Jakarta: Nickel Industries has succeeded in obtaining the IDX Channel Anugerah ESG award in 2024, which was held by PT Tivi Bursa Indonesia on Thursday, 25 July 2024 at the Main Hall – Indonesian Stock Exchange. This accolade is clear evidence of the company's commitment to always supporting the nickel business in Indonesia, which is environmentally and socially friendly.

IDX Channel Anugerah ESG is an appreciation event for companies and top executives who are dedicated to implementing sustainable business in Indonesia. In 2024, this appreciation is based on the theme "Optimising ESG to Support Business Sustainability", which encourages companies to implement ESG holistically in internal and external business processes.

Muchtazar, Head of Sustainability at Nickel Industries Limited, stated that the company's achievements in this ESG award have shown that it is possible for the nickel industry to thrive financially while simultaneously reducing its environmental footprints and increasing social benefits to the communities.
"Our recent accomplishment in this ESG award illustrates the feasibility of the nickel sector in Indonesia prospering economically, concurrently diminishing ecological consequences and augmenting societal advantages for our local society," he said.

Building a sustainable economy is not only a requirement in an organisation's business processes but also a necessity for survival in the future. Nowadays, science has indicated that to avoid the worst impacts of global warming, emissions must be halved by 2023 and reach net zero by 2050. To achieve this, we need to build and invest in clean, accessible energy sources and sustainable operations.

The vision conveyed in the IDX Channel Anugerah ESG is in line with Nickel Industries' most important goal, namely reducing its carbon footprint in the future. It can be seen in the commitment to reduce emissions declared by companies at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28, which will reduce carbon intensity by 50% by 2035 and achieve net zero by 2050.

The IDX Channel Anugerah ESG assessment was carried out directly through company presentations with panellists by looking at four main aspects of implementing ESG as a whole: environmental, social, governance, and innovation in sustainable finance.

Through the presentations, Nickel Industries fully showed commitment and concrete evidence of ESG, which has been internalised throughout the company's business processes. Sustainable business management is the main core for realising progress in resource management, emission reduction and innovative sustainable practices. Therefore, the theme raised by the company in this award event is "Contributing Towards a More Sustainable Future."

In pursuing ESG commitments, Nickel Industries has implemented several initiatives, one of which, in October 2023, the company signed an Operation Lease and Service Agreement (OLSA) with PT Sumber Energi Surya Nusantara (SESNA) on the installation of a 200 MWp solar power project with a 20 MWh battery to power operations business in Indonesia. This initiative has positioned the company as the sole offtake partner for the project.

Apart from that, in December 2023, the company piloted lectric vehicles as a fleet for transporting nickel material in the Hengjaya Mine Morowali mining area. This process has certainly demonstrated the company's significant steps to drive operational efficiency and materially reduce the company's emissions profile.

Muchtazar added, "The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into our operations aligns with our long-term sustainability objectives. By reducing emissions, EVs will enable us to further decrease our carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the ecosystems and communities where we operate."

Nickel Industries invites stakeholders to join together in reshaping a sustainable nickel industry and encouraging collective dedication to a brighter tomorrow.

Also read: Nickel Industries Releases 2023 Sustainability Report

(WIL)