Blogs: People

Ketut Suyadnya, Refinery Operations Manager, 40 years old, Marunda

“I manage operations at SMART Marunda, which is one of eight refineries owned by Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) in Indonesia. What we do is refine crude palm oil extracted at the mills into edible oils by removing all odour, impurities and non-glyceride lipids.

I have been in Marunda since 2010. I started right at the beginning, part of the refinery installation team. I was involved in the entire process, from commissioning to commercial production. But now I supervise production planning and inventory control. My main role is to make sure our products are safe and of high-quality for us to remain competitive in the industry.

In Bali, where I am from, people believe in spending more time on work than talk. Although we have a standard five day work week, I often make time to check the machinery on weekends. I can’t afford to have a malfunction at the refinery—it is my responsibility that the machinery runs as smooth as, well oil.

I believe that I am a link in a chain. Everyone has their own important role as part of a chain for it to function well. I explained to my team that they are part of a larger ecosystem in the palm oil industry, not confined to just the refinery. This allows them to develop a sense of pride in their work.

I also believe all problems are just little challenges in life that can be eventually solved. This allows me to always strive to find a solution to all work and personal problems.

My motto is simple but not easy—to continue to improve quality of life. My father once told me to never ask for anything unless you can give something in return. So I see my job as an operations manager, as a mandate. I am not only working for myself but for my family, my team, and the community I’m a part of.”

GAR’s six refineries have a total capacity of 4,680,000 tonnes per annum. This involves working with many suppliers and we want to help them drive sustainability into their processes and practices. Learn how we engage with our suppliers here.

Click here to discover more stories behind the extraordinary, everyday lives of the people transforming palm oil.