ILO - INA launch a website to support CSR

JAKARTA (Joint Press Release): The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Indonesian Netherlands Association (INA) launch today (29/11) a unique event to link businesses in Indonesia with local community programmes in support towards a more sustainable development in Indonesia through www.synergy4life.org.

The website synergy4life is a unique tool that facilitates direct linkages between companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and non-profit and governmental organisations (NGO) that seek support for their programmes. With clear functional areas, most documents are no more than two or three clicks away from the home page.

The website was created as an immediate follow-up of the partnership forum organised by the ILO to help meet the International Goal for the Elimination of Child Labour by 2016. The forum was also aimed to encourage public–private-local community partnerships and raise the awareness through exchanged dialogue and shared good practices concerning the design and implementation of CSR programmes.

Elmar Bouma, Director of INA who is the key initiator in materialising the website platform together with ILO, was taking an important step forward beyond compliance. “The business community plays a key role in achieving a society with chances for everyone. Many companies are willing to take an active role in this and there is much synergy that can be achieved with the work of many NGOs. This website aims to stimulate sustainable collaboration between company’s CSR programme and relevant NGOs to seek real opportunities for disadvantaged children and marginalised people, but also in many areas of sustainable development,” he said.

Meanwhile Peter van Rooij, the ILO’s Country Director in Indonesia, said that through this informative website, companies will be able to identify good programmes and partners for CSR; while at the same time the partners will be able to influence companies' core decisions in terms of labour standards and decent work. “This is a good step forward in an already strong relationship between our constituents, the ILO and civil society.”

Similar support is also given by Sofjan Wanandi as the Chair of the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo) and the representative of the Indonesian business. “We are going to pro-actively engage our members in providing necessary support and assistance for the less advantaged people, particularly child labourers and their families. We have to break the vicious cycle of child labour as an effort to reduce the poverty.”

Together Rika Anggraini, Social and Environmental Values Manager the Body Shop Indonesia, expressed her forwarding vision on emerging social issues in Indonesia society. “We are the first company to be part of the website as we have been long engaging and giving assistance for the less advantaged people, particularly child trafficking and child labourers in our product campaign. Companies can also take lead and be a key part make all possible contributions to give better future for our own children and people and therefore sustainable economic and society.”

For more information, please contact:

Elmar Bouma
Director of INA
Tel.: +6221-5290 2177
Email

Gita Lingga
Media Relations Officer
ILO Jakarta Office
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 115
Email