As part of the collaboration of the 2021 ‘BELI YANG BAIK’ HYBRID EXPO event with WWF Indonesia, IBCSD held a talkshow, sharing about green products and green production processes that have been carried out by companies from different industrial sectors. The talkshow was held on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 14.00 – 15.30.

Moderated by Katrina Inandia, Communications and Knowledge Manager of IBCSD, the speakers included: Melanie Masriel – Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Director, L’Oréal Indonesia; Khrisma Fitriasari – Head of Corporate Communications & Government Affairs; Agung Baskoro – Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Development Lead, Cargill Indonesia; Danny Gunadi – Value Added Partner Manager, Signify Indonesia; and Indah Budiani – Executive Director, IBCSD.

Du Anyam has shown a very good commitment through their business practice through promoting the unique wicker-crafting culture of artistically gifted women in Flores (East Nusa Tenggara) to people around Indonesia and other parts of the world. Du Anyam aims to empower these women by helping them gain control over their family’s income, and resulting in a positive change to escape poverty.

The report hopefully can contribute and offer a sound baseline to the continuing dialogue and engagement efforts among the tripartite partners. As Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste stated, human capital & skills development is key priority of the government, and linking this to the country’s sustainability goals is a timely contribution to ongoing implementation of Indonesia’s long-term development plans. The information herein can be used as a starting point for current discussions, to reinvigorate the interest among key stakeholders, who are actively charting the country’s transition to a greener economy. To learn more about the report, please refer to this link: Skill for Green Jobs in Indonesia – The Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development : The Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development (ibcsd.or.id)

Here, Signify Indonesia has shown a remarkable commitment through their business practices. In 2020, all of their production sites are already committed to reach zero waste to landfill. With their circular economy program, they provide products which are designed for easy disassembly, repurposing and longer lifetimes to save materials, including 3D printing, serviceable luminaires, lights with replaceable components and circular services. Signify Indonesia is committed in promoting the growth of industrial competitiveness and sustainable investment in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the TEEBAgriFood initiative itself is globally organized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), while the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) acts as the initiator and leader from the government side for TEEBAgriFood in Indonesia. The TEEBAgriFood project for business focuses on seven partner countries around the world: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand and will run until the end of 2022.

On the first day of discussion, apart from CTSS IPB, there were also Anang Noegroho, Director of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS); Dr. Rony Megawanto, Director of the KEHATI Program; Ageng Herianto, Representative of FAO Indonesia; Henriette Faergemann, European External Action Services; and Salman Hussain, Coordinator for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), UNEP.

On the second day, Glenn Pardede, President Director of PT East West Seed Indonesia (Cap Panah Merah said, “The key to the success of the agricultural business is to ensure that smallholder farmers get better profits and livelihoods. Through maintaining healthy ecosystems and better livelihoods for the community, the company will get the benefits by itself ”.

This is related to the data from TEEB which estimates that 75% of rural people in Indonesia rely on their income from agricultural products or services generated by the surrounding ecosystem. Therefore, ecosystem degradation will not only have a negative impact on related businesses, but is likely to threaten Indonesia’s future wealth.

In the second day of discussion with the theme “Business actions based on natural, human and social capital”, Arryati Ramadhani, the Main Consultant for Environmental Resources Management (ERM), also added that an analysis of the impact of business activities on nature and society needs to be carried out as early as possible, holistic, and continuous, not just in the early stages of activity.

The second day of discussion was attended by business and government representatives, Agung Baskoro, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Division Lead, Cargill Indonesia; as well as Muhammad Saifulloh, Depusti Assistant for Food, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs; also attended as a panelist.

Still in the context of boosting the transformation of the food and agriculture system, a free training for the assessment of the impact and dependence of the business sector on nature and humans will also be held starting on 2 June 2021. The training will discuss practical examples of business decision making based on an assessment of impact and dependence on nature and humans. To join the training, please contact IBCSD secretariat.

