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Palm oil producer Asian Agri bagged the Green PROPER Award for the excellent environmental management in its business unit PT Inti Indosawit Subur. Called Program Penilaian Peringkat Kinerja Perusahaan (PROPER) Hijau, the Award was conferred by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on 27 Dec 2018.
Green PROPER Award to Recognise Green Efforts
The PROPER Award recognises companies that have been assessed by the government to have effectively implemented responsible environmental management initiatives and systems. Award recipients are also recognised for moving beyond just regulatory compliance to demonstrating leadership in sustainability.
Receiving the award on behalf of Asian Agri, the company’s Head of Industrial Relations Manumpak Manurung said, “As a company involved in plantation management, we have a very close relationship with the environment. It is our responsibility and commitment to implement policies and initiatives in sustainable environmental management.”
Yuk dukung terus pengelolaan kelapa sawit yang #berkelanjutan dan ramah lingkungan. Kalau Asian Agri saja bisa, kamu juga pasti bisa! #AsianAgri #AsianAgriProper pic.twitter.com/WwT0Wl32nm
— Asian Agri (@Asian_Agri) December 28, 2018
above: Asian Agri’s Twitter handle announces the achievement of winning the Green Proper Award, and shares a message on supporting sustainably and responsibly produced palm oil.
From Waste to Renewable Energy
One of Asian Agri’s biogas power plants in Buatan, Riau, Indonesia.
Among the many sustainability initiatives implemented by Asian Agri across its plantations and factories is the biogas power plant. In line with the company’s move to minimise wastage and safeguard the environment, it has built facilities that use anaerobic digestion to convert palm oil mill effluent (POME) into fuel to generate electricity.
Converted from waste into renewable energy, the biogas is used to power gas turbines, generating electricity for industrial and residential uses. As each power plant is capable of producing 2.2 megawatts of electricity, Asian Agri’s biogas power plants can light up as many as 16,000 households, in addition to powering its own operations.
As methane and carbon dioxide are the main constituents of biogas, their use in power generation helps reduce emissions. Additionally, the conversion of POME into biogas supports the company’s efforts in waste management.
On 13 December 2018, Asian Agri announced the construction of another three biogas power plants, adding to a present total of 10. The company’s focus on the integrated process of maximising the utility of oil palm fresh fruit bunches for uses in palm oil products, fertiliser and power generation, demonstrates its commitment to sustainable development.
“SPOTT” on with Transparency
Asian Agri’s sustainability efforts have also recently earned it the distinction of being the only Indonesia-headquartered palm oil producer to earn a “higher” rating by SPOTT, or the Sustainability Policy Transparency Toolkit. Developed by the ZSL (Zoological Society of London) in 2014, the toolkit supports sustainable commodity production and trade.
