5 Types & 9 Examples of Impactful & Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs

There are various examples of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs by companies in Indonesia (also commonly referred to as Environmental and Social Responsibility - ESR). The general aim of CSR is to provide sustainable impacts and responsibilities towards the environment and the local community. This article will discuss 9 examples of corporate social responsibility programs by companies in Indonesia that can be used as CSR program ideas for a company.

Table of contents:

5 Types & 9 Examples of Impactful & Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs by Companies in Indonesia

What are the types of CSR programs in Indonesia?What are the types of CSR programs in Indonesia?

Examples of Impactful and Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs in Indonesia

Tips for arranging a CSR program

About CarbonEthics

What are the types of CSR programs in Indonesia?

Beyond a company's obligation to minimize the negative impacts of its business operations, its presence also entails a responsibility to make a positive contribution to the environment and society. This is what is commonly referred to as CSR or ESR programs.

From the myriad of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs by companies in Indonesia, they can be categorized into 5 types of programs, namely:

1. Environmental Sustainability

This type of CSR program focuses on initiatives or interventions that contribute positively to the environment. In Indonesia, a popular example is mangrove planting through CarbonEthics, Planting corals and beach clean-up, turtle conservation and release through Bumi Journey, and many more.

Meanwhile, the management of waste generated by a company's operations is a basic obligation of the company and does not fall under CSR, unless the waste management system implemented has a positive impact beyond waste mitigation itself.

2. Community Development

This type of CSR program aims to create community self-reliance and economic growth through capacity-building and skill enhancement. Popular examples include digital marketing training for SMEs, utilization of biogas as natural fuel, batik-making, as well as providing business and financial planning education to the community.

Economic improvement can also be achieved by enhancing accessibility through road improvements. This is expected to stimulate economic movement between regions. However, it's important to underline that road repairs due to company and factory activities do not fall under CSR programs.

3. Education

Education-focused CSR programs aim to enhance the level of formal education in the community. These typically take the form of educational scholarships ranging from junior high school to university levels. Support for educational necessities such as books, uniforms, shoes, or libraries can also be categorized as types of education-focused CSR programs.

4. Food, Clothing, and Shelter or Basic Needs

The objective of this CSR program tends to be short-term in nature. Usually, these programs take the form of direct donations or assistance in the form of food or clothing to less privileged communities. There are also long-term impactful forms of this program, such as housing renovation assistance.

5. Health and Safety

The final one aims to improve public health. Its forms can be diverse. Short-term initiatives include checking blood sugar and cholesterol levels along with brief consultations, while long-term efforts may involve sanitation improvements.

For security, this can take the form of security infrastructure improvements or direct response assistance during natural disasters.

Tips: The five types of CSR programs mentioned above can be combined into a single CSR initiative. For instance, mangrove planting through CarbonEthics that also empowers and enhances the capacity of local farmers.

Examples of Impactful and Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs in Indonesia

Some important aspects to consider when planning CSR programs are reach, impact, and consistency or sustainability. The following are examples of companies that we consider to have effectively addressed these three aspects.

1. Allianz Indonesia CSR Programs: Planting 3,000 mangroves, participating in Clean-up Day, and campaign “Cintai Keluarga dan Bumi dengan Layanan Asuransi Digital”.

In 2021, Allianz successfully planted 3,000 mangroves in collaboration with CarbonEthics, cared for by local mangrove farmer partners on Pulau Harapan. This CSR program is part of Allianz's transition to digital insurance services, aiming to reduce physical waste. With every transition to a digital policy, Allianz commits to planting one mangrove, further adding to the positive environmental impact and the future of families.

In addition, Allianz also engages its employees in mangrove planting and world clean-up day programs. This involvement enhances the impact of the CSR program, as direct education is provided by Bumi Journey team to Allianz employees, increasing awareness of the importance of jointly addressing the climate crisis.

2. The Body Shop CSR Program: Be Seen and Be Heard Campaign.

As part of its CSR initiatives, The Body Shop launched the international campaign “Be Seen and Be Heard". This campaign supports the youth, who are key drivers of change, to have a voice and collaborate alongside CarbonEthics. The aim is to create a ripple effect that inspires other young individuals to take action and innovate in addressing environmental and social issues.

In addition to receiving donations, The Body Shop also uses this program as an added value to their change-making edition products. With each package of these products, The Body Shop donates Rp 5,000 to support the Be Seen and Be Heard program. This creates a sustainable win-win solution where The Body Shop continues to support youth voices while also providing them with more environmentally friendly products that contribute to the business's sustainability.

