Despite significant economic progress over the last 15 years, the World Bank estimates that there are still 28 million people living below the poverty line in Indonesia. Palm oil production is a powerful engine for rural development and has the potential to raise millions out of poverty. The livelihoods of around 50 million Indonesians, either directly or indirectly, depend on palm oil and its derivatives through multiplier effects that the sector has created. The sector brings in huge revenues and also helps to eradicate poverty and promote economic growth in the country.
Musim Mas is a socially responsible company and we support communities in the fight against poverty. This means providing jobs, basic amenities, medical services and education. By building long-term partnerships with communities and civil society organizations, we address issues that are important to the communities where we operate. At every point of contact, we respect and uphold all human rights, including the rights of indigenous and local communities, families, and other tenure holders.
We fully recognize and uphold the rights of local communities, and in particular indigenous landowners, to determine the use of their land. We do not pursue developments or expansion without their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). All negotiations concerning compensation for lost benefits and/or the relinquishing of rights are conducted in a noncoercive manner and are agreed upon voluntarily by the communities.
We adhere to the RSPO New Planting Procedure (NPP) and undertake a Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) to review the social conditions of local and surrounding communities in relation to any new development. Management and monitoring plans are subsequently developed and implemented.
Musim Mas socializes the proposed plan among local communities and all relevant information is shared openly, including impact assessments, proposed benefits and legal arrangements. We respond constructively and promptly to requests for information from all stakeholders. All interactions are conducted though open and transparent channels of communication, and consultation is facilitated between growers and/or millers and local communities. We discuss potential community development projects with village heads and villagers and report on their progress. All negotiations concerning compensation for loss of legal or customary rights, or other complaints and grievances, are documented in full.
At Musim Mas, we believe that education is the key to economic development and better livelihoods. We provide free education for all employees´ children and have built and funded schools within our plantations in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Rated as top schools in each respective region, our schools provide kindergarten and elementary education to children of Musim Mas employees, as well as those from the surrounding communities.
Beyond basic education, all students have access to computer classes and extra-curricular activities such as sport, music and leadership development. Through Anwar Karim Foundation, we have provided scholarships for underprivileged elementary students in support of equal education opportunities. With Gerakan Nasional Orang Tua Asuh (GNOTA), Musim Mas also annually provides uniforms and books to students living in the communities surrounding our plantations.
We also provide free transport for older students who wish to continue their education at local secondary schools.
Through our Indonesian Palm Oil Development for Smallholders program, we trialed a health and nutrition training initiative for women in Rantau Prapat.
We introduced the food pyramid illustrating the optimal proportions of each food group needed to achieve a balanced diet and the useful motto “Empat Sehat Lima Sempurna”, or “Four Healthy Five Perfect.” More than 1,000 women from Rantau Prapat have participated in the health and nutrition training, and many have adopted healthier practices. Musim Mas and IFC are looking to replicate this educational outreach program in other villages.
Through our Indonesian Palm Oil Development for Smallholders program, we trialed a health and nutrition training initiative for women in Rantau Prapat.
We introduced the food pyramid illustrating the optimal proportions of each food group needed to achieve a balanced diet and the useful motto “Empat Sehat Lima Sempurna”, or “Four Healthy Five Perfect.” More than 1,000 women from Rantau Prapat have participated in the health and nutrition training, and many have adopted healthier practices. Musim Mas and IFC are looking to replicate this educational outreach program in other villages.
To address malnutrition and vitamin deficiency, we provide all our plantation workers with land to cultivate fruit and vegetables. In addition, the houses we provide for workers include a designated plot of land for gardening. We also require community members that sell land to the company to confirm that they have retained enough land to meet their own needs.
In addition to our community programs, we operate a long-standing outreach initiative through the Anwar Karim Foundation. Under the Foundation, Musim Mas has provided shelter for orphans and the elderly in Surabaya, contributing to the livelihoods of the underprivileged. The program also explores ways to ensure that children become literate and self-reliant individuals.
The Foundation supports the national efforts to tackle the impact of natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi (2018) by dispatching food and other necessities to the disaster-stricken areas.
Other community projects include the construction of wells, road repairs, free medical aid and financial assistance for local community projects. These create employment and increase income levels across the community.
