KUALA LUMPUR, 14 JULY: Two specialists on Sime Darby Plantation Bhd’s human rights commission resigned on Wednesday, citing a lack of openness as a reason for their departure, potentially delaying the company’s efforts to lift a US import restriction. The panel was founded by the Malaysian palm oil giant in March, after the US slapped an embargo on imports from the company due to allegations of forced labor.
Andy Hall, a migrant rights activist, and Justine Nolan, a human rights lawyer, both of whom joined only six weeks ago, announced their resignations to Reuters on Thursday.
“From the beginning, there has been an extremely limited flow of information between SDP and the stakeholder panel, leading to an overall impression that the human rights commission process is unduly limited in scope and opaque,” Hall stated.
Hall and Nolan were appointed to an expert stakeholder group to advise on an ethical trade consultant Impactt’s review of the company’s labor practices and any proposed repair solutions. Impactt did not respond to a request for comment.
The evaluation report was delayed, according to Nolan, and no completion date was given.
In an emailed statement, Sime Darby stated that the resignations had no bearing on the company’s commitment to completing the study and guaranteeing independent oversight.
In the midst of a strict coronavirus lockdown, expecting a thorough assessment to be delivered within the initial timetable is impractical, according to the firm. It stated that the review would resume as soon as possible.
“Any required improvements will be implemented to improve the working and living conditions of all our employees,” it stated.
Hall and Nolan stated that they would re-engage with the company when a procedure that they could be a part of became available.
“We know there are concerns about labor rights, and they’re looking into it,” Nolan said. “We hope they’ll keep looking into the issues and be forthright about what they find.”
Shift, a non-profit, resigned from the panel in March, citing Sime Darby’s plan to sue an activist as a reason. The lawsuit was later dropped by the world’s largest sustainable palm oil producer.
Also see:
An Australian lawyer has been appointed to the Expert Stakeholder Human Rights Assessment Commission by Sime Darby Plantation.
Liberty Shared’s Jepson has had his discovery application against Sime Darby Plantation withdrawn.
Following the cancellation of legal action, Andy Hall says he will not resign from the Sime Darby Plantation rights panel. Sime Darby Plantation has filed a lawsuit against the non-profit Liberty Shared. Sime Darby Plantation begins discussions with an anti-trafficking organization over allegations of forced and underage labor./n
