Local CSR program grabs 2nd place in BBC World Challenge

A corporate social responsibility (CSR) program of a local bank secured the second place in the BBC World Challenge 2009, a global competition of grassroots projects that give back to communities.

Publicly listed Bank Danamon’s “Nothing Wasted” project was selected from 900 community-development programs worldwide and only lost to Sri Lanka’s Safe Bottle Lamp project. The project was the sole finalist representing Indonesia in the competition.

The “Nothing Wasted” project currently converts 400 tons of traditional market waste into 110 tons of high-quality compost per month. The compost is then distributed to farmers.

“This way, we can reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers and promote environmentally friendly farming practices,” said Risa Bhinekawati, the chairwoman of the Danamon Peduli Foundation, which manages Bank Danamon’s CSR programs.

Every day, traditional markets produce thousands of tons of waste, between 70 and 90 percent of which is organic.

“This makes excellent raw materials for high-quality compost,” Risa said.

The foundation has worked alongside 31 regional governments to build waste-processing systems at traditional markets. A pilot project for the program was launched in Ciputat Market in Banten, in July 2007. (adh)