is, or will be, permitted to take place before completion of an HCV assessment by an independent HCV-HCS ALS assessor

HCV assessment report for PU has been approved in February 2021 by the HCVRN quality panel

HCSA standalone report for PU approved in June 2022 by HCSA Steering Committee

New Planting Procedure for PU has been approved by RSPO on 12 October 2022
Map all encroachment within the conservation reserves and develop an action plan to restore these areas Ongoing REA is continuously monitoring conservation areas and mapping encroachment sites, and has developed an action plan to tackle the encroachment and regenerate the areas
Climate change
No new development on peat Ongoing Achieved for all developing estates which undergo soil surveys prior to development
Reduce the intensity of GHG emissions per planted hectare Ongoing Achieved. The 3 existing mills (POM, COM and SOM) have identified and monitored all sources of GHG emissions from their operational activities

GHG gross emissions associated with the group’s oil palm operations were overall 8.3 per cent lower in 2022 compared with 2021, primarily reflecting a 22.2 per cent decrease in the applications of inorganic fertiliser.

In addition, GHG emissions from land use change reduced in 2022 with the increase in replanting of first generation oil palms to 277 hectares compared with 65 hectares of replanting in 2021. In the RSPO PalmGHG tool, emissions associated with palm to palm replanting are lower than those associated with first generation planting of forest to oil palm.

By contrast, gross emissions associated with crop collection, milling and palm product distribution marginally increased by 0.7 per cent in 2022 due to a small increase in diesel fuel consumption for processing higher crop volumes.

Net GHG emissions associated with the group’s oil palm operations decreased by 48.3 per cent in 2022 due to increased carbon credits earned by producing excess electricity supplied for domestic use and to the local community. Additional carbon credits were also earned though increased sales of kernel shell as biomass fuel and a reduction in emissions from KCP operations compared with 2021
Reduce the volume of water used to process each tonne of FFB in all 3 mills Ongoing The 3 mills (POM, COM and SOM) monitor water usage on a monthly basis; all 3 mills maintained levels below this target in 2022, although overall water usage showed a slight increase from 1.36m³ per tonne in 2021 to 1.5m³ per tonne in 2022 due to changes in facility wash down procedures. The group is reevaluating its water usage and targeting reductions in 2023 by, inter alia, increasing the amount of recycled water used for facility wash downs
Health and Safety
No work-related fatalities Ongoing Regrettably, at the end of 2022 there was one incident resulting in fatality when an oil palm harvester was electrocuted by cutting through an overhead power line.

Following a fatality, Indonesian safety regulations stipulate that a mandatory 6,000 lost working days must be recorded in the group’s annual safety performance records. Accordingly, working days lost in 2022 increased from 1,010 in 2021 to 6,830 in 2022.

Any fatality within the group’s premises is treated extremely seriously and the group responds in the same way irrespective of whether or not the incident is considered to be work related. The group has a rigorous accident reporting and investigation procedure to ensure that the cause of any incident is properly identified, and senior management and operational teams implement any necessary remedial actions across the group to prevent, or minimise the risk of, repeat occurrences.
Obtain ISO 45001:2018 certification 2023 Delayed until end of 2023 as the group works towards full implementation with monthly internal audits and inspections conducted in accordance with the standard.

In addition, the development of a management system is directed at establishing commitment and safety leadership which is the most important indicator in the ISO 45001:2018 certification process
Reduce lost time incident rates Ongoing In 2022, 202 Lost Time Incident (LTI) cases with 6,830 working days lost were recorded compared with 183 LTI cases with 1,010 working days lost in 2021.

The significant increase in the number of lost days recorded results from the 1 fatality case which occurred in December 2022. According to Indonesian government regulations, if 1 fatality case occurs, 6,000 lost working days must be recorded in the reported accident statistics.

The company is committed to continuing to reduce the number of work accidents through safety programs that are integrated with operational activities. The focus of continuous improvement to achieve zero accident rates is to raise safety leadership standards at all levels from the foreman to senior management. Best management practices (BMPs) are continuously improved and worked upon through promoting and campaigning for safe work environments and compliance with standard safety equipment and infrastructure
Labour
No employees under the age of 18 Ongoing Achieved: no employees under the age of 18
Reduce employee turnover rates Ongoing The total employee turnover ratio decreased from 11% in 2021 to 9.4% in 2022
Smallholders
Develop PPMD and plasma smallholder oil palm plantings equivalent to at least 20% of the total area planted by the REA group Ongoing Delayed. Land has been acquired to increase this percentage and is currently undergoing the appropriate assessments prior to development into oil palm
Achieve RSPO certification for the mature associated smallholder plantings supplying the group’s 3 existing mills 2025 The group is focusing on the RSPO certification plan for smallholder cooperatives, but this will take time to achieve with significant preparatory work required, such as providing socialisation and training to several independent farmer cooperatives. 2 smallholder cooperatives, Plasma Kahad Bersatu and Etam Bersatu, have completed the audit process as part of the POM and COM surveillance audits. After the Compensation Plan for the two smallholder cooperatives has been approved by RSPO, a certificate will be issued by the Certification Body. Plasma Kahad Bersatu and Etam Bersatu’s certifications are expected to be achieved by the end of 2023.

The other 3 smallholder cooperatives (Plasma Anugerah Sejahtera, Bangun Sari, and Pekalai Murip, all within the SOM supply base) will be certified no later than 3 years after SOM is certified. The Time Bound Certification Plan was approved by RSPO on 29 March 2023
Communities
No new development without the FPIC of local communities Ongoing No new development takes place without the FPIC of the local community
Traceability
100% traceable supply base for all three mills Completed in 2018 & ongoing 100% traceable supply base for all 3 mills: mapping and tracking of smallholders was completed in 2018