Jakarta. Pulp and paper producer APRIL Group, through its operating arm Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), recently won the 2024 Upakarti Award.

The award recognizes the company's contribution to empowering local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) around its operations in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang handed over the award to RAPP's President Director Sihol Aritonang on Thursday in Jakarta. APRIL Group won an award in the Pioneering Services category at the biennial awarding ceremony.

"We'd like to extend our biggest appreciation to the companies that had won the 2024 Upakarti award. This award, which is the highest accolade from the Industry Ministry, reflects their success in motivating and empowering local SMEs," Agus was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

One of the programs that has helped RAPP secure the award is the Batik Andalan group.

Established in 2015, Batik Andalan has empowered local stay-at-home mothers who live near the company's operations in Riau. The program has grown into a highly competitive small-to-medium-scale industry in Riau. Its product Batik Bono has become a popular Pelalawan souvenir and has even received the Indonesian National Standard certification. At present, it has five copyright motifs. The product even managed to compete with other national modest fashion brands at the 2023 Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week.

The development of local business partners to provide workers in the company's nursery and factory is another example of RAPP's community empowerment initiatives.

RAPP also has what it calls the Rumah Madu Andalan program which it launched in 2018. The program's flagship forest honey product Madu Foresbi is already halal certified. It has already secured a certification from the National Food and Drug Agency (BPOM). Rumah Madu Andalan has also already sold this honey in 8 souvenir shops in Pekanbaru.

Through the Community Development program, RAPP provides business permit assistance, access to capital, and promotional facilities, thus creating a sustainable business ecosystem in its operational areas.

RAPP's President Director Sihol Aritonang said all these initiatives were in line with the company's APRIL2030 sustainability blueprint. As the name suggests, this lays out the sustainability goals that the company is trying to achieve over the coming years. The blueprint strives for inclusive progress and aims to eradicate extreme poverty within a 50 km radius of the company's operational area by fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of the community.

"This Upakarti Award motivates us to continue to empower the community, especially around the operational area, and to strive to develop sustainable and responsible businesses," Sihol said.

To date, APRIL has empowered more than 100 offline partners spread across 49 villages around the company's operational areas, as well as 243 inline partners engaged in various business sectors, such as transportation, labor, and material providers to support the company's operational activities.