Taipei – PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), through the Waste to Energy for Community (Wasteco) Independent Energy Village (DEB) program, won an international award in the form of the "Great Practice Award 2022" in the Best Practice category at the Global Corporate Sustainable Award (GCSA). 

The award was presented at the GCSA Ceremony by the Minister of National Examinations of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Dr. Jong-Tsun Huang, to PHM's Head of Communication Relations & CAD, Frans Alexander A. Hukom, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.  

Frans explained that the GCSA is organized by the Alliance for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy to encourage companies worldwide to participate in sustainable development. 

"We continue to make various innovations in various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs of the company, such as Wasteco. Wasteco is part of the flagship CSR program of Kampung Mahakam Lestari where we innovate to develop renewable energy, in the form of methane gas from waste, based on Community Involvement Development which can increase public access to energy that is environmentally friendly, affordable, and sustainable," explained Frans.

According to Frans, the Wasteco program has succeeded in providing an economic impact in the form of savings in cooking costs for the community of up to IDR 255.6 million / year due to LPG gas substitution, an increase in MSME business income of IDR 52 million / year, and savings in TPAS Manggar electricity costs of IDR 47 million / year.

PHM General Manager, Raam Krisna, stated that this award is a challenge for the company to continue to innovate, share knowledge, and spread benefits through the development of new and renewable energy-based community empowerment programs. 

"The Wasteco program integrates the company's core competency in the form of expertise in methane gas capture and distribution techniques into community empowerment programs. The Wasteco program has been utilized by 275 households and 22 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) around TPAS Manggar by utilizing methane gas of 583,000 m3 / year and succeeded in reducing carbon emissions by 288,449 tons of CO2eq / year," said Krisna.

Krisna added that the Wasteco program run by PHM in collaboration with the Balikpapan City Government through TPAS Manggar is a concrete step to support Pertamina's Berdikari Village initiative to encourage the availability of more affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy access as a source of new and renewable energy (EBT) for the community. 

Director of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia, Chalid Said Salim, felt proud and appreciated this achievement and explained that the form of collaboration with all stakeholders, especially the community and the government, in carrying out the company's CSR programs has been able to create benefits and values that are enjoyed together (creating shared value). 

"I always encourage the company to be able to develop social and environmental innovations in the implementation of CSR programs so that they have a significant and sustainable impact. I am proud that the Wasteco program has also been replicated in several other regions such as Taro Village in Bali; Loa Kulu in Kutai Kartanegara; and Bontang," Chalid added. 

Meanwhile, the Corporate Secretary of PT Pertamina Hulu Energi, Arya Dwi Paramita, also expressed her appreciation for the award received by PHM as a form of international recognition of the Wasteco Independent Energy Village program. 

"The main program of developing renewable energy based on Community Involvement Development has been able to increase community access to environmentally friendly, affordable and sustainable energy, as well as make social and economic contributions to the community through the management of waste into methane gas for the provision of household gas needs and MSMEs in Manggar Village," said Arya.

The acquisition of this award is a form of PHM's commitment to the implementation of sustainable CSR programs to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, goal 7 on clean and affordable energy, goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities, and goal 13 on climate change management and disaster management. 

PHM is a subsidiary of PHI that runs upstream oil and gas operations and businesses by ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) principles in the Mahakam Working Area in East Kalimantan. PHM, together with other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates, runs innovative Corporate Social Responsibility programs in the fields of Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and the achievement of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). PHI's headquarter is in Jakarta. More information about PHI is available at  https://phi.pertamina.com.