As part of its efforts to tackle climate change and contribute to the Company’s global journey to zero net emissions, Nestlé Malaysia launched Project RELeaf in September 2020 with the objective of planting three million trees across Malaysia by 2023. Project RELeaf builds on the pioneering Kinabatangan Rileaf Project, which concluded in 2020 and saw one million trees planted in Sabah.
Mr Juan Aranols, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad, commented, “Long lockdown periods have limited our access to planting sites and brought some delays to the roll out of Project RELeaf. However, we made very good use of the time and by now, our partner nurseries have nearly 1 million seedlings and saplings of various indigenous species, growing healthy and strong. By year-end, some 300,000 of them will have been transplanted into their final sites. Following the end of the lockdown, we are hitting the ground running and our teams are rapidly ramping up planting activity.”
“During this time, we have also built partnerships inside and outside of our supply chain, and are currently exploring further collaborations with Government and State agencies to ensure the acceleration and scaling up of the programme. We have a solid plan and resources in place to plant 1.3 million trees in 2022, followed by 1.4 million trees in 2023.”
“We are fully committed to materialise our ambition to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050, with at least a 50% reduction by 2030. Our reforestation initiatives will be complemented by the roll out of regenerative agriculture practices in our Chili, Paddy and Coffee farming engagements. We are also honoured to be amongst the very early signatories of the pledge to support and adopt the Green Energy Tariff announced by the Government of Malaysia earlier this week,” concluded Mr Aranols.
To mark the first anniversary of Project RELeaf, Nestlé Malaysia teamed up with non-governmental organisation Impact Revolution Enterprise for a mangrove planting activity in Kuala Selangor Nature Park. Aimed at restoring the area’s precious mangrove ecosystem, more than 100 Nestlé volunteers planted over 500 Rhizophora Apiculata (pokok bakau minyak) saplings within the mangrove forest area.
Mr Yong Lee Keng, Head of Agriculture Services, Nestlé Malaysia, said, “We are pleased to undertake this mangrove reforestation initiative in Kuala Selangor Nature Park, which is a sanctuary for a wide range of indigenous plant and wildlife. Mangrove forests are a vital part of Malaysia’s precious ecosystem and play a critical role in the fight against climate change by acting as carbon sinks to reduce emissions, as well as stabilising coastlines, reducing soil erosion and supporting livelihoods among local coastal communities.”
The mangrove restoration activity is a programme under Nestlé Cares, Nestlé’s global platform which aims to instil a culture of volunteerism amongst employees. Amongst other initiatives, Nestle Cares volunteers performed another mangrove planting activity near Kampung Sijangkang earlier this year, as well as the Company’s annual Beach and Underwater Clean Up across several locations in Malaysia.