Taiwan– One of the subsidiaries of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), namely PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), through the Mahakam Pesut Conservation Program (Komik Pesut Mahakam) again won the 2023 Great Practice Award, which is a CSR program for a company based on conservation of the Mahakam Pesut fauna with status critically endangered which is synergized with the development of a tourist village in Pela Village, in Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan.

The award was presented at the 2023 Global Corporate Sustainability Award in Taiwan, organized by the Alliance for Sustainable Development Goals (A SDGs) and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy. GCSA Chairman, who is also former ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Eugene Chien handed the award to VP Investor Relations PT Pertamina (Persero) Juferson Victor Mangempis, representing PHM. The Mahakam Pesut Comics program has been assessed comprehensively and structured, including strategies and objectives, impacts, effectiveness, continuity, performance, and leadership.

Head of Communication Relations & CID PHM Frans Alexander A. Hukom said that this achievement was a form of international recognition for the success of the Mahakam Pesut Comics Program in the biodiversity aspect, namely preserving the existence of porpoises in the Mahakam River and the community impact aspect, the development of the Pela Tourism Village which can improve community welfare.

"The Mahakam Pesut Comics program, which is consistently carried out by the Company in collaboration with the RASI Foundation, Pokdarwis Pela Village, and the local Regional Government, has succeeded in obtaining an international scale assessment of the program's measurable sustainability impact," said Frans.

This international achievement is the third time the Mahakam Pesut Comic Program has been achieved throughout 2023. The excellence of the Mahakam Pesut Comic, which PHM runs in Pela Village, Kec. Bangun City, Kab. Kutai Kartanegara, PHM, together with RASI and Pokdarwis, encourage the fishing community to reduce the use of fishing gear that can disturb the Mahakam Pesut because, based on 2020 data, the most significant death of Pesut is due to entanglement in fishing nets, namely 66%.

Therefore, the Pesut Mahakam Comics Program applies the Pinger Acoustic innovation, which modifies the sound resonance in the seismic process. This tool is a small electronic device that emits a pulse (ultrasonic) sound to prevent porpoises from getting close to fishermen's nets. Fishermen use acoustic pingers by attaching them to fishermen's nets, emitting sonar whose frequency can be heard by Ispputas so that Ippos will not come close to fishermen's nets.

Meanwhile, PHM General Manager Setyo Sapto Edi added that this award is also a challenge and motivation for PHM to continue to innovate and spread benefits through innovative and sustainable community development programs.

"What is encouraging is that recognition on an international scale for the Mahakam Pesut Comic Program based on Pela Tourism Village Development has not only been achieved by PHM but also by Pela Village, which has been designated as a Member of The Best Tourism Village Upgrade Program 2023 United Nation World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO)," said Setyo.

Pela Village is 1 of 20 villages that received the international award Member of The Best Tourism Village Upgrade Program 2023 from UNWTO, with other participants coming from Japan, Spain, Morocco, Peru, Italy, Turkey, etc. This shows that Pela Tourism Village has enormous potential to become a world-class destination.

Manager Communication Relations & PHI CID Dony Indrawan explained the commitment of PHI and its subsidiaries in Regional 3 Kalimantan to continue supporting safe and environmentally friendly oil and gas operations and carry out CSR programs that can help community independence and environmental sustainability.

"As with the Pesut Mahakam Comic Program, we believe that a harmonious relationship with society and the environment influences the sustainability of the company's business. "Therefore, management of operational impacts, community development, and environmental preservation are integrated elements in line with the application of ESG principles in supporting steps to achieve sustainable development goals," he concluded.

On November 1, the Pesut Mahakam Comic Program became one of the finalists of hundreds of candidates worldwide at another prestigious international event, namely the Business Sustainability Award organized by Reuters Event in London.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) is a PHI subsidiary that carries out upstream oil and gas operations and business by Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in the Mahakam Working Area in East Kalimantan. PHM, its subsidiaries, and other PHI affiliates carry out innovative social and environmental responsibility programs in the economy, education, health, environment, infrastructure, and disaster response to support sustainable community empowerment and achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). PHI is headquartered in Jakarta. More information about PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.