Gallery

Social Efforts

Research & Development

We have a significant research and development programme led by our PT SMART Research Institute. We are using technology as well as innovative new community engagement techniques to implement our GAR Social and Environmental Policy (GSEP). We are always looking for ways to diversify and innovate in the palm oil products we produce.

In particular we are committed to continuous improvement to enhance the productivity of palm oil in all of our plantations. Increasing productivity will reduce the pressure on new land opening and improve the livelihoods of the smallholders.

Improving the Standard of Living

Since 2008, we have been actively enhancing the lives of communities where we operate. One example is in PT Kartika Prima Cipta (PT KPC) in West Kalimantan. The plantation area covers approximately 2,900 hectares with close to 3500 people living there.

Residents of Marsedan Raya village have noticed marked improvements in their standard of living and quality of life as a result of the palm oil plantation operating in the area. This includes improved access to healthcare due to better infrastructure and a reduction in the infant mortality rate.

Improving Educational Opportunities

Going to school for the children of Mantan Village was once a difficult feat due to the distance and the lack of good roads. The situation changed when the palm oil plantation started operating in the area.

Now, children from the village have better access to primary education and that has created opportunities for higher education in the future.

Friends of Orangutans

GAR has been working with the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) for a number of years. The partnership marks the continuation of efforts by our company to protect rare, threatened or endangered species and to help preserve Indonesia’s biodiversity.

OFI-SMART releases two wild orangutans – Tyson and Eka

On December 19, two orangutans were released at the Tanjung Putting National Park. This was a result of efforts by the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) in partnership with Pt SMART Tbk. It marks the continuation of efforts by our company to protect rare, threatened or endangered species and to help preserve Indonesia’s biodiversity.

Ibu Sohriah’s Story

This is Ibu Sohriah. She is a housewife from Simpang Tiga Semblangaan Village. We had the opportunity to listen to her experience during the land and forest fire last year.

GAR has a sustainable solution that will address the land and forest fire situation. GAR’s Desa Siaga Api (Fire-alert Village) programme trains and equips villagers to prevent and rapidly suppress fires should they occur. The programme is being carried out in 17 villages in two regions. Read more about the programme here: http://bit.ly/1TCZQvt

Smallholder Farmers and Innovative Financing

Innovative Financing Scheme is a public-private partnership involving the Indonesian Government, the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce (KADIN) and the Indonesian Economists Association (ISEI) under the umbrella of Partnership for Indonesia’s Sustainable Agriculture (PISAgro). The Scheme aims to reach smallholder farmers and help them access financing and training to boost their yields and income. And GAR and PT SMART are actively involved in this through the Innovative Financing Scheme.

Indonesian version: https://youtu.be/Dy1UxvIsZuI

Mapping Our Supply Chain: A Palm Oil FFB Broker’s Experience

GAR’s traceability to the plantation plan (TTP) builds on the first phase of our supply chain mapping. In December 2015, GAR completed mapping 489 individual mills supplying its eight downstream facilities in Indonesia.

GAR wants to bring all its suppliers along on its sustainability journey. Achieving full traceability to the plantation will help GAR do this. GAR-owned mills will complete the mapping by end-2017 and independent mills by end-2020.

Read the blog: http://bit.ly/2a7U2Zy

Boosting Smallholder Yields, A Farmer’s Experience

GAR/PT SMART focus on fostering partnerships between major growers and buyers of palm oil, and networks of smallholders. GAR/PT SMART’s Smallholder Development Programmes offers support for smallholders to get high-quality seeds, fertiliser and infrastructure support at the palm oil estates, training and help in getting Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil System (ISPO) certification and legal land tenure.

Indonesian version: https://youtu.be/2Spknn5b4HU

Read blog: http://bit.ly/29KWJhr

Commemorating International Orangutan Day

August 19 is International Orangutan Day. These primates are currently facing a dire future and considered an endangered species. At GAR/PT SMART we believe in protecting the rich biodiversity found in our concessions and are especially focused on orangutan conservation.

Since 2011, GAR/PT SMART has partnered with Orangutan Foundation International (OFI), to rehabilitate and release wild-born, captive orangutans back to their natural habitat. We also train our employees to carefully handle and protect orangutans when they enter our estates.

Recently, together with OFI, we released two orangutans, Poco and Rich at the Seruyan Forest in Central Kalimantan. And we will continue to help release more orangutans throughout next year.

Reaching out to smallholders through our Traceability to Plantation project

An estimated two million smallholders in Indonesia own over 40 percent of palm oil estates in the country. We believe that reaching out to this section of the industry is vital for improving their welfare as well as the social and environmental practices across the industry.

One of the ways that GAR is doing this is through the Traceability to Plantation project. GAR is currently piloting this at a number of its own mills. We aim to achieve TTP for GAR mills by the end of 2017 and TTP for our independent supplier mills by end 2020.

In mapping our supply chain to the point of origin we are reaching out and getting to know our individual suppliers such as FFB brokers and more importantly individual farmers. We talked to some of them about traceability and sustainability during a recent training session at our Ujung Tanjung mill.

Sustainability as part of our DNA

A few days after receiving awards for Social Business Innovation 2016 and the Green CEO 2016 from Warta Ekonomi, Daud Dharsono, President Director of PT SMART Tbk, outlines his view on the company’s sustainability journey.

