Going beyond compliance

SDP has been committed to no deforestation since 2014. Hence, we are well-positioned to meet this (EU's) regulatory requirement, says Helmy.

FROM quickening the pace of mechanisation to meeting global sustainability standards, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd (SDP) is spearheading reforms in the age-old palm oil industry. Using robotics and other artificial intelligence technologies, SDP is gradually transforming the narrative in the palm oil space; from dangerous, dirty and difficult to a modernised industry that is keeping up with the times. The following are excerpts of an interview with chief executive officer Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha:

StarBizWeek: What is your view on the European Union’s (EU) deforestation-free policy and increasing scrutiny for transparency in its supply chain for palm oil-related imports? How will this impact the country in the long run?