WHO'S THE MOST CHARITABLE?

How Sime Darby Plantation Berhad Gives Back To Society?

Sime Darby Plantation Berhad

SD Plantation is a leading, vertically integrated global palm oil company. With a rich history of over two centuries, and as a founding member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the Group was publicly listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2017. Headquartered in Malaysia, SD Plantation operates across the entire palm oil value chain, encompassing upstream plantations, downstream activities, research and development, as well as renewables within the agribusiness sector. SD Plantation’s initiatives focus on climate resilience, fair labour practices, and responsible agricultural methods where our collective efforts will ensure we achieve our sustainability objectives.

Fiscal Year-End: 31 December 2023

Industry: Plantation

Net Profit: RM1.98 billion

The net profit of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad decreased in FY2023 to RM1.98 billion from RM2.48 billion during the previous financial year.

Profit Growth (YoY): -20.42%

SDP reported a negative net profit growth year on year of 20.42%.

Dividend Payout: RM0.88 billion

The Group declared a higher dividend payout ratio for FY2023 at 61% which amounts to RM886 million or 13 sen per share.

Zakat Fund: N/A

The Group did not specify the total amount of contribution made towards Zakat during FY2023.

Cash Giving: RM56.74 million

Total cash contributions made by SDP during FY2023, was RM56.74 million. This contribution was made through community investment benefiting over 24,526 lives.

In-kind Giving: N/D

Total in-kind contributions are not defined due to incomplete data. However, contributions are still accounted for under the RM56.74 million contribution made through community investment.

Employee Volunteer Hours: N/A

Sime Darby Plantation Berhad did not specify the total employee volunteer hours in their FY2023 annual and sustainability report.

Sime Darby Plantation Berhad:
Cash, In-Kind and Employee Volunteer Hours

No.	Contribution	Cash Giving	In-kind Giving	Employee Volunteer Hours	Beneficiaries
1	Conservation Areas	RM7.36M	N/A	N/A	Environment	In FY2023, we conserved a total of 2,530 ha of peatlands, with 62% located in Indonesia, 22% in PNG and SI, and the remaining 16% in Malaysia. Furthermore, as at the end of 2023, a total of 45,396 ha has been set aside as HCV and conservation set-aside (CSA) areas. Following the HCV verification exercise conducted in FY2023 on all our operations, the HCV area designated in Malaysia saw an increase of 7%. The reduction of HCV areas in Indonesia was due to the disposal of two business units. We have actively engaged in numerous conservation and reforestation endeavours, primarily centered in Malaysia. In FY2023, we allocated RM7.36 million to support conservation initiatives. Additionally, our reforestation programmes have resulted in the planting of 2,284,028 trees to date.
2	Nestlé RELeaf Project	N/A	517,710 trees	N/A	Environment	The Nestlé Cares Nationwide Tree Planting Event took place on June 17, 2023, simultaneously at three locations: SD Plantation Carey Island, Gunung Mas Estate in Johor, and Melalap Estate in Sabah. As of that date, a total of 745,540 trees had been planted across 745 hectares. In 2023 alone, 517,710 trees were planted in Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia.
3	Community-based Fire Prevention	N/A	Safety training	N/A	750 teachers	Minamas Plantation implements a community-based fire prevention programme known as “Desa Mandiri Cegah Api”, established in 2014 in collaboration with local universities. This programme operates in high risk areas, covering 34 villages approximately 161,000 ha. It enhances awareness of forest and land fire risks in the community, extending outreach to schools through programmes like “Guru Peduli Api” involving 750 teachers and principals, and “Sekolah Peduli Api” with the Indonesia Heritage Foundation. The “Penghargaan Desa Bebas Api” awards fire-free villages to encourage villagers to practice zero-burning on their farms. Minamas Plantation also conducted training sessions on forest and land fire prevention and control with smallholders and nearby communities across our operations in 2023, highlighting the importance of preserving the surrounding environment from the dangers of forest fires.
4	SD Plantation Indonesia	N/A		N/A	27,000 workers and their families	In Indonesia, Minamas focussed on the CSR pillars of community development, education of school-going students, conservation of the environment and supporting the preservation of arts and cultures. In 2023, we installed 130 reverse osmosis (RO) water stations in all workers’ housing area, eliminating the need for bottled water. Through this initiative, 27,000 workers and their families are provided with 240,000 litres of free RO water resulting in a total estimated daily cost savings of RM55,000 for the workers.
5	SD Plantation Indonesia	N/A	Free education	N/A	14,000 children	Additionally, approximately 14,000 children receive free education, facilitated by 701 teachers across 68 primary and secondary schools, 63 kindergartens, and 139 daycare centers that are fully managed by Minamas.
6	Outdoor Solar Lighting Project	N/A	Solar lighting installed	N/A	4 rural health centres	The project aimed to enhance essential facilities, particularly those within our operations and neighboring communities, while creating a safer and more welcoming environment for patients and their families who depend on the aid post for medical services. As a result, solar lighting was installed at four rural health centers, along with the provision of comfortable seating benches at the aid post, significantly improving the experience for the local community.
7	NBPOL’s Goodwill Project	N/A	400 solar lamps	N/A	307 individual	The project aimed to enhance essential facilities at the operation sites and in neighboring communities, while also creating a safer environment for employees, workers, and local residents. In line with these objectives, a total of 400 solar lamps were provided to the Ubai Community, with 307 individual households, places of worship, and community spaces benefiting from the distribution.

Shows an increase monetarily or the number of beneficiaries from 2022 report.

Shows a decrease monetarily or the number of beneficiaries from 2022 report

1. The numerical value for total cash and in-kind giving was calculated based on individual monetary mentions in the Annual and Sustainability report.

2. The information above is derived from Sime Darby Plantation Berhad’s 2023 Annual and Sustainability Report. Email correspondence was made between 12 June – 30 July 2024 to seek further clarification, however, no reply was received.

This independent report is produced without sponsorship from any organisation. The objective of the Bursa Top 20 is to promote philanthropy and encourage charitable giving among for-profit organisations.

Highlights From Sime Darby Plantation Berhad's Giving

Focus Areas of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad

Beneficiaries of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad

Sime Darby Plantation Berhad reported a contribution of RM56.74 million towards community investment, with 42.9% allocated to Community Development initiatives and 28.6% each to Environmental and Educational programs. This contribution represents 2.87% of their cash-to-profit giving. As part of their community development efforts, SDP provided solar lighting and solar lamps under the NBPOL Goodwill Project and Outdoor Solar Lighting Project. Their initiatives reportedly benefited 24,526 people. The majority of SDP’s contributions were directed towards Community beneficiaries, accounting for 57.1%, followed by the Environment at 28.6% and Youth at 14.3%. However, Sime Darby Plantation did not report any employee volunteer hours in their annual or sustainability report.