Sabah: The World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and SD Guthrie Berhad have initiated a five-year pilot project focused on regenerative agriculture for palm oil in Sabah. This marks the first initiative of its kind in Malaysia's palm oil industry.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the collaboration is part of WWF-Malaysia's broader effort to achieve biodiversity and climate-positive outcomes on a landscape scale in the region. The project covers a 13,000-hectare area in Tawau, Sabah, involving five Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified Guthrie estates, and is a pilot under WWF's Reconnect Borneo Initiative aimed at restoring ecological connectivity through wildlife corridors.
The partnership will establish a wildlife corridor, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and implement WWF's global regenerative palm oil framework. This initiative seeks to advance beyond certification, targeting measurable improvements in biodiversity, climate resilience, and community well-being while enhancing long-term productivity.
The regenerative palm oil framework integrates existing sustainability standards like RSPO and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certifications. It aims to ensure palm oil production remains commercially viable, supports local communities, and actively improves biodiversity and climate resilience.
The success of this initiative will be evaluated against clear baselines, with progress demonstrated in biodiversity connectivity, ecosystem services, soil health, and social outcomes. WWF-Malaysia CEO Sophia Lim highlighted the project as a significant milestone, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between conservation organizations, industry leaders, and value-chain stakeholders to develop practical, science-based solutions.
SD Guthrie group managing director Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad stated that the initiative supports the company's "Beyond Zero" sustainability framework. This includes piloting a Regenerative Agriculture Framework for palm oil by 2028 and committing to restore and conserve 100,000 hectares of land by 2030. The collaboration aims to surpass certification requirements, focusing on cultivating positive environmental outcomes.
Activities in the partnership, including RSPO and MSPO-certified plantations and conservation areas, will undergo independent audits and risk reviews. Future communications will highlight verified conservation baselines and outcomes.
This pilot project aims to inform wider industry adoption and engagement, establishing credible pathways to support regenerative practices. By integrating regenerative palm oil within a landscape-scale conservation approach, WWF-Malaysia and Guthrie seek to contribute to Malaysia's biodiversity and climate goals and influence broader transformation in the global palm oil sector.