Our Sustainability Journey
SHARE INSIGHT
Corrie MacColl and Halcyon Agri, our parent company, are committed to the sustainable development of the global natural rubber industry. Our overarching mission across our Cameroon concessions, Hevecam and Sudcam, is to shape a positive future for the communities and ecosystems in which we operate. Along our sustainability journey, we have acknowledged and learned from the past, enabling us to raise the benchmark in an industry that continues to drive deforestation globally. We have also welcomed the scrutiny and guidance of NGOs and industry partners to further improve our operations, whilst becoming active participants in industry dialogue aimed at driving progress on a global-scale.
Transparency has been key throughout this journey, and we are honoured to have been ranked as one of the industry’s most transparent rubber companies. This openness and purpose-led vision has led us to emerge as an industry leader for sustainable natural rubber.
We are proud to:
- Develop high-standards of rubber, a critical raw material that cannot be substituted.
- Create socio-economic opportunities through employment, education, healthcare and housing for the benefit over 40,000 people in rural Cameroon.
- Beyond our rubber plantation & internal community areas, we also steward 67,000 ha of natural forest. This land represents our commitment to preserving local biodiversity, fighting deforestation and safeguarding natural resources for the benefit of the Baka and Bagyeli indigenous communities that rely on these ecosystems.
SUDCAM TRANSPARENCY
Since Corrie MacColl acquired the Sudcam concession in Cameroon, it has been a priority to transparently address any concerns from our early management of the land, as well as any inherited legacy issues.
Initial development
Prior to Halcyon Agri’s acquisition of the concessions in 2016, 8,300 ha of plantation was developed in accordance with relevant standards. This land area was previously a government-assigned logging concession.
Early management
We acknowledge that 2,300 ha of land-use change (additional planting, and the development of villages and internal community infrastructure) took place during our early management of Sudcam.
Independent review
As part of our inquiries, we invited civil society, including the international NGO, WWF, to comment on both legacy and current operational practices.
Immediate actions
A sustainability team was mobilised, a strict No Deforestation commitment was implemented, and grievance mechanism was established.
Community engagement
A comprehensive community programme was developed which included access to water, education and healthcare support.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY
1. NO DEFORESTATION COMMITMENT
Our No Deforestation commitment (from December 2018) forms part of Halcyon Agri’s Sustainability Policy, developed with Rainforest Alliance and Proforest. It applies to our rubber plantation & community land, as well as the 67,000 ha of forest within our concession. The policy is monitored annually through third-party satellite service, and verified by a third-party consultant.
2. WE STEWARD 67,000 HA OF FOREST
Beyond our 38,000 hectares of rubber plantation & internal community areas, we steward 67,000 hectares of undeveloped and open natural forest – for scale, this represents a land mass over 6 times the size of Paris.
This stewardship represents our commitment to preserving local biodiversity and maintaining a critical ecosystem. It also safeguards the forest’s natural resources for the benefit of Baka and Bagyeli indigenous communities who may inhabit these areas.
3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Our integrity is tied to the positive relationships we foster with our neighbouring indigenous communities. We have prioritised community consultations, facilitated by NGOs in native languages.
Prior to the granting of the concessions, community compensation was arranged between the indigenous communities and the government.
Our Sustainability Policy is aligned with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
4. SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
We’re proud to share the outcomes of our Social Action Plan, which directly respond to the requests of 40 local and indigenous communities.
Through NGO-led consultations with freely elected community representatives, we have implemented various impactful social initiatives. This includes the coverage of school tuition fees and teachers’ salaries, borehole construction for water access, donations of brick presses for housing construction, and agricultural supply.
5. WE EMPLOY 7,500+ PEOPLE
Our business has become a crucial source of employment and training in South Cameroon, bringing together a diverse workforce from the skilled tappers and agronomists in the field, to the mechanics and laboratory technicians in the factories, to the doctors and teachers in the communities.
6. EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND LIVING FACILITIES FOR 40,000 PEOPLE
Our plantation communities provide infrastructure and daily necessities for our employees and their families. This includes family housing, and 58 government-certified schools for 11,000 students. Healthcare campaigns are run from our two modern hospitals, and community wellbeing is encouraged through sport and leisure facilities.
7. WE FACILIATE SUSTAINABLE FARMING PROGRAMMES
Our outgrower programme improves the long-term economic viability and food security of the rural communities that border our plantations. The programme equips smallholder farmers with the education and financing to develop sustainable farms on fallow land, cultivating 100% traceable rubber alongside crops such as maize and plantain.
Whilst the farmers have no obligation to sell their products to Corrie MacColl, participating farmers must adhere to Halcyon Agri’s No Deforestation policy (after December 2018). This is externally verified by an independent satellite imagery service.
8. PARTNERING FOR BIODIVERSITY
Sudcam’s concession runs adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Dja Faunal Reserve, home to numerous species of conservation concern, such as the western lowland gorilla, forest elephant and chimpanzee. In 2022, we proudly signed our third 5-year convention with the Dja Reserve, dedicated to assisting in the fight against poaching. This commitment adds to our ongoing initiatives, including biodiversity monitoring, anti-poaching patrols, staff training, and active engagement with local communities.
9. RESPONSIBLE OPERATIONS
Our operations prioritize resource efficiency and productivity while reducing waste and emissions. Our efforts include investing in solar energy, recycling effluent water, and monitoring air emissions.
Additionally, we are actively working towards obtaining FSC Forest Management (FM) Certification for our Hevecam plantation land, complementing our existing FSC Chain of Custody certifications.
In our journey towards net-zero emissions, we have initiated a ambitious carbon mapping program. This will pave the way for a robust decarbonization strategy aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
PARTNERSHIPS & GUIDANCE
Halcyon Agri’s sustainability journey has been shaped by the following NGOs, industry groups, sustainability certifications and assessments:
RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
GOVERNANCE
SUSTAINABILITY GRIEVANCES
RURAL INVESTMENT
The 20% shareholder of Sud Cameroun Hevea S.A is SPPH, and the 10% shareholder of Hevecam is the state of Cameroon.
Our company is steered by our stakeholders, customers, suppliers, industry and government associations, NGOs, our employees and their families.
Our grievance mechanism transparently lists all grievances and their progress. In addition to the online grievance system, there are now informal systems in place at a local level for oral reporting regarding new grievances to the local company representatives.
Our Cameroon business was launched with the Cameroon Investment Promotion Agency (API) through its standard business stimulation initiative. This has enabled the development of the company, and its role in creating socio-economic opportunities for employees and their families in rural Cameroon.
The company pays all taxes in line with the financial regulations in Cameroon.