Improving Business Competitiveness, Pertamina Helps Protect the Trademarks of its MSEs

Jakarta, August 27, 2021 – Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) must possess several basic regulations to upgrade. These include certification and business licenses. PT Pertamina (Persero), through the UMK Academy event, continues to support this goal by holding socialization of several business certifications management, one of which is the registration of intellectual property rights (HKI).

Acting Senior Vice President Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, explained the importance of a 'Brand' for a product. Not only does it make it simpler for customers to recognize items, but it also protects them against counterfeiting by third parties.

"At the UMK Academy event in 2020, Pertamina has assisted as many as 64 foster partners so that they can receive the IPR brand certificate. This year, more Pertamina fostered partners will be promoted by obtaining additional certificates to support this business," she said.

Erinaldi Alisman, as an Intellectual Property Rights Consultant at the Indonesian Intellectual Property Rights Consultation Institute, explained the importance of trademark protection for MSE products in more detail. In his explanation, Eri explained many examples of brand names that can be used as brands of a product.

"Brands should be a word that is easy to pronounce, easy to remember, easy to recognize. It also can highlight the company's image, has a difference from other similar products, does not violate rules/exists such as the use of symbols and is made for the long term," he explained.

In addition, Eri also warned the participants of the 2021 UMK Academy not to use certain well-known brands or business logos. Like a pun or using a logo that at first glance is quite identical to a well-known brand. "If you innovate from a well-known product, for example, offering a lower price or a different flavor variant is allowed. But not with the name or logo of the business," said Eri.

One of the fostered partners who has obtained an HKI certificate assisted by Pertamina is Ririn Musti Wijayaningsih. The owner of the Ty'p Herbal Drink Papua business became one of the recipients of HKI certification after the 2020 UMK Academy event. "Thank God, after receiving the certificate, sales and customer trust increased. There has been an increase of 20% in my business compared to before and after getting IPR," she explained.

According to Fajriyah, through the MSE Funding Program, Pertamina wants to provide energy that moves the economy--energy that fuels and energy that produces sustainable growth.

Pertamina continues to support SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) point 8 achievements through implementing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)-based programs in all of its operational areas. It is part of the social and environmental responsibility to realize economic benefits in the community.**