Sinar Mas 83rd Anniversary: APP Sinar Mas Stand Together in Achieving Healthy Indonesia

Sinar Mas entering its 83rd year contributing bring the best product and innovation for Indonesia. It takes a long time to align all the Sinar Mas’ business units to committed giving their best and keep the high spirit, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic that we are all facing on. Massive adaptation has been made to maintain the business without comprising the safety and health of all employees.

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is one of the business units that have significant role contributing during the pandemic, through its mandatory production of health products, including medical masks, tissue, environmentally food packaging, and so on. Director of APP Sinar Mas Suhendra Wiriadinata shared how he struggles to get through the situation while providing the market needs of health products.

A large number of employees throughout Indonesia is one of the main challenges here. Besides, Suhendra said the commitment to keep the employee safe and healthy remains be the company’s priority.

As an effort to survive in the midst of pandemic, APP Sinar Mas set the target of herd immunity by providing a mass vaccination program for the employee since last May. APP Sinar Mas is also one of the first 19 companies participating in the ‘Gotong Royong Vaccination Program’ held by the Indonesian government. Besides the main target of the employee based in the headquarters, mills, and districts, APP Sinar Mas aligns with the Eka Tjipta Foundation (ETF) to manage the vaccination deployment available for the community living nearby.

“As of now, we almost reach 100% done vaccinated for employees and their family-relatives, supplier partners, including outsourced workers and contractors. This, of course, is a result of the solid cooperation from many, and also active participation from all employees,” told Suhendra at the webinar ‘Indonesia Sehat, Ekonomi Bangkit’ (14/9).

Suhendra said managing the business during a pandemic is such a great challenge he treasures a lot. What he keeps in mind as a leader is to disseminate information to prevent COVID-19 by forming a task force (satgas), as well as together with all employees to be adaptable to increasing digitalization.

In addition to that, the collaboration with ETF and Tzu Chi Sinar Mas Foundation is still running through distributing the basic needs, medical equipment, blood donations, and oxygen fulfillment for hospitals. As of September 2020, more than 1,200 tons of oxygen have been distributed to several areas through several APP Sinar Mas’ business pillars.

“This pandemic has strengthened our spirit to always grow, increasing our resilience and tenacity. Quoting our founder of APP Sinar Mas, Eka Tjipta Widjaja, he said that whatever the circumstances we can overcome as long as we have the fighting spirit,” told Suhendra. He hoped that all the efforts the company has given, and good collaborations from all parties, can be beneficial for all and help the pandemic ends to create a healthy Indonesia.