Community

On the plantations, we make sure everybody who works for us has access to medical care either in a local hospital or in clinics and medical centres we build and staff. We provide crêches to care for workers’ children and make sure that education is accessible, either by building and managing our own estate schools or by providing transportation to the nearest government schools. We provide housing with electricity and clean water, meeting national legislation and International Labor Organisation (ILO) standards. The houses on estates have vegetable plots attached to them for which the Group freely provides seeds, advice and encouragement to grow fruits and vegetables for the households’ consumption. Plantation co-operative stores are established to sell general provisions at a subsidised price. This is all part of our commitment to ensure employees receive essential community services, salaries and benefits that are commensurate with providing a living wage, and have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs.

We have permanent community development teams on site who get to know the village heads of the communities where we operate and maintain an open dialogue with them on any issues that affect their communities. The Group has a commitment to identify potential social impacts of the project and implement appropriate mitigation measures, including mitigating impacts on food security. Areas utilised as food resources by local communities, and other areas of social or cultural importance, are identified prior to developing land by participatory assessments involving engagement with communities, and are maintained as community-use areas. The Group works with the University of Indonesia to carry out  comprehensive social surveys that objectively document the status of individual groups and communities on and around the Group’s operations and how we can influence their situation for the better. Results from these surveys allow the Group to focus on its contributions towards the community such as delivering clean water and providing basic food packages in times of need.  The Group is committed to provide work opportunities for local communities by making purchases from local businesses and contractors, and by offering jobs to local people. We hire local people and source from local contractors and vendors whenever possible. Individuals from local communities are also invited to join smallholder scheme co-operatives to receive an income from a well-managed and productive asset.

In its dealings with employees, smallholder co-operatives, independent smallholders, contractors, suppliers or peoples living in and around its projects, the Group seeks to respect the United Nations’ Universal Declaration on Human Rights, notably the Articles relating to employment, working hours, standard of living and education. It also endorses the United Nations conventions on the elimination of racial discrimination (ICERD) and discrimination against women (CEDAW) as well as the United Nations covenant on economic, social and cultural rights (ICESCR), notably in respect of labour rights and the right to health, education, and an adequate standard of living.

Updated September 2024