Jakarta. Riau-based pulp and paper producer APRIL Group has shown commitment to the global sustainable development goals (SDGs), as seen in the 2023 Sustainability Report.

The company, which operates in Pangkalan Kerinci, has launched its 20th sustainability report. The document summarizes APRIL's achievements in having sustainable business operations based on the Sustainable Forest Management Policy (SFMP) 2.0. The report also shows its commitment to the company's APRIL 2030 decade-long sustainability commitment to support SDGs.

The following were the initiatives that APRIL Group had done to support the SDGs throughout 2023:

Increasing Renewable Energy Use

APRIL Group supports the government's target of net zero emissions by 2060 or sooner by reducing its carbon emissions at its production facilities.

In 2023, the company successfully reduced the carbon emission intensity of its products by 20 percent compared to the baseline in 2019. Clean and renewable energy power 88 percent of APRIL's operational energy needs. The company seeks to increase the renewable energy share to 90 percent by 2030.

To this end, the company plans to install more solar panels. Last year, the installed solar panels reached 13.5 MW and will be increased to 50 MW by 2030. As of September 2024, the total installed solar panels reached 26 MW with some of the installations carried out on closed landfills.

10th Anniversary of Restoration Commitment

2023 marks the 10th anniversary of APRIL's restoration and conservation commitment through the Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) program. Since 2013, APRIL has committed to helping maintain the largest intact peat swamp forest in Sumatra located on the Kampar Peninsula and Padang Island, which covers an area of ​​150,000 hectares or about twice the size of Singapore.

APRIL through the RER program supports the achievement of the government's commitment to conservation and biodiversity efforts in Indonesia, including the achievement of Forest and Other Land Uses (FOLU Net Sink) 2030 through a number of concrete actions. These actions include restoring degraded ecosystems, increasing protection of natural habitats and wildlife conservation, and sustainable management of natural resources.

Throughout its 10 years of existence, RER has been able to identify 893 species of flora and fauna on the Kampar Peninsula including groups of species that are globally threatened with extinction. RER has also been able to protect the Kampar Peninsula area from forest fires for 10 consecutive years.

APRIL also allocates $1 into its conservation program for every ton of fiber that it supplies.

APRIL supports cultivation partnerships with local communities on 43,471 hectares of land. This area is used to cultivate timber and non-timber forest products, as well as other plants that support food security and community welfare.

Prioritizing Child Welfare

APRIL Group is also committed to empowering communities around its operational area in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau Province. Initiatives include ensuring the welfare of children under the age of 18 who live in APRIL's industrial forest plantation estates.

In 2023, APRIL released the Children’s Welfare Code of Practice, to ensure children in the estates have access to education and healthcare services with five pillars of focus: care; education; protection; welfare; health and nutrition,

APRIL then launched two projects based on this code at the Pelalawan and Teso Estates. The company provided childcare and basic education services for children aged 2-6. APRIL also provided a mobile school system for those aged 6-18. APRIL plans to integrate these projects with the public schools and daycare across its estates by 2027.

Reusing Factory Waste

APRIL adopts circular production practices for responsible resource management. In 2023, APRIL reduced 47 percent of its solid waste sent to landfill, and 323,000 tons of waste was recycled and reused. The company adopts the waste-to-energy process. APRIL uses brown fiber from its pulp and production as well as sludge from wastewater treatment facilities as boiler fuel. Bottom ash produced from power plant boilers is also reused as a base mixture for roads and concrete. A mixture of fly ash and zinc sludge is used as a micronutrient fertilizer and has been tested in industrial plantation forests managed by APRIL.

New Packaging Paper Factory

As part of its diversification efforts, APRIL has established a packaging paper or paperboard factory through PT Riau Andalan Paperboard International (RAPI). This factory is projected to be able to produce 1.2 million tons of packaging paper annually and create more than 600 new jobs when it reaches full operational capacity.

As of early 2024, APRIL has conducted a trial operation of this new packaging paper factory. This factory will produce packaging paper products under the BoardOne and Silverpak brands, including folding boxboard, cup stock, and artboard that can be used for various types of packaging to graphic applications.