Sustainability Approach

APRIL’s vision is “to be one of the largest, best managed and sustainable fibre, pulp and paper companies in the world, the preferred supplier to our customers, and the employer of choice to our people.”

As this vision places sustainability at the core of our values and aspirations, we constantly reinforce our commitment to sustainable management and to applying best practice environmental and safety management across all our operations in Indonesia.

This commitment includes compliance with Indonesian laws and a clear, expressed understanding of our obligations based on the unique and complex context in which we operate. Indonesian regulatory requirements are extensive and highly influenced by developing international norms, although the application of some precepts applied in some western legal systems, for example the “precautionary principle,” are subject to adaptation to the Indonesian context.

Continuous improvement in sustainability by alignment with global best practice is part of APRIL’s commitment.

Through responsible resource management, good governance and stability and balancing of social, business environmental needs, we aim to create long-term business value.

APRIL’s approach to sustainability is guided and influenced by our involvement with leading industry associations and global organisations, which provide avenues to explore sustainable development, to share knowledge, experiences and best practices. We advocate business positions on sustainability issues in a variety of forums, working with governments, nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations.

APRIL is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. The aim of this compact is to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. As such, we are guided by the Global Compact’s ten principles.

The company has been a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) since 2007 and was the first Indonesian company to attain membership. Throughout the reporting period, APRIL was an active participant in WBCSD’s Forest Solution Group. The company conforms to that Group’s Membership Principles and Responsibilities against which APRIL undertook structured self-assessments in 2012 and early 2013.

Sustainability Governance

APRIL’s Sustainability Management Systems are based on strong corporate governance, as outlined in section 1.2 (Corporate Governance).

APRIL’s environmental and related policies serve as cornerstones for the company’s sustainability governance and management.

Our Environmental, Health and Safety, Chain of Custody policy acknowledges that responsible management of environmental and occupational health and safety risks, as well as chain of custody management practices, make our business stronger.

The policy sets out APRIL’s commitments to full legal and regulatory compliance, best practice operations, environmental responsibility in resources and land use, waste management, caring for our employees, empowering our communities and maintaining effective chain of custody procedures.

The development and delivery of APRIL’s sustainability strategy and performance is driven by an External Affairs Council, in place since 2010, which meets (at minimum) on a quarterly basis. Ex officio members of this Council are APRIL Indonesia’s Supervisory Board Chairman, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Business Head, President Director Indonesia and Sustainability Director. Business Heads and key members of the Sustainability executive team participate in meetings as required.

The Sustainability Director heads an integrated management structure for this key business function, which comprises representatives from both our Jakarta office and our operating business units located in Sumatra.

At operational level, APRIL’s sustainability management is divided between our forestry plantations and our Kerinci mill complex. Dedicated environment and health and safety departments are in place for both the mill and fibre segments. Documented environmental and health and safety procedures exist for both groups of operations. These procedures extend to social aspects including community development.