Sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been at the heart of the RGE Group led by Sukanto Tanoto - which APRIL Group is a part of - for many years.
Recently, APRIL has announced a halt in their operations for harvesting natural forests in Indonesia for the production of pulp and paper in the area, while also having gained PEFC certification for about 300,000 hectares of their concession areas thus far.
A Halt in Deforestation
Both of APRIL's subsidiaries in Indonesia – RAPP (Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper) and RAK (Riau Andalan Kertas) have been targets of various NGOs that have gained significant ground against pulp and paper companies. However, the newest announcements regarding changes in the group's sustainability policies have received the approval of both NGOs and local government groups, outlining the company's drive towards responsible and sustainable business.
The announcements have provided a clear description of the company's plans in the area, including the halting of all new developments in forests and on forested peatland and the adding of High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments to existing HCVF assessments.
APRIL has also talked about reinforcing their landscape conservation practices. This means ensuring that at least 480,000 hectares (the equivalent of the amount of land their plantations take up) will be placed under protection. Already that goal has been achieved in proportion of more than 70%.
Finally, the group has also promised to stay in closer cooperation with NGOs, create and enhance programs associated with education and poverty alleviation, and ensure the improvement of their peatland management initiatives.
CSR and APRIL Group
Corporate social responsibility runs right through the heart of APRIL and the RGE Group which the company is part of. It all originated in the philosophy adopted and implemented by the Group's founder, Sukanto Tanoto, whose drive toward obtaining the best results for the company, community and country are now legendary.
APRIL's roots in Indonesia are in the small Kerinci township, an area that has been completely transformed when the RGE began its operations there, from a poor town where most people earned a living from fishing, to the focal point of the group's initiatives, which also included the improvement of poverty alleviation, education, infrastructure and healthcare.
The list of achievements in the Kerinci area that reflect APRIL's commitment to CSR are quite remarkable, the group having been able to create almost 100,000 jobs (both directly and indirectly), train more than 1,000 households, as part of the group's Integrated Farming System, provide more than 120 businesses with start-up capital, and ensure scholarships for more than 17,000 students.
All these achievements and many other show just how vital APRIL's growth was for the development of one of Indonesia's poorest communities, and outlines the potential role the group can have as part of the country's future development.
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