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APRIL Group Reinforces Commitment to Climate Positive Targets through ‘Green Complex’
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(Courtesy of APRIL Group)
As Indonesian companies start to join climate positive movements, APRIL Group is walking the talk on environmental sustainability.
The leading producer of pulp and paper products, with manufacturing and plantation operations in Sumatra, launched its APRIL2030 commitments in 2020 that include a number of climate positive targets.
Climate positive means that activities goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions to create an environmental benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
APRIL’s Climate Positive Targets include achieving net-zero emissions from land use by optimizing carbon sequestration and storage across landscape types, delivering a 25 percent reduction in the carbon emissions intensity of our fiber products through investments in science and technology and sourcing most of our mill and fiber operations’ energy needs from clean, renewable energy sources.
The company has made significant progress over the last year to deliver on these targets. Last year, APRIL — which is part of the RGE group of resource-based companies - began the installation of solar panels at its manufacturing site in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau province, Sumatra. It also began using electric buses for employees in several work areas to help reduce emissions, and is developing a decarbonization road map for its manufacturing process.
Riau Green Complex
But to help further deliver on its Climate Positive targets, APRIL is rolling out a ‘Green Complex’ concept across its Pangkalan Kerinci operations site, which is home to thousands of employees and their families.
Through the Riau Green Complex concept, the company is looking to turn its operations in Pangkalan Kerinci into ‘a showcase of how we can contribute to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet’.
APRIL promotes healthy and sustainable lifestyles among its employees. For example, workers are encouraged to cycle to work. This began in 2016 when a group of bike-riding enthusiasts formed the Riau Complex Cycling Community. The company provides special bicycle lanes and parking spots for employees. APRIL was also one of the first Indonesian private sector companies to operate electric buses for employees.
Another major element of APRIL’s climate positive commitments is its focus on increasing clean energy sources, including solar power. The company plans to install 20 MW of solar panels by 2025. Once completed, this will be the largest solar panel installation by a private company in Indonesia.
A further example of the ‘Green Complex’ in action is the recent launch by a group of spouses of local employees under the name BULAT KB, a sustainable community agriculture and catfish farming program in the Riau complex. The group’s produce is sold to nearby households and markets.
This article is joint collaboration with The Jakarta Post and APRIL group.
