The Economist Indonesia Summit 2015: RGE adds value to Indonesia

On 11 February 2015, members of the new Indonesian government, international experts and business leaders came together, in Jakarta, for the Indonesia Summit 2015 hosted by the renown business publication, The Economist. Titled ‘New light or false dawn’, the event facilitates a series of engaging discussions on the future of Indonesia. APRIL, the pulp and paper business within the RGE group of companies, participated in the panel discussion on “Resource demand, Governance and Environmental Calamity”. The session focused on issues concerning sustainability. APRIL also had an exhibition booth to showcase its pulp and paper innovation, conservation and ecosystem-restoration initiatives, and its community development programs.

Anderson Tanoto, Director of RGE, shared how the its group of companies’ business philosophy and direction will add value to Indonesia as the country continues to develop. As the Chinese economy shifts from a high-speed growth to a medium-to-high speed growth, Anderson remarked that the implications will be felt in South East Asia and especially Indonesia, which is a major exporter to China. “Commodity prices should not dictate our nation’s or our company’s future”, he said. As RGE’s group of companies continues to integrate downstream, the value added to Indonesia increases, contributing to the country’s economic growth and benefiting the communities in which the companies operate. Anderson Tanoto, the son of entrepreneur Sukanto Tanoto of the $15 billion RGE, added that “conservation benefits the community, country and the company plays an integral part in implementing the conservation programs.” This is in line with how RGE conducts its business – good for the community, good for the country and good for the company. To RGE, conservation has an intangible value and the benefits far outweighs the perceived cost. More info:

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