Helping the needy through CSR programs<\/p>\n
Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although the awareness towards the importance of Corporate
\nSocial Responsibility (CSR) program is still relatively low, a
\nnumber of Indonesian companies have started to include the
\nprogram in their business agenda.<\/p>\n
A number of companies such as PT Coca-Cola Indonesia, mobile
\nphone distributor Nokia Mobile Phones Indonesia, Bank Central
\nAsia (BCA) and Citibank, have begun to develop CSR activities as
\nan integral part of their business activities.<\/p>\n
These kind of companies generally implement their CSR by
\nproviding assistance in the fields of education, health and
\nenvironment protection. Many natural resources-based companies
\nhave also paid more serious attention in the CSR activities,
\nwhich are mostly carried out under their community development
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
PT Coca-Cola Indonesia, for example, has implemented nation-
\nwide CSR program through its Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia
\n(CCFI).<\/p>\n
\"For Coca-Cola which has operated in Indonesia for more than
\n70 years, and social activity has sincne become an integral part
\nof the business system,\" said Titie Sadarini, the Corporate
\nAffairs Director of PT Coca-Cola Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In education, CCFI focuses its activities on developing
\neducational programs for children and youth. Since September
\n2000, CCFI has transformed 24 libraries in 14 provinces to become
\nlearning centers. Since 2002, IT facilities are available in
\nseven learning centers and in three other centers this year.<\/p>\n
The foundation also gives health education, especially about
\nHIV\/AIDS to teenagers in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and
\nYogyakarta in 2003. Around 80 teenagers have been trained as Peer
\nEducators and now actively disseminate information on HIV\/AIDS to
\nthe teenagers.<\/p>\n
In environment, CCFI launched Indonesian Biodiversity program
\nfor children in 2002. It has published a series of books on
\nIndonesian Biodiversity that are donated to the learning centers
\nas well as public and school libraries.<\/p>\n
In addition, all of Coca Cola branches in the country have
\ntheir own community development programs, which among others
\ninclude free medical services at the company's clinics, mass
\ncircumcision, scholarship for local children, access to clean
\nwater, blood donation, and charity for local community.<\/p>\n
To empower small enterprises, Coca-Cola System provides Micro
\nEnterprise Development Program that is implemented in Cikarang,
\nWest Java (in 2003-2004) and Surabaya, East Java (2005)<\/p>\n
When tsunami struck Aceh, Coca-Cola System also gave emergency
\nrelief support. Like Coca Cola, Nokia Mobile Phones Indonesia,
\nhas also developed a good system in its CSR program. Nokia has
\nlaunched a program called Nokia Connects with Nature to increase
\nthe awareness and understanding of young people on the importance
\nof nature conservation.<\/p>\n
Together with Yayorin, a non-governmental organization (NGO),
\nNokia Indonesia has organized educational field trips for
\nstudents living in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan. The two-
\nyear program, which would last this year, involves 20 students in
\neach field trip. Under the supervision of Yayorin, the students
\nstudy and explore the Tanjung Puting National Park in Central
\nKalimantan, visit an education center and observe the life of
\norangutans at Camp Leakey in Tanjung Puting.<\/p>\n
The program aims to increase awareness of the need to protect
\nthe forest and all of the creatures in the national park,
\nespecially the orangutans. A series of environmental-themed
\ncompetitions and activities, including a poster-drawing contest,
\nan environmental debate and an environmental cleaning
\ncompetition, were held as part of the program.<\/p>\n
To realize its commitment to grow together with the community
\nand environment in a sustainable manner,<\/p>\n
PT Unilever Indonesia is also among the pioneers of CSR in
\nIndonesia. In late 2000, the company Yayasan Unilever Peduli (YUP
\nfoundation) in order to carry out its CSR activities more
\naffectively. The foundation focuses on four main programs that
\ninclude developing small and medium enterprises, environment
\nprogram, program on public health education and program on public
\nrelations.<\/p>\n
Together with Yogyakarta-based Gajah Mada University, the
\nfoundation provides technical assistant to farmers in East and
\nCentral Java in planting black soy. It also provides good quality
\nseeds and interest free loan to the farmers. The company then
\nbuys the harvest as the raw materials for its soy sauce.<\/p>\n
As of today, there are 2,500 farmers involved in the program,
\nworking on 400-hectare land, said Okti Damayanti, General Manager
\nof Unilever Peduli Foundation.<\/p>\n
Unilever also cooperates with the farmers to breed water fish,
\nwhich is the raw material for its seasoning product Royco. It
\nalso is also utilized to produce liquid seasoning without mono
\nsodium glutamate (MSG).<\/p>\n
The foundation also assists the residents of a village in
\nJambangan subdistrict, Surabaya, East Java to manage household
\nwaste and improve their sanitation. Together with government
\ninstitution, NGO, academicians, community and private sectors,
\nthe foundation educate the residents on how to separate organic
\nand non organic waste, make fertilizer from it and also recycle
\nproducts. It also encourages the community to lead a healthy life
\nby building public toilet and providing some trash cans as well
\nas garbage transporters. This program gave PT Unilever runner up
\nposition in the Environmental Excellence Awards from Asian Forum
\non Corporate Social Responsibility.<\/p>\n
Unilever has actively conducted program on health education
\nfor public, such as Lifebuoy Shares Health, Pepsodent Initiative
\nfor Dental Health, Integrated Health Promotion Program, which
\ncollaborates with Yogyakarta Chapter of the Ministry Health, as
\nwell as local NGOs and media.<\/p>\n
The campaign on dental and mouth health has been conducted at
\n7,000 elementary schools in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya,
\nMedan, Palembang, Banjarmasin, Pontianak and Makassar.<\/p>\n
Nickel producer PT International Nickel Indonesia (Inco) has
\ndeveloped a number of community development (CD) programs to help
\nthe people living near the company's mining sites in Sorowako,
\nSouth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
One of the company's main CD programs is to improve the skills
\nof high school graduates living near its mine areas so that they
\nwill be qualified to work with the company<\/p>\n
At least 140 senior high school graduates from Nuha, Towuti
\nand Malili and other sub-districts close to Sorowako have taken
\npart in the program which was firstly launched in October, last
\nyear. At present, 75 percent of the 3,400 people hired by PT Inco
\nare residents living near the company's mining sites.<\/p>\n
PT Inco's CD programs in the education field also include the
\nprovision of scholarships and research funds for students of
\nHasanuddin University, Makassar.<\/p>\n
The company's people empowerment program also includes the
\nimprovement of the local villagers' farming skills, by providing
\ntrainings. In addition to trainings, PT Inco also provides
\nfarming equipment to the local farmers.<\/p>\n
Besides education, the company's CSR programs also cover many
\nother areas such health and public infrastructure facilities.<\/p>",
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