Pustanlinghut noted, from 2016 to 2019 there has been an increase in registered environmentally friendly products. In 2019 there was a significant increase with 23 products that have been registered as products that meet the type I ecolabel, where in 2016 there were only 4 products. For products with ecolabel type II, from 2016 to 2019 there was an increase from 18 products to 27 products. Meanwhile, the adoption of a greener lifestyle and the behaviour of “green consumerism” has already begun in society.

“The results of a survey by WWF-Indonesia and the Nielsen Survey in 2017 show that as many as 63% of Indonesian consumers are willing to consume environmentally friendly products even at a higher price. This shows a significant increase in consumer awareness and indicates the readiness of the domestic market to absorb products that are produced sustainably. However, from the same survey results, 53% stated that they could not find environmentally friendly products in local shops, “said Lilik Unggul Rahardjo, Executive Committee of IBCSD.

The Director of Consumer Empowerment at the Ministry of Trade, Ojak Simon Manurung also added, “green consumers, according to the Consumer Empowerment Index, consumers in Indonesia are categorized as” capable “or consumers think first about the goods to be consumed, therefore ecolabel education and others are needed.”

To welcome the emergence of “green consumerism” and encourage increased availability of goods and services with ecolabeling, various efforts were made. One example is ecolabel training for the business sector as a provider of environmentally friendly goods and services, such as the one that conducted by the Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development (IBCSD). The virtual training lasted for two days, with dozens of company representatives attending as participants.

Business actors and businesses as a whole are expected to start implementing responsible consumption and production processes in accordance with SDG 12, so that they can continue to survive. Using a platform such as the Greenlifestyle working group established by IBCSD can be an alternative for learning and seeking information for a more sustainable business.

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There are companies who have taken major steps to be climate positive. For instance, Microsoft has pledged to go carbon negative by 2030. The technology giant also plans to remove all atmospheric carbon it has ever produced since founded in 1975.  The company will double its internal carbon fee to $15 per metric ton for sustainability technology investments.

Furniture giant IKEA also aims to be climate positive and only use renewable and recycled materials on their products by 2030. They will also use renewable energy sources and switch for a more plant-based menu in their cafeterias. 

But what about companies in Indonesia? Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) is as driven when it comes to making the planet a better place. The Riau-based pulp and paper producer recently announced APRIL2030, a set of commitments and concrete targets to support sustainable development and save the environment over the next decade. 

As hinted by the name, APRIL2030 is in support of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are also intended to be achieved by 2030. The APRIL2030 blueprint centers around four pillars, including climate positive. 

APRIL seeks to achieve net zero emissions from land use by optimizing carbon sequestration and storage across landscape types including peatland. They also aim to source 90 percent of their mill energy from renewable and clean energy sources. The same goes for half of their fiber operation energy.

By investing in science and technology, the company aims to reduce 25 percent in carbon emissions intensity of their fiber products. To this end, APRIL will install 20 megawatt solar panels at its operational sites starting in 2021. When completed in 2025, this will be one of the largest solar panels installed by the private sector in Indonesia.

“We are determined to ensure the next decade is one of action and further transformation for our company as we play our part to achieve a lower carbon economy and make a positive impact on climate, nature and people,” Anderson Tanoto, director of APRIL’s parent group Royal Golden Eagle, said.

According to the Environment and Forestry Ministry, APRIL2030 aligns with the government’s 2020-2024 medium-term national development plan.

“The private sector plays a key role in solving poverty issues, income increase, unemployment, forest protection, and the availability of raw materials to support the industry and a competitive market. APRIL 2030 is on the right momentum,” the ministry’s secretary general Bambang Hendroyono said.

Written by: Jayanti Nada Shofa for Jakarta Globe

A Better Planet Calls For Climate-Conscious Companies (jakartaglobe.id)

This report hopefully can contribute and offer a sound baseline to the continuing dialogue and engagement efforts among the tripartite partners. As Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste stated, human capital & skills development is key priority of the government, and linking this to the country’s sustainability goals is a timely contribution to ongoing implementation of Indonesia’s long-term development plans. The information herein can be used as a starting point for current discussions, to reinvigorate the interest among key stakeholders, who are actively charting the country’s transition to a greener economy.

Please find the report here: wcms_706947.pdf (ilo.org