Page 8 - APICAL_SR2020
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SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020                          01   02  03 03  04 04  05 05  06 06
                                                              President’s Statement

          PRESIDENT’S
          STATEMENT










          Within our own operations, we continued to
          implement our “Kaizen” or continuous improvement
          initiatives across our energy and water use, as well
          as waste generated. In 2020, we achieved a 9.6%
          reduction in emissions intensity compared to 2019.
                                                    We are also now in the Decade of Action to
          To ensure that our employees continue to benefit   deliver the Sustainable Development Goals
          from training and learning opportunities, we offered   (SDGs). We are currently developing APICAL2030,
          selected courses on our Workday Learning online   a new sustainability framework that will guide
          platform for easy access.                 our actions in the next 10 years, with a focus on
                                                    reducing  our carbon  footprint  and enhancing
          On the community front, we continued to   collaboration with key stakeholders in line with the
          run projects to improve the livelihoods of the   SDGs we focus on. We are also in the process of
          communities where we operate. One example is   updating our Sustainability Policy.
          our Rumah Pintar project which is aimed at training
          women to become entrepreneurs by turning their   The world is also transitioning towards a
          hobbies into a source of income, thus improving the   low-carbon and circular economy. As a processer,
          livelihood of their families.             it is important to adopt circular measures,
                                                    conserve resources and give new life to waste
          We also continued investing in community   generated. With increasing pressure on consumer
          infrastructure such as the refurbishment of the   brands, we believe that the demand for sustainable
          Posyandu Suka Bumi, an integrated health care   products  will  only  continue  to  grow.  We  continue
          centre  and  the  building  of  a  Mosque  near  our     to adopt a holistic approach to our business
          PT Asianagro Agungjaya Tanjung Balai refinery.    expansion  by  maintaining  sustainability  standards
          We launched a new initiative in collaboration   as we move into new markets and meet the rising
          with Kao Corporation and Asian Agri to support   demand for sustainable palm oil products.
          smallholders. The SMallholder Inclusion for
          better Livelihood & Empowerment (SMILE) is a   I would like to thank all of our partners for joining
          10-year partnership initiative aimed at helping   us on our sustainability journey and for your
          independent smallholders improve their yields,   continued support. I would also like to express
          acquire sustainability certification, and eventually   my deepest gratitude to all our employees who
          secure premiums from selling certified palm oil.     rose up to the challenge and helped Apical deliver
          This programme was launched in October 2020   a record year in terms of business performance
          and will commence in 2021.                despite the pandemic. I wish you good health for
                                                    the year ahead.
          Looking Ahead
                                                    Yours sincerely,
          As the palm oil industry continues to make good
          progress towards no deforestation, there is also
          an increased focus on labour issues. For Apical,
          this means continuing to ensure good labour   DATO’ YEO HOW
          practices are followed within our operations as well   President
          our supply chain.



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