Musim Mas Strengthens Women's Empowerment for Operational and Community Sustainability

Medan — In commemoration of National Women’s Day, Musim Mas has reaffirmed its commitment to building a more inclusive palm oil industry through women’s empowerment and gender equality. Musim Mas believes that women play a crucial role in driving sustainability and industry advancement. Consequently, the commitment to gender equality is viewed not merely as a moral responsibility, but as part of the company’s long-term business strategy.

This commitment has been implemented through various initiatives, including a Gender Committee and women’s empowerment programmes. This commitment has now been strengthened within Musim Mas’s Sustainability Roadmap 2026–2030, where Gender Equity and Women Empowerment are among the company’s priority strategies.

Through strengthening the Gender Committee at operational levels and the Women Smallholders Programme (WSP) at community level, Musim Mas continues to promote the role and contribution of women throughout the palm oil supply chain, as part of efforts to create a sustainable and competitive industry.

Gender Committee: Tangible Support for Women in the Workplace

Since its establishment in 2008, the Gender Committee has been an important part of creating a safe, dignified, and inclusive work environment for all workers, particularly women, across all company operational units. At the operational level, the Gender Committee actively participates in protecting women and supports their strategic participation and contribution.

Musim Mas has also collaborated with the independent organisation DIWA (Dignity in Work For All), a global non-profit organisation focused on fulfilling workers’ rights and dignity. Through various assessment activities, focused group discussions with workers, and training for Gender Committee members and workers in plantations and factories, this programme drives change that is not only structural, but also touches on mindsets and daily working culture.

This initiative creates a safe space for women workers to voice their aspirations and experiences, whilst strengthening mechanisms for handling sensitive issues such as discrimination, gender-based violence and sexual harassment using a survivor-centred approach. The objective of this initiative is to increase understanding regarding gender equality, women’s leadership, and the role of men as active supporters of gender equality in driving social change.

For Musim Mas, women’s empowerment is not merely a programme, but an integral part of the company’s sustainability strategy. Through the Gender Committee, the company consistently promotes equal access and opportunities for women in various roles and leadership levels, recognises women’s dual role as workers and family members, and promotes social norm change through men’s engagement in gender equality dialogue.

Women Smallholders Programme: Strengthening Women in Plantation Communities

Beyond the operational level, Musim Mas has also expanded the impact of women’s empowerment at community level through the Women Smallholders Programme (WSP). This programme targets women farmers and farmers’ wives, with a focus on strengthening their social and economic capacity so they can contribute more significantly to their families, farming enterprises, and communities.

The WSP is designed to address challenges faced by women in plantations through training in Family Nutrition and Health, Financial Literacy, and Business Development Opportunities. In 2023, the first phase of WSP was implemented in three regencies in Riau, in collaboration with academics from North Sumatra University and national financial institutions.

Early implementation results have shown tangible impact. More than 500 women participated in Family Nutrition and Health training with monitoring of changes in health behaviours. A total of 574 women participated in Financial Literacy training to improve household economic resilience, and three women’s business groups were established that received training and business mentoring in food staples provision. Currently, these business groups are managing enterprises to provide food staples for the community and nearby food stalls, with an average asset achievement of Rp 80 million per group.

Prof. Ir. Diana Chalil, M.Si., Ph.D., a lecturer in agribusiness at North Sumatra University involved in WSP mentoring, views this programme as a strategic step. “Smallholder palm plantations are generally managed as family enterprises, where women play an important role, both as workers and managers of household finances. Therefore, efforts to improve the performance and sustainability of smallholder palm plantations must actively involve and empower women,” she said.

Moving Forward

Musim Mas will continue to strengthen the capacity of the Gender Committee, integrate learning into company management systems, and expand the reach of the Women Smallholders Programme to various regions.

With a collaborative and sustainable approach, Musim Mas is committed to ensuring that women are not only protected, but also given the space and opportunity to grow, have their views, contributions and roles recognised, and become agents of change in realising an inclusive and sustainable palm oil industry.