Misi Kami Peduli (MKP) 2016, Mission We Care, was a community service expedition organized by Indonesian students at the National University of Singapore. As part of the MKP 2016 team, I travelled to Desa Tambakrejo, a rural village in East Java, Indonesia in Dec 2016. It was a fulfilling journey for me and my team as we had the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the people of Desa Tambakrejo, make positive social impact to the community, and also to share good practices in environmental awareness.

Each year in January, the normally sedate Davos, population 11,000, sees an influx of visitors when the World Economic Forum (WEF) holds its flagship Annual Meeting in the alpine resort town located in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.

Since 2015, RGE has participated in the thought leadership forum to understand the cross currents of emerging trends and how the private sector can work in partnership with both government and non-government actors to be a force for good.

Since its founding in 1979, Asian Agri has grown to become one of the world’s leading palm oil producers, managing 100,000 hectares of land comprising 27 sustainably-managed plantations. Integral to its success over the past four decades is its close partnership with the thousands of smallholder farmers, who collectively manage another 60,000 hectares of oil palm plantations.

On 28-29 November 2016, a group of approximately 55 students of Master of Public Administration at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), National University of Singapore (NUS) visited APRIL and Asian Agri, two world-class companies in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau Province, Indonesia. The visit was a study trip program as part of the flagship Governance Study Project (GSP). The purpose of the visit was to learn from APRIL and Asian Agri how they are operating their businesses sustainably, while at the same time supporting the development of rural areas in Indonesia.

The year 2016 marked the fruition of several strategic business initiatives for RGE and our business groups. Yet, even in the midst of growth, RGE has not forgotten about giving back to the community, supporting the country, and being responsible stewards of the climate.

The beauty of the Pelalawan, with its dense forests, gushing streams and abundant wildlife, has long made the regency a start attraction of the Riau Province, drawing visitors and adventurers from the region and beyond. Its wondrous flora and fauna have also served as inspiration to local batik makers, who have attempted to capture the resplendence of the land through the native art form.