Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas has been awarded the Asia Sustainability Reporting Rating (ASRRAT) 2019, (previously known as the Sustainability Reporting Awards) for the seventh time.
This year, APP Sinar Mas was awarded the silver rank after competing with 50 other organizations across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Bangladesh, among others for the best application of the GRI standards in their sustainability reports.
“Our win for the seventh time reflects our commitment in ensuring that a transparent reporting standards is implemented in our sustainable business practices,” said APP Sinar Mas Chief Sustainability Officer, Elim Sritaba.
The award was presented by Michele Lemmens, Regional Head of ASEAN Hub at Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), accompanied by Ali Darwin, CSRA Chairman, Board of Director of the National Center for Sustainability Reporting (NCSR), to APP Sinar Mas Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Sera Noviany.
As recorded in its 2018 Sustainability Report, APP Sinar Mas had achieved the targets set in its Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020 (SRV 2020), such as improving mills operational management, as well as successfully implementing forest protection programs as stated in APP’s Forest Conservation Policy.
Elim said, in mills operational management, APP Sinar Mas has succeeded in reducing the amount of solid waste going to the landfill by more than 41%, and reducing 24% of water intensity in the production process compared to the initial implementation of SRV 2020.
APP Sinar Mas has also managed to reduce the areas affected by wildfires to 0.07% from the total concession areas of its wood suppliers, reduce the rate of forest cover changes caused by third parties within protected areas of its suppliers to 0.14 percent, and implement the Integrated Forestry & Farming System (IFFS) program in 284 villages around the company’s concession areas.
Last year at the same event, APP Sinar Mas was awarded a bronze award. The GRI Standards aim to help businesses, government, and other organizations to understand and communicate the impacts of businesses on economic, environmental, and social sustainability. APP Sinar Mas, since 2017, has been compiling its sustainability reports based on the GRI Standards, which serve as a reference for global sustainability reports.