Sinar Mas Plantation Conference 2017 Highlights

Sinar Mas Plantation Conference 2017 Highlights

Sustainable Palm Oil Training for suppliers in Aceh

Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) conducted a a sustainable palm oil training for suppliers operating in Aceh, from 3 – 5 May 2017. The session was aimed at educating attendees on the importance of the Leuser Ecosystem, and share sustainable plantation management practices from the GAR Social & Environmental Policy (GSEP)

Partnering SNV to help smallholders

Interview with Ismène Stalpers, SNV Development’s Country Director for Indonesia, on her thoughts regarding partnering Golden Agri-Resources (GAR)/SMART, to help palm oil smallholders increase their field productivity and income, and apply for sustainable palm oil certification.

PRAYATNA – School of Excellence

PRAYATNA is a School of Excellence in Jharsa Village. The centre provides tuition to school-going children of migrant labourers from nearby villages. The students are from lower kindergarten to Class 9. They go to the centre every day for three hours from 4.30 to 7.30 pm.

GAR India supports the running of the centre by contributing to the building rental, school maintenance, teachers’ salary, stationery expenses, and promotional programmes in the school.

IIMPACT – primary education for girls

IIMPACT is an NGO with the objective of providing primary education to girls in rural and backward areas, where there are no formal schools nearby. It’s a challenge to get good teachers who can impart quality education in these rural and backward areas.

GAR India sponsors the “Train the Teachers” programme. The film was shot in Digantar, Jaipur, where a “Train the Trainers” programme was conducted. The programme was attended by trainers and teachers from various IIMPACT learning centres across Northern India.

GAR India supports all the “Train the Trainers” programmes that IIMPACT organises. The sponsorship includes fees for the faculty, travel, lodging, and expenses for meals.

Corporate Video

We are one of the largest palm oil plantation companies in the world. Our plantations are located in Indonesia and we manage more than 500, 000 hectares of palm oil plantations (including smallholder farmers).

We are a leading seed-to-shelf agribusiness—from growing oil palms with local farmers to producing food and fuel for the present and future. Sustainability is an essential part of our business and we are guided by our GAR Social and Environmental Policy (GSEP).

The GSEP is the roadmap we share with our employees, smallholders, suppliers, and customers as we work together to realise GAR’s vision of a sustainable palm oil industry. We believe that farming palm oil is an effective way to create jobs and alleviate poverty, and provides opportunities for communities to secure a better livelihood for themselves. Operating largely in rural and remote areas, we not only play an active role in the well-being of our employees, but also in the wider communities where we operate.

Sinar Mas Oleochemical – building 25 years of excellence

Golden Agri-Resources’ (GAR) oleochemical productions facility celebrates its 25-year anniversary, revealing a new brand name Sinar Mas Oleochemical.

Fire Free Programme (DMPA)

Forest fires have become a phenomenon in Indonesia. In 2015, fire and haze incurred huge losses for the Indonesian economy – the World Bank says that the economic cost of the fires exceeded USD 16 billion. The human cost was equally high as the fires and haze disrupted daily lives, prevented children from going to school, and worsened respiratory and other ailments. We are focused on finding long-term solutions to these forest fires which have become such a feature of the annual dry season.

Harnessing biogas in palm oil production

Biogas is a renewable energy that is produced from the breakdown of organic waste, and is a great way to ensure zero waste in palm oil production. GAR operates biogas plants to utilise the waste from our mills, producing energy which in turn, powers the mills. So how does this circular economy work and how else does biogas benefit our palm oil production?

Cooking delicious & healthy food with trans-fat free palm oil

Do you know cooking oil & margarine made with palm oil is healthier & tastier? Hear from celebrity chef, Nina Bertha, about why she uses our brands such as Filma and Palmboom for her tasty bakes.

The Journey

The palm oil industry is changing. Extraordinary Everyday tells the stories of the people behind responsible palm oil production. “The Journey”, the first in the series, introduces farmer, Yatimin, and elementary teacher, Siti Musyaropah from West Kalimantan, a rural province of Indonesia on the island of Borneo, as well as food technologist, Punjung Renjani, from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, all of whom are our people working along the palm oil value chain.

Traceability To Plantation is Possible

GAR and GeoTraceability collaborate using technology to enable independent supplier mills achieve traceability to plantation

We are the makers of a sustainable future

The palm oil industry is changing. This change is being driven by the extraordinary work of everyday people.

I am a maker of a sustainable future; I am a food technologist

The palm oil industry is changing. Extraordinary Everyday tells the stories of the people behind responsible palm oil production. The second video of the series is about our food technologist, Punjung Renjani, from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta who is working along the palm oil value chain. Visit goldenagriinternationalp1.sg-host.com/extraordinaryeveryday to learn more!

Researching insect biodiversity in oil palm plantations through BEFTA

Dr. Edgar Turner, curator of insects at the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Zoology, talks about Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food’s partnership with them on BEFTA – Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture, which tests the role of biodiversity in an oil palm ecosystem’s functioning and productivity.

I am a maker of a sustainable future; I am a teacher

The palm oil industry is changing. Extraordinary Everyday tells the stories of the people behind responsible palm oil production. The third video of the series is about our teacher, Siti Musyaropah, from West Kalimantan, who is working along the palm oil value chain.

Visit goldenagriinternationalp1.sg-host.com/extraordinaryeveryday to learn more!

How the palm oil industry can help reduce deforestation