This study aimed to investigate utilisation of residues from oil palm in local communities and to assess the social return on investment (SROI) from this utilisation. Data collection was undertaken in Thailand through interviews with policy-makers, practitioners, professionals from oil palm cooperatives, the Oil Palm Research and Development Centre, the Department of Agriculture, the Office of Agricultural Economics, and the Federation of Thai Industries. Questionnaires were given to oil palm growers in eight provinces, totalling 80 samples. Interviews were conducted with five palm oil mills. The SROI for various methods of the utilisation was calculated. The results showed that many options for utilisation included tillage, chopping up and letting residues be digested, using empty fruit bunches for mulching, producing biomass energy, mushroom cultivation, and for use as animal feed and compost. As for the SROI of utilisation of oil palm residues, it was found to be between 0.35 and 2.86. The majority of the utilisation options yielded an SROI lower than 1. The utilisation of oil palm residues to produce animal feed yielded the highest SROI of 2.89, whereas the use of oil palm residues to produce hard fibreboard resulted in the lowest SROI at 0.35.