GAR ramps up environmental protection in Indonesia

Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), the world’s second largest palm oil producer, has launched a Peat Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project in one of its operating areas in West Kalimantan in Indonesia. It aims to develop fire prevention measures and commits the company to the long term protection of the area.

 The company says that it will rehabilitate the ecosystem of undeveloped peatland next to established plantations which is at risk of third-party encroachment and vulnerable to fire. The project comes at a time when the Indonesian government is considering a moratorium on peatland development and ways to revitalize peat areas to tackle haze-causing fires.

It is also in line with the company’s wider commitments under its enhanced GAR Social and Environmental Policy (GSEP), adopted four years after GAR’s Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) was launched.

 “Indonesia needs solutions to the pressing issues of climate change, forest loss and fire,” said Agus Purnomo, md of Sustainability and Strategic Stakeholder Engagement.

“Through our Social and Environmental Policy and our commitment to peat rehabilitation, GAR is demonstrating that economic development and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand. We will continue to call for change across Indonesia and the industry to achieve sustainable palm oil.”

GAR’s updated policy has been integral in the decision by respected environmental organisation, TFT, to re-engage with GAR on its upstream work. The two organisations will now work together to ensure the success of the GSEP.

Applying to both upstream and downstream operations, the policy commits GAR to broadening the benefits of sustainable palm oil and will ensure 100% traceability to mills by the end of this year.