Jakarta — The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) honoured 79 companies with the 2023 PROPER Environmental Award for achieving the prestigious GOLD PROPER ranking. The Environmental Award for Regional Environmental Management Performance was also bestowed upon three top provinces and five leading regencies/cities. The accolades were presented this week at a ceremony at Bidakara Hotel, Jakarta, presided over by Vice President KH. Maruf Amin.
Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong, representing the MoEF, joined the Vice President in acknowledging the commendable environmental practices of these entities. The theme for this year, “Extraordinary Turnaround,” spotlights five crucial areas: Poverty Alleviation, Reducing Gaps, Empowering Women, Healthy Food Systems, and transitioning to clean energy for sustainability.
The program witnessed a 10% growth in participants over the decade, with 3,694 companies evaluated this year. This expansion reflects an enhanced focus on environmental compliance, particularly in hazardous waste management and licensing.
A remarkable feat in 2023 was the implementation of 1,193 eco-innovations, yielding savings of IDR 158.53 trillion, marking a 23.6% increase from 2022. These innovations significantly reduced greenhouse gases, energy consumption, and waste while advancing water efficiency and biodiversity protection.
The environmental management efforts have also had a tangible social impact. IDR 1.56 trillion was channelled into community empowerment initiatives, encompassing 20,052 activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dohong highlighted the diversity of the empowerment programs, including social innovations focused on food security, poverty alleviation, and the welfare of farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. Women and children’s empowerment through improved nutrition and education access were also key areas.
PROPER, celebrating its 27th year, is a renowned awarding event for business performance in environmental management. In 2023, it received the Top 5 Outstanding Achievement of Public Service Innovation Award for its pioneering use of Life Cycle Analysis and Social Return on Investment in environmental management.
The PROPER rating system, distinguishing compliance and beyond compliance categories, aims to encourage industry adherence to environmental laws and regulations. The program also honoured individual leaders in the business world with the Green Leadership Business World Award, recognising their role in promoting pro-environmental policies and practices.
Alongside the corporate awards, the Environmental Award was extended to local governments for their exceptional environmental management performance, assessed using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework.
The event also saw the announcement of winners in the Best and Most Favorite CSR Video for PROPER EMAS Candidates 2023, a competition designed to showcase the creativity and impact of PROPER initiatives.
The Green Leadership Award for Regional Environmental Management Performance, newly introduced in 2023, acknowledged the Heads of Provincial and Regency/City Environmental Services for their leadership and collaborative efforts in environmental conservation.
The 2023 awards mark a significant milestone in recognizing and encouraging environmental stewardship across industries and regions in Indonesia, emphasizing the vital role of sustainable practices in ensuring a healthier planet. (nsh)