Progressing from Sustainability to Climate Action in the Palm Oil Sector

Synopsis

Malaysia is one of the major producer and exporter countries of palm oil and palm oil products in the world and in the last few years, both sustainability and climate action has been the core principles in developing this new emerging economy. 

Hence, we align and recognise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Agenda 2030. Although it is not legally binding, Malaysia has adopted these SDGs as primary framework to drive and attain higher sustainability commitment within the palm oil industry. Such commitment is transpired primary through the mandatory implementation of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification along the supply chain of palm oil since January 2020. We have taken another leap by adopting policies on sustainable cultivation of oil palm in controlling the total planted area while banning the conversion of permanent forest reserves and new peatland area for oil palm.

In addition, the Ministry has ventured into biodiesel program since 2011 with the blending of 5% or B5 and has further enrolled towards B10 and higher blending rate. Such augmentation not only help in reducing GHG emission but also indirectly diversifying our downstream product and subsequently stabilizing the local CPO stock and price. 

To further support the climate change action, MPIC through Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has established the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) to support conservation activities which reflect our commitment towards conserving our environment. Nevertheless, effort towards sustainability and climate change action in our palm industry will be further improved over the time. 

The key to our success is premised on the continuous support, cooperation as well as commitment from all stakeholders to achieve the objectives set forth.

Agenda

12.30pm  Welcome remarks by Dr Kalanithi Nesaretnam (Co-founder CGM)

12.40pm  Keynote Address by YBhg. Datuk Ravi Muthayah (Secretary-General, Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities)

12.55pm  Panel Discussion

Panellists:

Mr Juan Aranols (CEO, Nestle (Malaysia) Berhad and Region Head of Nestle, Malaysia)

Y.Bhg Dato' Lee Yeow Chor (Managing Director and CEO, IOI Corporation)

Dr. Marc Ancrenaz (Co-founder of French NGO Hutan)

Dr. Yatela Zainal Abidin (CEO, Yayasan Sime Darby)

Moderator: Tunku Dr. Alina Alias (Council member CGM)

1.40pm    Q and A from the floor

1.55pm   Closing Remarks by Tunku Dr. Alina Alias

Keynote Speaker

Datuk Ravi Muthayah is the Secretary General of the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC). A post he has held since December 2019. He obtained is degree in Economics (University of Malaya) in 1985 and a Master’s in Business Administration (University of Kobe) in 1999. His past working experiences include the following: Deputy Secretary General (Commodities) since 4 July 2018 to 23 December 2019 Ministry of Primary Industries; Director of Manufacturing Industry Science and Technology Section, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (2016-2018); Director of Agriculture Section, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (2013- 2016); Deputy Director of Agriculture Section, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (2008- 2013) 5. Principal Assistant Director of Agriculture Section, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (2003-2008); Principal Assistant Director, Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs (2001-2003); Assistant Director, Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs (1999- 2001); and Assistant Secretary, Tax Analysis & Policy Division, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia (1989-1995).

Host 

Dr Kalanithi Nesaretnam is co-founder of Climate Governance Malaysia and an independent non-executive director of FGV Holdings. She was formerly Minister / Regional Manager MPOB, Embassy of Malaysia and Mission of Malaysia to the European Union.

Panellists

Juan Aranols is the Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad and the Region Head of Nestlé Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei since December 2018. A Spaniard, Aranols joined Nestlé in 1990 and brings over 28 years of experience to the business globally in the Nestlé Group from his key roles across a number of different markets in Europe, Latin America and the global headquarters in Switzerland. In his previous role, Aranols was the Chief Financial Officer for Zone AOA: Asia, Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa based at the Nestlé S.A. Global Headquarters in Switzerland, where he also had management oversight of the Confectionery and Nestlé Professional businesses in Zone AOA.

Dato’ Lee Yeow Chor is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of IOI Corporation Berhad, the second most valuable palm oil company listed on Bursa Malaysia. He has been on the Board of Directors of IOI Corporation Berhad and IOI Properties Berhad since 1996, and a Board Director of IOI Properties Group Berhad since 2013. IOI Corporation Berhad is an integrated palm oil company with operations in eight countries across four continents, while IOI Properties Group Berhad is a regional property development and investment company with substantial presence in Malaysia, Singapore and China. Dato’ Lee is a barrister from Gray’s Inn, London and holds a LLB (Honours) from Kings College London in 1988 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Finance and Accounting from London School of Economics in 1990. Prior to joining IOI Group in 1994, he served in various capacities in the Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers and the Malaysian Judiciary service for about four years. Dato’ Lee was elected Chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) in June 2020. Prior to that, he was the Chairman of Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) for 11 years from 2009 to 2020. Dato’ Lee was also appointed as a Board Member of Bank Negara Malaysia from 2015 to 2018. He was formerly a Board Member of the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation and the Secretary General of the Malaysian Real Estate Housing Developers Association (REDHA) from 2002 to 2006.

Dr Marc Ancrenaz (HUTAN) is the co-founder of the French NGO Hutan, and run the Kinabatangan Orang-Utan Conservation Programme (KOCP), a community-based initiative located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. He is a co-founder of PONGO Alliance that aims to make coexistence between orangutans and people within agricultural landscapes a reality; the co-founder of the “Borneo Futures Initiative” that aims at providing cutting edge science to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding amongst decision makers, media, NGOs and the general public in Borneo; and a scientific adviser for the Sabah Wildlife Department. His expertise includes wildlife research, medicine, population management and policy formulation with 30 years of experience in wildlife range countries (Gabon, Congo, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia).

Dr. Hjh Yatela Zainal Abidin is the CEO of Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD), or the Sime Darby Foundation, a position which she has held for more than ten years. YSD is the philanthropic arm of the three Sime Darby companies i.e. Sime Darby Berhad, Sime Darby Plantation Berhad and Sime Darby Property Berhad. YSD focuses on the five pillars of Education, Community & Health, Environment, Sports and Arts & Culture. The strategies of these five pillars are aligned to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations; so that the impact would be towards achieving a balance in the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Yatela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance which she obtained from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in the United Kingdom. She completed her Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) professional degree at the Emile Woolf College of Accountancy, London; and went on to attain her ACCA fellowship. Due to her interest in education for the underprivileged, Yatela recently completed her doctoral degree at Universiti Utara Malaysia, with her thesis entitled “Using Life Stories to Understand the Development of Resilience in the Underprivileged.”

Moderator Tunku Alina Alias is one of the fuonding members of Climate Governance Malaysia. She is an independent Director at IJM Corporation Bhd, Batu Kawan Berhad and Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd , Non-Independent Non-Executive Director at MBSB Bank Berhad and Chair of JA Russell & Co Sdn Bhd and Board of Trustees of Raja Alias Foundation.