Saraya has been working on biodiversity conservation in Borneo and Sabah since 2004, helping with the expansion of sustainable palm oil.
Since our foundation in 1952, we have been making products using natural materials in consideration to the people and the environment.
However, the indiscriminate use of raw materials has caused a variety of environmental and social problems that are especially visible on Borneo, Malaysia, one of the major palm oil producers, with the destruction of tropical rainforests for the expansion of plantations.
Palm oil, also used in cosmetics and detergents, has seen an increase in demand over the years in food products such as instant noodles, snacks and chocolates, amounting to a 85% of the oils used in food production in general.
The reality is that the image of "vegetable oil = eco-friendly / human-friendly" doesn't hold true anymore and something else is needed for the preservation of the planet. To achieve that, at Saraya we are specifically working with various organizations to protect the Borneo environment and help, little by little, the recovery of the tropical rainforest.
Starting with Yashinomi detergents, Happy Elephant and Cocopalm, our palm oil-related brands, dedicate 1% of all sales for the environmental protection of Borneo through the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT).
Specifically, we are carrying out 4 projects: the "Green Corridor" project, the "Suspension Bridge" project, the "Animal Rescue" project, and the "RSPO Affiliation and Certification" project.
※What is the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT)?
The Borneo Conservation Trust is a non-governmental organisation recognized by the government of Sabah, Malaysia with the objective of buying back land which used to be rainforest to create a "green corridor" where wildlife can freely move.
Working with the BCT, we are planning on restoring a "green corridor" by repurchasing land that was lost to palm oil plantations, connecting divided protected areas of the rainforest.
Many orangutans get isolated in forest "islands" that have been divided due to the expansion of palm oil plantations. We are collaborating with the BCT in an attempt to create suspension bridges that connect these divided forests along the river, reconnecting life.
Starting with the elephant that has been chased out of its habitat for the expansion of oil plantations, to the orangutan that lives isolated in fragmented forests, we work together with local residents for the rescue of these animals and their health recovery, to later free them back into the wild.
As the first company to join in Japan, we are working on making RSPO certified palm oil mainstream by discussing the rules of an environment-friendly palm oil industry together with related players such as farm owners, farmers and trading companies.
