Sustainable plantations
As a responsible global corporate citizen, Cargill seeks to drive sustainable, progressive and positive change wherever it is needed across all the sectors we work in. In Indonesia, we strongly believe in supporting the local communities around our palm plantations in South Sumatra and West Kalimantan. Our investments enhance agricultural production; develop infrastructure and support education, healthcare, and other needs of local communities.
At our plantations, we operate more than 50 medical and daycare centers to provide complimentary healthcare and support services to our employees and their families. We also provide regular medical assistance to villages in collaboration with local doctors and medical care units. Furthermore, our employees and their families live for free in the over 9,000 houses we have built, and they are able to practice their faith at the 42 mosques and six churches that we have also built.
Education – the key to enabling the community to thrive
Recognizing the role of education in society, Cargill has introduced a number of initiatives to promote education in the community. Cargill aims to provide an education that prepares the children of our employees as well as from the local communities around our oil palm plantations in South Sumatra and West Kalimantan, to be competitive globally.
In 2012, we established our education foundation, Yayasan Harapan Masa Depan Cerah (YHMDC; in English, Hope for a Brighter Future Foundation) to manage schools and education on our plantation sites. YHMDC funds the building of schools, the expansion of classrooms and teaching facilities, and oversees the running of 43 nationally-accredited schools and teaching facilities.
Ensuring its curriculum adequately prepares students for a globally connected future with the inclusion of English language and character education classes, YHMDC employs 249 teachers across kindergartens, primary schools and middle schools, as well as sponsors government and teacher association programs to improve the competency of teachers and the quality of education in our communities. To date, over 5,000 young Indonesians are schooled by YHMDC.
YHMDC manages over 20 top-ranking elementary and junior high schools. In March 2017, YHMDC primary school students took the top spots in the National Olympiad 2017 and the National Student Arts Festival 2017, winning in Mathematics, Science, English, Athletics, Table Tennis, Chess, Singing and Creative Dance. In May 2017, two students qualified to compete in the international Math Kangaroo competition and another student reached the finals of the National Science Olympiad.
Nutrition support
In 2014 and 2013, we received the ‘Mitra Bakti Husada’ (Dedicated Health Partner Award) by the Indonesian Ministry of Health for our implementation of comprehensive healthcare programs, including maternal healthcare and nutrition initiatives for employees and the local communities around our PT Harapan Sawit Lestari and PT Hindoli plantations respectively.
Local government recognition
The government in West Kalimantan awarded us ‘Best Investor’ in 2012, we were named ‘Best Plantation Business Partner 2011’ by the South Sumatran government, and we received the ‘Platinum Indonesia CSR 2011 Award’ - the highest honor for our commitment and efforts in advancing economic development within the country’s agriculture and agro-industry sector.
Hindoli wins the 2016 Warta Ekonomi Social Business Innovation Award
Hindoli achieved recognition for implementing a biomass boiler as a source of renewable energy for the company’s electricity needs, winning the Social Business Innovation Award in the Agribusiness category August 25, 2016. The Social Business Innovation Awards provide recognition to companies from various industries that, through innovation and corporate social responsibility, have made positive contributions to society and the environment. The Awards were initiated by Warta Ekonomi magazine and is granted annually based on research by the magazine’s Intelligence Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. PT Hindoli’s receipt of this award was featured by top tier media outlets.