Asian Agri and PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP), an operations unit of APRIL, were awarded gold & silver medals respectively at the 2014 Indonesia CSR Awards held in Jakarta on 28 November 2014. The awards is held every three years and is hosted by the Corporate Forum for Community Development (CFCD) Indonesia and endorsed by the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Culture of Republic of Indonesia.

RGE Chairman, Sukanto Tanoto, believes that businesses should be conducted in a manner that is good for the community, good for the country and good for the company. Hence, RGE companies’ CSR programs are primarily designed to empower communities and individuals with an emphasis on providing education and training to help people raise themselves out of poverty.

Asian Agri won a Gold Medal under the Economic Empowerment program category. Asian Agri is recognized for its unique partnership between PT Inti Indosawit Subur and the association of independent growers ‘Amanah’ in Ukui, Riau. The local smallholder farmers are trained by the company on skills to produce high quality crops and given other agronomic expertise support. The farmers then supply their harvest to Asian Agri for processing into palm oil. This partnership directly benefits and transforms the lives of the farmers in the communities surrounding the company’s estates.

RAPP was awarded a silver medal under the Industry and Manufacturing sector category. RAPP is recognized for empowering local entrepreneurship through the Binjai Mandiri or Self-sufficient Binjai project. The project, implemented with Tanoto Foundation in Teluk Binjai, Meranti, Riau province, started in 2011 when farmers in the area received farming and agriculture assistance from RAPP in the form of sustainable land cultivating skills as well as farming equipment and seedlings. Other elements of the project include the provision of healthcare and infrastructure support to enable farmers to transport their crops out of remote areas.

The Indonesia CSR Awards aim to recognize innovative and impactful CSR programs. This year’s Awards Committee received submissions from 38 prominent companies in Indonesia, includng PT. Astra International Tbk, PT. Antam and Kideco.

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