The global pandemic continues to test our resolve as a business. But while we address the urgency of protecting the health and well-being of our employees and communities, we also believe that staying the course and maintaining a long-term view on sustainability is crucial.
Continued investment in climate, nature and sustainable development assumes even greater urgency as, for these, there is no vaccine. There is much more to do and now is not the time to take our foot off the pedal, in terms of our commitment to the long term sustainability of our operations.
While these past months have presented unprecedented challenges for businesses, it also presents an opportunity, if seized decisively, to transform the future for the better.
Last November, APRIL Group launched APRIL2030, a set of commitments and concrete actions to bolster achievement of the 2030 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the next decade as we are convinced sustainability is inseparable from our core business operations.
APRIL2030: Positive Impact on Nature, Climate and People
APRIL2030 will be our primary operational focus for the next 10 years – a decade that is considered one of the most critical for climate action as we face rising global temperatures and more bold moves are required to reduce greenhouse emissions.
We started this initiative with a recognition of the global imperatives – to support the achievement of the SDGs, to meet climate targets of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, and endorsing the call for greater protection of nature.
We are committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and positive measurable gains in nature that range from protection, conservation, and restoration. This also includes eradication of extreme poverty and warranting equal opportunities and participation of women within the surrounding communities where APRIL Group and its subsidiaries operate.
These commitments are more than just target setting, but rather count as the company’s drive to become a good corporate citizen that strives to be part of the global move towards achieving the SDGs and that integrates sustainability and growth cohesively.
APRIL2030 is also a further development beyond our Sustainable Forest Management Policy (SFMP) 2.0, and is based on the progress made in the implementation of these commitments over the last five years, which we will continue to uphold.
Despite the impact of the pandemic, we believe in the need for a long-term view. We are convinced that sustainability cannot take a backseat, given the scale of the global climate challenge. This is what motivated us to implement APRIL2030 in the face of the current crisis.
APRIL2030: Targets and Measurement
We carried out an in-depth review of industry benchmarks and consulted closely with our leadership team to define the level of ambition prior to establishing the key pillars and targets.
The targets needed to be on par with global and national ambitions, to be ambitious and challenging, while also being achievable. After almost two years of intense deliberation, the company conferred with its advisors and key stakeholders for their inputs.
The targets were then finally set, key metrics were identified, and the company established baselines using 2019 data for assurance by KPMG PRI.
The four key pillars of APRIL2030 are Climate Positive, Thriving Landscapes, Inclusive Progress, and Sustainable Growth. The four commitments will be delivered through 18 clear and measurable targets through 35 indicators.
APRIL2030: Kick starting our Delivery
We are aware that announcing this in 2020 is just the beginning and the goal is to deliver. We recognize that we cannot do all of this on our own. Now businesses and governments need to work together like never before, to accelerate the transformation that is already underway to a zero-carbon, healthy and thriving future for business, people and planet.
This is why we kick started APRIL2030 with a series of concrete initiatives including: partnering with the Government of Indonesia on a new seedling nursery in Java; supporting wildlife protection in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society; progressing the development of a Peatland Science Hub in Restorasi Ekosistem Riau; and accelerating our shift to renewable energy through the installation of 25MW of solar panels in our mill and fiber operations by 2025. This will be one of the largest private sector solar panel installations in Indonesia when it is complete.
We know there will be people out there who question how a company like ours can become climate positive. But we’ve learned over the last 25 years that real action at the local level is where we can make a difference.
This is why APRIL is not just making impressive commitments but has also brought these commitments down to earth with specific detailed plans. We have also shown through our track record in the last five years that stable leadership, consistency in implementation and having a strong organization to see through the execution is what truly counts.
We all know that sustainability is not a quarterly exercise, it is about strategic, insights-based decision making, in partnership with stakeholders, which enables us to tackle the biggest challenges we face around climate, nature and sustainable development.
We are in a unique position to do so precisely because of our presence on the landscape, our proven ability to ensure production and protection goes hand-in-hand, our capacity to protect and restore natural forest at scale, and with the resources and expertise to engage and bring communities along the path of sustainable growth.
