Fribourg, Switzerland, 5 October 2026
The Socfin Group, an agro-industrial group producing natural rubber and palm oil in Africa and Asia, has published its Sustainability Strategy 2026–2031 together with an updated Responsible Management Policy (RMP), establishing a common approach to guide the Group’s environmental, social and governance priorities through 2031.
The two documents are designed to work together. The Sustainability Strategy defines the Group’s long-term direction, priorities and roadmap, while the Responsible Management Policy sets out the commitments, governance principles and responsibilities that will guide their implementation across Socfin’s activities.
Together with the Group’s Sustainability Action Plan, they provide a structured approach linking commitments, implementation, performance monitoring and continuous improvement.
Five priorities for the period to 2031
Socfin’s Sustainability Strategy is structured around five strategic priorities:
- Strengthening governance and transparency
- Protecting nature and the climate
- Empowering people and communities
- Building responsible and traceable supply chains
- Driving ESG performance
These priorities cover areas including ESG governance, biodiversity and environmental impacts, human rights and social impact, supply chain traceability, ESG data reliability, certifications and strategic partnerships.
The Strategy reflects Socfin’s objective of moving towards a more integrated approach to sustainability, combining regulatory preparedness, responsible agricultural practices, human rights protection, stronger supply chain management and increasingly reliable ESG data.
“This Strategy gives us a clear direction for the next stage of our sustainability journey. It brings our environmental, social and governance priorities together within a common roadmap and strengthens the link between our commitments, their implementation and the way we measure progress across our Group.”
Céline Schmitz, Head of Sustainability, Socfin Group
Turning strategic priorities into operational commitments
The updated Responsible Management Policy translates these strategic priorities into Group-wide commitments.
Building on principles first introduced in 2017 and revised in 2022, the RMP addresses governance and transparency, environmental protection, climate, human and labour rights, communities, responsible sourcing, traceability and ESG performance.
It is aligned with internationally recognised frameworks including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and Criteria and the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) Policy Framework.
The Policy also reinforces accountability for implementation. The Socfin Board of Directors oversees the Policy and its performance, the Head of Sustainability coordinates its implementation through the Sustainability Action Plan, and subsidiary and operational-site General Managers are responsible for embedding its commitments locally.
Under this approach, commitments are progressively translated into objectives, time-bound milestones and performance indicators, with progress monitored through the Group’s Sustainability Dashboard and, where appropriate, subject to independent review or verification.
“The Strategy and the Responsible Management Policy give us a shared direction and a common reference across the Group. Sustainability is increasingly integrated into the way we govern our activities, manage risks and assess performance. This approach is intended to strengthen consistency, transparency and accountability across our operations.”
Julian Bastrup-Birk, Secretary General, Socfin Group
A progressive roadmap through 2031
Implementation will follow a three-phase roadmap.
During 2026–2027, the focus will be on compliance, structuring and strengthening commitments. 2028–2029 will concentrate on deployment and consolidation, while 2030–2031 will place greater emphasis on performance monitoring, measurement and continuous improvement.
Priority areas identified in the roadmap include greenhouse gas accounting, ESG reporting digitalisation, Human Rights Due Diligence, community development, development of a climate transition plan, responsible and traceable supply chains, gender equality monitoring and regulatory compliance.
The Responsible Management Policy further reinforces commitments relating to the protection of High Carbon Stock forests and High Conservation Value areas, peatlands, water and soil management, occupational health and safety, gender-based violence, grievance mechanisms, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), community dialogue and responsible sourcing.
Strengthening transparency and accountability
A key element of the new approach is the strengthening of ESG data and performance management.
Socfin intends to improve the quality, consistency and auditability of ESG information across its subsidiaries, supported by digital reporting systems, periodic assessments, due diligence reviews, recognised certifications and independent verification mechanisms.
The Sustainability Strategy also establishes a cross-functional organisational model involving sustainability teams alongside functions such as Human Resources, Procurement, Finance, IT, Compliance, Internal Audit and operational experts, helping to integrate sustainability considerations more systematically into the Group’s activities.
The updated Responsible Management Policy was approved by the Socfin Board of Directors on 22 September 2026.
Read the Socfin Sustainability Strategy 2026–2031
Read the Socfin Responsible Management Policy
Learn more about Socfin’s sustainability commitments
About Socfin
Founded in 1905, Socfin is an international agro-industrial group active in tropical agriculture, whose activities focus primarily on the production of natural rubber and palm oil. Operating in 10 countries across Africa and Asia, the Group draws on long-term experience in agricultural development. Its approach is based on the gradual strengthening of environmental and social practices, constructive stakeholder engagement and a continuous-improvement process, in line with internationally recognised standards.
Contact: media@socfin.com
