Key Takeaways
- Guthrie and WWF-Malaysia launched a five-year regenerative palm oil pilot in Sabah, Malaysia.
- The programme covers approximately 13,000 hectares across five RSPO-certified estates.
- The initiative aligns with WWF’s Reconnect Borneo Initiative and Guthrie’s Beyond Zero strategy.
- The pilot aims to deliver measurable biodiversity, climate, and community outcomes beyond certification.
- Results may inform wider adoption of regenerative practices across the palm oil sector.
Guthrie and WWF-Malaysia Launch Regenerative Palm Oil Pilot
Guthrie has entered a five-year partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) to pilot a regenerative agriculture programme for palm oil in Sabah. The initiative is the first of its kind for the palm oil industry and forms part of WWF-Malaysia’s broader effort to achieve landscape-scale biodiversity and climate-positive outcomes in Borneo.
The pilot will be implemented in Tawau, Sabah, covering approximately 13,000 hectares across five Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified estates operated by Guthrie. It will serve as a demonstration project under WWF’s Reconnect Borneo Initiative, which seeks to restore ecological connectivity through wildlife corridors across the region.
Guthrie Collaboration Focuses on Landscape-Scale Outcomes
Under the collaboration, Guthrie and WWF-Malaysia will work together to establish a wildlife corridor, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and implement WWF’s global regenerative palm oil framework in active production landscapes. The framework is designed to move beyond certification compliance toward measurable improvements in biodiversity, ecosystem services, climate resilience, and community well-being.
The regenerative palm oil framework builds on existing sustainability standards, including RSPO and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification. Progress will be assessed against defined baselines, with indicators covering biodiversity connectivity, soil health, ecosystem services, and social outcomes.
“Through this ground-breaking partnership, WWF-Malaysia and Guthrie are taking a decisive step to pilot regenerative palm oil practices and deliver landscape-scale biodiversity and climate outcomes in a priority area of Sabah,” said Sophia Lim, Chief Executive Officer of WWF-Malaysia.
Alignment With Guthrie’s Beyond Zero Strategy
For Guthrie, the partnership supports its Beyond Zero sustainability framework, which includes a goal to pilot a regenerative agriculture framework for the palm oil sector by 2028. The company has also committed to restoring and conserving 100,000 hectares of land across and beyond its value chain by 2030, reinforcing its focus on long-term environmental resilience.
“We are excited to commence this pilot for regenerative palm oil with WWF and look forward to new learnings that will improve the way we interact with the environment,” said Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, Group Managing Director of Guthrie. He added that the initiative is intended to go beyond certification requirements by actively generating positive outcomes in the landscapes where the company operates.
Monitoring, Governance, and Industry Implications
Activities under the programme will take place across RSPO- and MSPO-certified plantations and conservation areas and will be subject to independent audits, risk reviews, and WWF governance controls. Future communications related to the partnership will focus on verified conservation baselines and outcomes.
Designed as a pilot, the initiative is expected to provide insights that could support broader industry adoption of regenerative palm oil practices, contributing to Malaysia’s biodiversity and climate goals while informing transformation across the global palm oil sector.
