VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The State-Owned Enterprises Ministry will expedite state companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in three sectors: education, environment, and MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), according to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Tohir during a webinar entitled 'Road to COP26: Environmentally Friendly Clean Energy Transition'.



"We will change the CSR strategy of state-owned enterprises. Mainly in three things, those being education, the environment, and MSMEs. We can continue to make efficiency, even though (currently we are) affected by COVID-19," the minister said in a statement released here on Thursday.



Thohir expressed optimism over the government's ability to ensure the sustainability of the businesses should their business model be improved. The measure was considered so it could offer a maximum contribution to the country, he explained during the webinar held on October 8, 2021.



"This includes maintaining CSR because it is taken from the health (financial) of state-owned enterprises. If the enterprises are not healthy, there is no CSR," he opined.

The minister encouraged state-owned enterprises to actively achieve important breakthroughs in order to aid efforts towards the achievement of the Indonesia Net Zero Emissions target by 2060.



"We encourage state-owned mining companies to make improvements to the environment and we will supervise directly," Thohir said.



To support the ministry's goal, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has also launched a new program called Gerilya, or the Solar Power Initiative Movement, he noted.



The program is part of the Freedom of Learning of Independent Campus program, which was initiated by the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry, he said.



This program is aimed specifically at exact science students in the fifth semester and above, who want to exchange their credits in one semester to learn and practice developing clean energy, particularly solar power, he added.



Of the 634 students who have registered, 52 students have been selected, he said. They will undergo six months of lectures in the Gerilya Program, comprising three months of courses and three months of team-based projects in collaboration with business entities, he informed.



The output of the Gerilya Program will also ensure that there is an increase in solar power generation capacity so that it will contribute to the achievement of the target of 23 percent of NRE by 2025, the minister said.



"The Gerilya Program will produce clean energy activists from the younger generation, who will also accelerate the use of solar rooftops and support the achievement of the renewable energy mix target of 23 percent by 2025," Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin said at the virtual launch of the Gerilya Program in August 2021.



He said he expected support from all stakeholders to make the program a success as it is a part of efforts to implement the energy transition and educate the nation.



"I also urge practitioners, lecturers, experts, and other young people to become teachers and mentors. Support from stakeholders (state-owned enterprises) is very important in the success of the Gerilya Program," Arifin remarked.



He said that Indonesia aims to implement policies that encourage the transition to cleaner, low emission, and environmentally friendly energy. This is in line with Indonesia's commitment to the Paris Agreement, namely reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he added.



To achieve this goal, the government is prioritizing the development of solar energy given the low investment costs and short implementation time, he informed.



"The energy sector is expected to play an important role through innovative steps and collaborative attitudes to be able to realize energy independence and security and support green economic growth," the minister added. (Antaranews)