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Indonesia

Olam Indonesia continues to ramp up support for its stakeholders, especially farmers and frontline healthcare workers, amid the COVID-19 crisis.

As a leading food and agri-business in the country, especially in cocoa and coffee, Olam Indonesia has grown over the past 25 years into a major employer and partner to communities, helping deliver the government’s rural development agenda.

Olam continues to pledge to safeguard the livelihoods of its sourcing network of 393,000 farmers by continuing to buy from them, while ensuring their health and safety.

Ramakrishna Prasad, Senior Vice President & Country Head, Olam Indonesia said;

“Our commitment to grow with our communities has never been more crucial than it is now, as we face the COVID-19 crisis together. Consistent with our corporate focus on promoting thriving agricultural communities, we are now leveraging our networks and expertise to deliver health advice, supplies and equipment to help affected stakeholders. In these volatile times, we are also taking every effort to support our farmers by continuing to buy their products while ensuring food supplies continue arriving at people’s tables.”

The company has also ramped up its direct physical assistance to support Indonesia in battling the pandemic.

At a ceremony last week, employees of Olam Indonesia presented 900 hazmat suits, 60,000 masks and 900 face shields to RSUD Kota Tangerang. These crucial medical items were purchased with donations from the company’s employees and will be distributed primarily to medical staff in Tangerang, Cilacap, and Lampung to support them as they care for COVID-19 patients.

Dr. Nanik Isnaini, Director Hospital of RSUD Kota Tangerang, said; 

“We are grateful for the generous support from Olam Indonesia, which addresses a very critical need for protective equipment among healthcare workers in Indonesia right now. We look forward to continuing working together to take care of our fellow Indonesians.”

The latest efforts complement a suite of COVID-19 initiatives already implemented across Olam Indonesia, including Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi.

To date, this includes:

• Approximately US$150,000 (IDR2.3 billion) provided in support for more than 67,000 farmers, Olam employees and local communities.
• Proactively reaching out and educating farmer partners via mobile and digital platforms including SMS, OFIS (Olam Farmer Information System) and Olam Direct. More than 60,000 cocoa and coffee farmers have been engaged, with many requesting more information and support.
• Repurposing an Olam Cocoa training centre in North Luwu, South Sulawesi into a quarantine facility and providing daily necessities to those put under observation there.
• Providing disinfectants to residential areas at BT Cocoa in Tangerang.

At an operational level, Olam Indonesia is adhering fully to government guidelines to protect its employees and their families, including the travel restrictions during this year’s Eid holidays. We have implemented rotating shift work at our factories and warehouses, and all other workers are working from home. For staff who cannot work from home, we have taken the necessary health and safety measures, with social distancing stringently enforced. We have also made hand-sanitisers and surgical masks available at every office, warehouse and meeting areas.

Dedev Parulian, Head of Human Resources, Olam Indonesia, said, “Olam will continue to work closely with our stakeholders and communities in the fight against COVID-19. Our deepest thanks go out to the medical and healthcare professionals and other frontline workers in Indonesia for their tireless efforts in this fight. Bersama kita bisa1.”

1 Bahasa Indonesia for “Together, we can.”