Riau, 2 August 2019 – To protect the community from the impact of ongoing forest and land fires in Riau, Asian Agri collaborated with the Environmental Agency of Pelalawan Regency to distribute masks to people in Pangkalan Kerinci today (2/8). The use of masks is a general measure to minimize the effects of haze on people who are affected.
Head of Sustainability Operations & CSR Welly Pardede revealed that 10,000 masks were distributed to the general community, while 2,000 were distributed specifically to junior and senior high school students. “We distributed masks to students and residents at several designated points, including red light intersections, the Sumatra crossing road, and the market.”
“These masks help to protect local communities who are exposed to smoke from the fires by minimizing the impact on their respiratory health,” Welly added.
Asian Agri focuses on fire prevention by conducting its Fire Free Village Program (FFVP) and engaging villagers in Indonesia’s Riau and Jambi provinces annually. The program, which was established in 2016, is run in line with the government’s fire mitigation efforts led by the National Agency for Disaster Management.
In July 2019, the company distributed rewards to two villages in Riau and four villages in Jambi for successfully managing to keep their villages fire-free in the past year with effective fire prevention methods.
About Asian Agri:
Asian Agri is one of Indonesia’s largest palm oil producers since 1979. Today, the company manages 100,000 hectares of land and employs over 25,000 people. A pioneer of the Indonesian government’s Trans-National Government Migration (PIR-Trans) program, Asian Agri works with 30,000 plasma smallholders in Riau and Jambi who operate 60,000 hectares of palm oil plantations, as well as independent smallholders, bringing about positive impact on their quality of life and economic development.
Implementing a strict “no burn” policy and best practices in sustainable plantation management, Asian Agri has helped its smallholder partners improve productivity, yield and supply chain traceability, while assisting them obtain certifications. The company’s mills are technologically advanced and energy self-sufficient, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Asian Agri is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). More than 86% of both owned plantations in North Sumatra, Riau & Jambi provinces and 100% of scheme smallholder plantations in Riau & Jambi provinces have been RSPO certified. All plantations, including those owned by smallholders, have been certified by ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification). The company has also been 100% ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil) certified.
The company’s operations are ISO 14001 certified, while its Learning Institute and nursery research center in Riau province, Indonesia are both ISO 9001 certified. Asian Agri’s R&D Center in North Sumatra was also given a certification by the International Plant-Analytical Exchange at the WEPAL lab at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, for its high standards.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Sidabutar
Head Corporate Communications
E-mail: maria_sidabutar@www.asianagri.com
DID: +62 21 2301 119
