Deep Dive - Sime Darby: Helping communities to thrive

SIME DARBY

Helping communities to thrive The multinational conglomerate Sime Darby addresses children's rights in a number of different ways across sectors and geographies. They are working actively to improve the safety of the communities where they operate, by providing child protection, access to water, educationand healthcare.

A D D RES S IN G CHIL D REN' S RIG HT S Cr e a t i ng a s a fe co m m uni t y Si m e Da rby i s a c om pa ny w i th a w i de ra nge of i ndustri e s, ove r 1 30 ,00 0 e m pl oye e s a nd ope ra ti ons i n 2 6 di ffe re nt c ountri e s. The y a re k e e nl y a wa re of how the y i m pa c t c hi l dre n i n the i r busi ne ss a nd a ddre ss c hi l dre n's ri ghts i n num e rous w a ys.

For e xa m pl e , i n 2 0 10 , Sim e Da rby de ve l ope d the C hi l d P rote c ti on P ol i c y, to e nsure a sa fe e nvi ronm e nt for c hi l dre n w he re the y ope ra te , goi ng be yond i ssue s of c hi l d l a bour. The y ha ve pl a nta ti ons i n de ve l opi ng c ountri e s suc h a s Pa pua Ne w G ui ne a , Sa l om on Isl a nds a nd Li be ri a . In the se a re a s, the f oc us i s not onl y on w ork pl a c e i ssue s, but the c om pa ny w ork s to p rovi de ba si c se rvi c e s suc h a s w a te r a c ce ss, sani ta ti on fa c i l i ti e s, w a ste rem ova l , a nd ac c e ss to e duc a ti on. Sim e Da rby provi de s a w a re ne ss tra i ni ng to a l l em pl oye e s on the i m porta nc e of c hi l d prote c ti on.

The c om pa ny w orks w i th both sm a l l, l oca l NG Os a nd l a rge r orga ni sa ti ons suc h a s Oxfa m a nd the Inte rna ti ona l La bour Orga ni za ti on (ILO) w i th a num be r of di ffe re nt k e y proj e c ts a nd progra m s. In Li be ri a the y bui l t 1 4 school s to i nc re ase the ba si c e duc a ti on l e ve l . The y c onstruc te d c l i ni cs a nd w a te r a cc e ss i n the sam e a rea a s the sc hool s. In M a l a ysia the y c onduc t w ork shops for c hi l dre n i n pl a nta ti on a rea s to i nform the m of the i r ri ghts a nd w he re the y c a n go for he l p. To da te , ove r 1 2 0 0 c hi l dre n ha ve c om pl e te d thi s thre e - da y w ork shop.

SIME DARBY AT A GLANCE

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COM P A N Y P ROF IL E:

Multinational conglomerate, founded in 1910 REVEN UE ’ 14 :

$12,4 billion COUN T RIES W. S A L ES :

Operations in 26 countries, with HQ in Malaysia. 5 core divisions, incl plantation, Industrial equipment, Motors, Property, Energy & Utilities S EL ECT ED S CORECA RD IN D ICA T ORS WHERE T HE COM P A N Y IS D OIN G VERY WEL L

Performance reporting Materiality assessment Strategic programs

Unde r s t a ndi ng ke y m a t e r ia l r i s ks The susta i na bi l i ty te a m c onduc ts m a te ri a li ty a sse ssm e nts for e a c h di vi si on i n orde r to unde rsta nd the k e y ma te ri a l ri sk s the c om pa ny i s fa c i ng. In the proc e ss the y re c e i ve i nput from both boa rd me m be rs a nd e xte rna l sta k e hol de rs May 2016

Children’s Rights and the Corporate Sector in South East Asia I Deep Dives

For e xa m pl e , the y c onduc t i nte rvi e w s w i th k e y c ustom e rs, i nve stors a nd NG Os to unde rsta nd w ha t the k e y ma te ri a l i ssue s w il l be duri ng the c om i ng 5- 1 0 ye a rs. Thi s i s fe d i nto the m a te ri a l i ty a sse ssme nt a nd he l ps the c om pa ny to pri ori ti z e w ha t e a c h di vi si on shoul d foc us on i n te rm s o f susta i na bi l i ty a c ti vi ti e s a nd soc i a l a c ti ons.

G o v e r na nce Susta i na bi l i ty i s a n i m porta nt topi c on the boa rd' s a ge nda . In Si me Da rby the re i s one m a i n boa rd a nd 5 fl a gshi p boa rds for e a c h di vi si on. The re i s a Susta i na bi l i ty c om m i tte e tha t re por ts di re c tl y t o the m a i n boa rd a nd e a c h of the fl a gshi p boa rds a l so re port on susta i na bi l i ty to the m a i n boa rd. The G roup C hi e f Susta i na bi li ty Offi c e r re ports di re c tl y to the P re si de nt a nd the C EO. The rol e ha s the sa m e l e ve l of a uthori ty a s a M a na gi ng Di re c tor for a di vi si on - m e a ni ng tha t susta i na bi l i ty topi c s a re hi gh on the c orpora te a ge nda .

G o i ng fo r wa r d Wha t i s i m porta nt i n a l a rge orga ni sa ti on suc h a s Si m e Da rby i s to unde rsta nd w ha t i s ha ppe ni ng on the ground a nd how to m e a sure i t. "The c om pa ni e s tha t pe rform the be st a re those tha t a sk the toughe st que sti ons a nd m e a sure the m se l ve s a ga i nst those questi ons.

It i s e a sy on a he a dqua rte r l e ve l to m a k e too m a ny assum pti ons on w ha t i s goi ng on i n the busi ne ss. " Thi rd pa rty ve ri fi c a ti on on the pl a nta ti ons provi de s the c om pany w i th a strong fa c t ba se for ac ti on. The c om bi na ti on of a true unde rsta ndi ng of w ha t i s ha ppe ni ng on the ground, toge the r w i th a strong l e a de rshi p support a nd pri ori ti z e d a ge nda c onsti tute s a strong ba se for the future c hi l dre n' s ri ghts w ork a t Si m e Da rby.

May 2016

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES

In Papua New Guinea the company addresses needs of the families that live in the communities surrounding the plantations. The company ensures that access to water, education, and healthcare is within one hour's walking distance. This holistic approach has proven to be successful.

�The companies that perform the best are those that dare to ask the toughest questions and measure themselves against those questions.�

Children’s Rights and the Corporate Sector in South East Asia I Deep Dives