3. Garnier CSR Program: Kampanye Serap Jejak Karbonmu

Garnier launched an international CSR program titled “Green Beauty”. This campaign aims to raise awareness among consumers and the public about the environmental impact of beauty products and provide more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Beyond being a form of CSR, the “Green Beauty" program is also integrated into Garnier's commitment to transform into a beauty brand with minimal environmental impact. In their plans, Garnier is also committed to reducing carbon emissions through renewable energy sources and ethical sourcing. Together with CarbonEthics, Garnier is dedicated to planting mangroves with every minimum product purchase. This campaign has successfully planted 20,000 mangroves , which are well cared for and monitored by the CarbonEthics team.

4. CSR Program by Pupuk Indonesia

Pupuk Indonesia is one of the state-owned enterprises (Badan Usaha Milik Negara) that has received awards multiple times for its CSR programs. Pupuk Indonesia has comprehensive CSR programs that cover all impact pillars and are integrated; from education and environment to community empowerment

In Gresik, Pupuk Indonesia is engaged in mangrove restoration while providing training and collaborating with local fishermen and communities to develop ecotourism. Their commitment extends to the construction of facilities such as The Mangrove Restoration and Learning Center, mangrove monitoring bridges, camping sites, and hybrid engineering. These efforts enhance the positive impact for visitors coming to the area.

5. Gojek's CSR Program

As one of the homegrown applications with more than 2.5 million partners, Gojek undoubtedly has a significant positive impact. But it doesn't stop there; many of Gojek's CSR programs are education-focused. Through Yayasan Anak Bangsa Bisa, Gojek centers its CSR programs on community capacity development as an enabler and catalyst.

One of these programs is “Generasi Gigih", which provides scholarships to develop the competencies of young individuals in producing outstanding technological talents. What's intriguing is that Gojek's programs are designed to offer collaborative opportunities for other companies or organizations, thereby expanding the impact capacity of the programs.

6. Pertamina's CSR Program

Pertamina, a state-owned enterprise, has received numerous awards for the consistency of its CSR programs. Through Pertamina Village, Pertamina has successfully nurtured 62 partner villages through 131 programs covering various CSR pillars, including economic, environmental, health, and education aspects.

With this mentorship, the Pertamina Village program is both sustainable and measurable. This is due to well-planned types of CSR programs that are suitable for each village, involving the community, residents, and local authorities. One example is the ecotourism development program that has benefited 2,255 individuals, or the entrepreneurship capacity enhancement initiative that has led to the establishment of 29 independent workshops.

7. Astra International's CSR Program

Astra has a highly integrated CSR program strategy within "Astra Sehat, Astra Cerdas, Astra Hijau dan Astra Kreatif". Astra has indeed developed numerous flagship CSR programs, ranging from mangrove planting, health clinic mentoring (Posyandu), school and teacher development, to support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

One of the most interesting aspects of Astra International's strategy is the initiation of the Satu Indonesia Awards, where they evaluate derivative CSR programs and present awards. This undoubtedly motivates subsidiary companies to create high-impact, consistent, sustainable programs that collaborate with communities and other organizations.

8. Telkomsel's CSR Program

There are many Telkomsel CSR programs that are recognized for their benefits. One of them is the provision of the Bus Bandros, which helps promote tourism in Bandung while reducing carbon emissions.

However, the most unique is the ”Jaga Bumi" program that collaborates with Plustik to upcycle SIM card shells into phone cases, pavement blocks, and hybrid boats. This initiative is carried out as a contribution to waste management in Indonesia.

9. Jasamarga's CSR Program

Jasamarga certainly has various CSR initiative programs, ranging from COVID-19 mitigation to disaster relief efforts. However, one of their interesting programs is the mitigation of livestock waste pollution through the utilization of cow dung as a renewable resource for lighting homes and cooking. This CSR program creates a circular economy with minimal environmental impact while providing economic value through waste utilization.

Tips for arranging a CSR program

In conclusion, to achieve impactful and sustainable CSR programs, a company must first identify the existing issues on the ground. Engaging in discussions with local residents or experts in the environmental field is also a crucial step in generating appropriate program strategies.

The involvement of marketing and branding teams is equally important to assess how this positive impact can add value to products or the brand positioning of the company. For on-ground execution, companies must collaborate with nearby organizations or represent local communities, being responsible and sharing a vision and mission that supports the goals of the CSR program.

Lastly, impact assessment and program monitoring are crucial as indicators of the program's success. Ultimately, the expenses incurred by the company need to be justified and appropriately targeted.CarbonEthics is an organization that aims to restore the climate balance through natural climate solutions with pioneers in blue carbon restoration. When you conserve with CarbonEthics, you are not only creating positive environmental change, you are also advancing social impact by directly enhancing the livelihoods of local community partners and thriving biodiversity.

About CarbonEthics

CarbonEthics is an organization that aims to restore the climate balance through natural climate solutions with pioneers in blue carbon restoration. When you conserve with CarbonEthics, you are not only creating positive environmental change, you are also advancing social impact by directly enhancing the livelihoods of local community partners and thriving biodiversity.