Singapore – Musim Mas shares with RAN the concerns (RAN’s latest report, 7 November 2016, Protecting the Leuser Ecosystem) surrounding the Leuser Ecosystem, and recognises the need for the industry to assume shared responsibility for its protection. Indeed, the Leuser Ecosystem landscape is one of the Group’s prioritised landscapes (more here).
Since the launch of the Group’s Sustainability Policy in December 2014, Musim Mas has been implementing the Group’s Policy on the ground and most importantly, understanding the Group’s supply base of third-party mills and the associated plantations and Smallholders , as well as independent Smallholders , and is in the process of identifying possible solutions for the different landscapes.
Over the past few months, the Group has increased its number of third-party mill verifications, with the goal of crystallising the key issues among the numerous concerns, formulating solutions and encouraging the mills to adopt the recommendations. In particular, Musim Mas is in the process of reviewing the proposed solutions which will be broken down into areas where the mills can improve upon, areas where Musim Mas can contribute and areas where a multi-stakeholder solution is needed.
Musim Mas has since visited a number of mills in the districts of Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Timur and Aceh Singkil of Aceh Province. These visits enabled direct engagement with the mills, and selection of the mill’s FFB suppliers to identify challenges in these highly sensitive landscapes on the edge of the Leuser Ecosystem. Going forward, Musim Mas will continue to work closely with those open and collaborative suppliers, develop a set of practical steps for these suppliers to become model actors in the supply chains and be a positive force in protecting these priority areas. At the same time, the Group will set this in the context of a wider engagement with stakeholders across and beyond the Palm Oil industry, including district governments, to seek a commonly agreed and sustainable outcome for each priority area.
Musim Mas believes that close collaboration with all the stakeholders in the Palm Oil industry is the most sustainable pathway for transformation. Creating real impact is about getting all the stakeholders together to start a conversation and look for possible implementation options.
The Group will be publishing more information in the upcoming Progress Report due in January 2017.
For more information, please contact:
Carolyn Lim
Corporate Communications
media@musimmas.com
+65 6576 6500
