To help young talent prepare for a world where sustainability and responsible business practices have become paramount, various leaders from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas collaborated with Futureskills, an e-learning platform owned by the learning foundation, Pijar, to foster sustainable thinking and empower individuals to bring about positive change when entering the workforce. The program, which explores a diverse range of topics, from responsible sourcing and economic restoration to career planning and social inclusiveness, has successfully attracted nearly 300 university students over the course of three months.
One of the key areas covered in the online learning program is Social Inclusiveness. As the speaker of this Futureskills class, Sera Noviany, APP’s Head of Sustainability Compliance shared more about the importance of engaging the community in a sustainable manner.
“It was great to see such an enthusiastic response from the students that enrolled in our sustainability course. This is very encouraging as I believe more people are beginning to realise the importance of sustainability, both within the business and in the environment,” said Ms. Noviany.
She hoped for similars program in the future, which will help APP build stronger connections with the youth.
Another crucial topic that was covered in the program is integrated fire management. With drastic weather changes that can negatively impact our environment, such as El Niño, this segment taught participants about the significance of investing in fire-free land management strategies and mitigating the risks associated with wildfires. The lecture was delivered by APP’s Fire Operation Management team, who highlighted the importance of adopting preventative measures, such as early detection systems and community engagement to ensure the safety of ecosystems and local communities.
Innovation lies at the heart of sustainability, and the Futureskills program encouraged participants to explore sustainable product development. Aside from this, HR professionals from APP also addressed real-world challenges such as making career choices and mastering hiring processes by sharing their insights into navigating sustainable career paths and offering guidance on skill development, networking, and professional growth opportunities.
Grenatha Lengke, a student from Paulus Christian University of Indonesia, took part in the program and said “I am happy and proud to be able to take part in the Sustainability class, I had the chance to learn from extraordinary people at an international company, namely APP Sinar Mas. I learned how APP's extraordinary work programs helped further the company’s vision and mission in supporting sustainability, and I also could speak to and make new friends from various universities. I hope APP will continue to collaborate with various parties so that the Sustainability Roadmap: Vision 2030 is achieved.”
Each session was accompanied by short, interactive quizzes to ensure active participation and gain insightful feedback from the participants. To end off the 3-month course, the program held a mentorship program to nurture their skills for a brighter future, while the students shared their final presentations to show how much they have learned throughout the course.
Farida Novaisa, one of the program participants from the Department of Environmental Health at the University of Indonesia, shared their experience with the program, saying “This course was super insightful! I am very happy to be able to join the Sinar Mas APP “Sustainability in Business” course, especially because the lecturers are certainly experienced and experts in their fields. The challenging but exciting thing is that we had to create final projects with direct guidance from the mentors. This gave us so much exposure in the field of Sustainability and APP Sinar Mas as a company. Hopefully what I’ve learned during class can be useful for me in the future.”