Being a good corporate citizen means a company is committed to address not only the needs and expectations of its employees and shareholders, but also those of the society. Staying true to this understanding, PT HM Sampoerna’ corporate social responsibility programs are built on the company’s own “Three Hands Philosophy,” which balances the expectations of its consumers & business partners, employees as well as the society at large.
In light with the philosophy, PT HM Sampoerna is seeking to provide not only quality products for adult consumers but also to cater for meaningful CSR programs for the communities where it operates.
“We always think outside the box to see bigger picture to achieve a success. However, a success here should not only be measured by earning financial returns, but also bringing positive change to the community. Truly, having collaboratively involved with the government, non-governmental organizations and education institutions as well as our business partners in a series of local charities and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs really help us see even much bigger picture,” Yos Adiguna Ginting, Director Corporate Affairs, PT HM Sampoerna, remarked, adding that there are four main areas of the company’s contribution programs; community empowerment, education
Yos added that there are four main areas of the company’s contribution programs; community empowerment, environmental preservation, disaster relief and education.
Empowering the Community
PT HM Sampoerna has long been putting itself foremost in community empowerment at all levels of society by getting involved with significant community development projects.
The establishment of Sampoerna Entrepreneur Training Center (PPK Sampoerna) in 2006 is indeed a paragon for economic and human resources development.
This integrated facilities training center covers many areas of businesses such as agricultural processing plant, automotive mechanical equipment and boarding room that are designed to empower the community with skills and knowledge as a means of improving their livelihoods.
Situated on 10 hectares of land in Gunting village near the company’s manufacturing facility in Pasuruan regency of East Java, the training also cater to enable the local dwellers and employees who are entering retirement age to enhance their skills and potential to later set up or expand their own businesses.
In connection with this, PT HM Sampoerna has set aside funds to run the Small and Micro Scale Business Development Program (PPUMK). “This program is tailored to help financing those seeking capital to open small-scale enterprises in the business model that are based on locally available resources through the company’s rotating loan scheme and marketing support in the villages of Pasuruan,” Meta Rostiawati, CSR and Contribution Manager of PT HM Sampoerna, explained.
Helping to establish home industry of making kripik tempe (fermented soybean cake cracker) in Ngadimulyo village, mushroom cultivation industry in Bulukandang village, honey industry in Gunting village and various agricultural products in Batu of Malang are just few examples of the concrete success of the program.
Similarly, PT HM Sampoerna has helped small entrepreneurs in Sukorejo get access to capital in order to expand their businesses. In the beginning of the program implementation, the company benefited the entrepreneurs through 122 assistance organizations Kelompok Swadaya Masyarakat or KSM having altogether 742 members.
Such spirit of catering for the needs of community has been passed on to the employees of PT HM Sampoerna. The establishment of the Sampoerna Volunteers Club (SVC) in 2007 is one of the examples; Meta added “In commemorating Indonesian Independence Day, SVC partook in social welfare activities through ‘Untukmu Surabayaku’ event (For You My Surabaya).
Environmental Preservation
As a manufacturing company, PT HM Sampoerna is well aware of the importance of preserving the environment. We translate this into meaningful activities designed to sustain and preserve the environment in where we share.
This year, the company is heavily involved in mangrove tree planting program, particularly in Surabaya. Yos said that in March 2008 the giant Sampoerna planted as many as 5,000 trees in Wonorejo River area. “And in July 26, 2008, as the date happened to fall with the commemoration of World Mangrove Day, we again got ourselves involved in mangrove planting in Bozem Wonorejo. This time, 15,000 trees were planted.”
Such environmental preservation activities were then followed by National Mangrove Seminar held on July 29 at JW Marriot Hotel in Surabaya, in which a number of mangrove experts throughout the nation were invited.
Furtheremore, in coordination with the company’s leaf suppliers, PT HM Sampoerna has implemented the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program aiming to promote environmental friendly growing techniques and provide support to tobacco farmers. GAP helps to improve crop productivity while protecting, sustaining and enhancing the environment.
“In addition to GAP program with tobacco farmers, we also detected the need for rejuvenation of clove trees in several clove producing areas in Indonesia. So, we worked together with clove growers and local government in Gorontalo, Minahasa and Pacitan, to continue and expand our clove seedling donation program the company initiated in 2006,” Meta said, adding that the program is aimed to promote environmental friendly growing techniques and provide support to farmers in developing a sustainable business in growing quality clove and tobacco at best.
Sampoerna Rescue (SAR) Team
Established in 2002, Sampoerna Rescue (SAR) Team continued to get a grip on providing relief efforts ranging from prompt emergency actions to longer-term post-disaster reconstruction.
Early in February 2007, continuously heavy rainfalls resulted in one of the worst floods ever in the capital city of Jakarta and surrounding areas. As hundreds of thousands of residents were displaced, our SAR team, in conjunction with the local government crisis relief team, went immediately into action to assist with the evacuation and provide logistics and medical support from a humanitarian relief center that was established in the vicinity of Kalimalang in East Jakarta.
Later in the year, the SAR team also carried out relief actions by providing temporary shelter as well s medical and logistics support for the victims of the disastrous 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Bengkulu Province in September.
Educational support
Due to tighter competitiveness in today’s job market, education therefore has become an investment. PT HM Sampoerna has long seen such phenomenon and has implemented an important strategy to ensure the availability of highly skilled human resources that are potential to benefit not only the company’s business sector but also the community.
This year PT HM Sampoerna has supported the surrounding community with the program of Pustaka Sampoerna (Sampoerna Literature). The program has an expanded scope of service from the mobile library, making books available to the communities in Surabaya and Pandaan areas in addition to the establishment of eight Taman Bacaan Masyarakat (Small Scale Local Library) in Surabaya and Pasuruan. The TBM are independently run by the locals with book collections provided by PT HM Sampoerna in order to boost the reading habit in the surrounding community.
PT HM Sampoerna has also set to fund Sampoerna Foundation to carry out the teacher and principal quality improvement training program involving as many as 2,270 teachers and 90 principals from three regions of Karawang, Pasuruan and Surabaya.
In July this year, PT Sampoerna organized the Sampoerna Best Student Visit 2008 event during which 89 of the nation’s best students from 18 universities in the archipelago spent a five-day visit to the company’s offices and manufacturing facilities. “The visit truly gave a positive vibe as those outstanding students engaged in discussions with our management and staff members, as well as taking part in a variety of leadership building exercises,” Meta expressed her amaze.
Furthermore, the company’s being care with the education has since early of August 2008 maintained the support to the collegiate communities around the country through the Sampoerna Campus Program as the company supported the ‘Musikku untuk Bangsaku’ (the music for my nation), featuring the pianist Levi Gunardi in Semarang and Surabaya on August 11 and 13, respectively.
This advertorial was published in The Jakarta Post, August 30, 2008.
