Growing with purpose: Highlights from Our Sustainability Report 2024

The world didn't get easier in 2024 - but our direction got clearer.

As the climate shifted and regulations tightened, we found ourselves asking some hard but important questions: What really matters to us? What can we make the biggest difference? And how do we grow in a way that lasts?

To find those answers, we looked both outward and inward. In 2024, we carried out our first Double Materiality Assessment - a way to see the full picture. It helped us understand not only how our actions impact the world around us, but also how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors shape our business, performance, and ability to stay resilient in a changing world.

At the same time, we sharpened our strategy, stepped up our climate action, and launched new tools and partnerships to turn ambitions into results.

And through it all, we kept people at the centre - from farmers and field teams to global customers and local communities. "Sustainability is our strategy - it's how we grow, create better products, and make sure we're here for the long run," says our Chairman and CEO, Franky Oesman Widjaja.

Here are the ways we put that belief into action in 2024.

Launching our new sustainability framework: Collective for Impact

We laid the foundation for a new chapter in how we approach sustainability. Our new framework, Collective for Impact, sets the course with a sharper focus on how we source, operate, and grow responsibly.

Built on three interconnected pillars, it drives inclusive progress across the value chain:

Anchored in measurable targets, the new framework lays out where we need to go, and how we'll get there with suppliers, communities, and partners. Rather than replacing our GAR Social and Environmental Policy (GSEP), it builds on it - offering clearer priorities and stronger alignment with global sustainability goals.

Why does Collective for Impact matter? "Collective for Impact is our answer to evolving global challenges like climate change. It harnesses our strengths to tackle these issues - while uplifting the people and places we depend on. The goals set out in it may not surprise you - after all, we share the same urgent realities. What I hope will surprise you is the depth of our commitment to turn these aspirations into reality," says Anita Neville, our Chief Sustainability & Communications Officer.

A bold climate commitment: On the path to net zero

2024 was the year we turned climate ambition into structured action.

We took bold steps toward our long-term climate goals by setting science-aligned targets:

To reach these targets, we focused on where our emissions are highest - from land use to energy and supplier operations. In just two years since setting our 2022 baseline, we've already reduced Scope 1 emissions by 7% through switching to renewable biomass energy, restoring peatlands, and improving supplier compliance through NDPE monitoring.

In 2024 alone, we achieved a 3% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, thanks to continued implementation of our NDPE commitments, a range of energy efficiency initiatives, and increased use of renewable energy in our downstream operations.

We also continued investing in climate innovation - from scaling up biogas to strengthening traceability and piloting nature-based carbon projects. And through initiatives like Sawit Terampil, we support smallholders to improve yields while protecting forests - showing that sustainability and productivity go hand in hand.

Reaching net zero takes long-term work but dealing with a changing climate is a daily reality. While we work toward our carbon targets, we also rely on experts like Felia Rizky Aulia, our Climatologist who helps our teams adapt on the ground - turning weather data into smarter decisions, faster.

SmartTrace and 100% global mill traceability

To push traceability even further, we launched SmartTrace - a blockchain-based platform that provides real-time visibility into the journey of our palm oil, from plantation to end-product. Whether you're a buyer, supplier, or regulator, SmartTrace makes it easier to meet sourcing requirements and stay ahead of evolving regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

With satellite monitoring, geo-mapping, and digitised records, SmartTrace helps turn traceability into a tool for shared progress.

Hear from Suwandi Kho, our Blockchain & Business Intelligence Team Lead, on how SmartTrace is changing the way we track, verify, and build trust across our supply chain.

Scaling up collective impact with communities

In 2024, we continued to scale our community programmes through the Bright Future Initiative - our flagship programme for economic empowerment.

Our projects are rooted in a simple principle: sustainable growth should be shared. Through Bright Future Initiative, we provide targeted support such as business training, digital literacy, and financial planning - providing rural entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive in a changing economy.

Why does community empowerment matter?

Hear from one of the rural entrepreneurs whose life was transformed through Bright Future Initiative.

Read the full GAR's Sustainability Report 2024 and see how we're growing with purpose - creating impact across climate, communities, and supply chains.