Empowering Vulnerable Communities Around Company Operation Areas, Eastern Indonesia Region Achieves Four Gold PDB Awards 2024

Jakarta, May 9, 2024 - The commitment of the Eastern Indonesia Region of Pertamina’s Upstream Sub-holding towards empowering vulnerable communities around the company's operation areas through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities has garnered four Gold awards at the CSR & Sustainable Village Development (PDB Awards 2024).

The evaluated programs include vulnerable communities empowerment, such as the Loinang Disadvantaged Indigenous Community (KAT) in the JOB Tomori working area in Central Sulawesi, the Togong Tanga Disadvantaged Indigenous Community in the PEP Donggi Matindok Field working area in Central Sulawesi, salt farmers in Bangkalan Madura under PHE WMO, and gurem farmers in Bojonegoro under PEP Sukowati Field. Besides fostering independent communities, this program is deemed to have contributed to achieving international Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 6, Clean Water and Sanitation; Goal 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth; Goal 13, Climate Action; Goal 15, Life on Land, and Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals.

The assessment was conducted through document selection, presentations, and field verification of around 100 CSR program-implementing companies. The judging was carried out by the Indonesian Social Sustainability Forum, with the Ministry of Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, involving the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Presidential Office.

The awards were presented by the Vice President of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin, and Minister of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Halim Iskandar, to the Director of Eastern Indonesia Region, Muhamad Arifin, and GM of Zone 13, Benny Sidik in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5).

"Following our commitment to sustainable performance reflected in the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) program, including activities to improve environmental quality and empower vulnerable communities around the operation areas, enabling them to be self-reliant and independent by maximizing local potential," said Muhamad Arifin.

Asih Loinang is located in Tombiobong Hamlet, Maleo Jaya Village, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. Through this program, JOB Tomori has provided clean water to 32 KAT Loinang families using the eco water elevator method and revitalized economic activities to address hunger and poverty issues, such as freshwater fish farming and watering plantation crops.

The Integrated Salt Center is located in Banyusangka Village, Bangkalan Regency, Madura, aiming to revive the glory of coastal salt production in Madura using appropriate technology and building the capacity of salt farmer groups to increase production amidst climate change.

Kokolomboi Lestari is located in Leme-Leme Darat Village, Buko District, Banggai Islands Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, where this program involves and empowers the Togong-Tanga Indigenous Community, who are the original Sea-Sea tribe. They, who used to sustain their livelihoods by logging trees, are empowered through environmentally friendly economic activities of honey bee and rattan cultivation through innovative palm trunk bee houses and special interest tourism.

Meanwhile, Prabu Kresna is located in Rahayu Village, Soko District, Tuban Regency, which introduces the innovation of a self-sufficiency fertilizer system through managing the Compost House (Rumpos) based on group patterns with a barter commodity transaction system of organic waste materials (animal manure, forage, snail pests) with finished compost fertilizer products, aiming to shift from conventional farming to organic farming paradigms.

Vice President of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, stated that as a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE), Pertamina has the responsibility to empower vulnerable communities around its operations and those living in remote areas to grow, advance, and become independent together.

"The TJSL program implemented by Pertamina targets vulnerable communities and those in the Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost Regions (3T) to become more prosperous and economically independent," said Fadjar.**