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“I never thought I would farm fish in this river. It was too polluted. Now I make a living from it”

Unilever Indonesia Field Officer Nural Fitriah Habibah, one of three full-time Unilever staff working on the Clean Brantas River project, with Mr Suharminto, Head of Technical Services at Surabaya Agriculture Agency’s nursery in Jambangan. The nursery recently grew 2,000 java noni trees from seeds donated by Unilever that have been distributed to villagers. The nursery is now growing jasmine, a flower that is popular in Indonesia for weddings and funerals. The Agency plans to distribute these plants to villagers as the next phase in the greening process and to provide them with a new source of income.

nilever believes that one of the most – Sahabat Lingkungan (Friend of the We would like to hear effective ways it can help to support Environment NGO) from you. If you have any U sustainable development is by doing – Surabaya Agriculture Agency questions, comments or business in a socially aware and responsible – Surabaya Environment Agency suggestions about this manner, helping to create and share wealth, – Surabaya Local Authority publication or any other invest in local economies, develop people’s – Surabaya State University (Unesa) aspect of Unilever’s skills and spread expertise across borders. – The people of Jambangan, Karah, Kebonsari environmental and social and Pagesangan villages policies, please contact: This is the second in a series of occasional – Unilever Indonesia [email protected] articles that looks at how Unilever companies around the world are tackling global social The Clean Brantas River project has been Or write to: and environmental concerns with local actions developed in line with Unilever’s Sustainable Corporate Relations and by working in partnership with local, Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Unilever PLC national and international agencies, principles, a set of principles developed in PO Box 68 governments and NGOs. partnership with environmental charity Forum London for the Future to help Unilever companies EC4P 4BQ Unilever’s partners in the Clean Brantas ensure that the water catchment projects they United Kingdom River Project are: engage in are effective. The sustainable use of water is one of Unilever’s three sustainability Corporate Relations – East Java Regional Authority initiatives, alongside agriculture and fisheries. Unilever N.V. – East Java Environmental Impact PO Box 760 Management Agency (East Java BAPEDAL) If you would like to know 3000 DK Rotterdam – East Java Regional Authority more about Unilever’s SWIM The Netherlands – East Java Settlement Agency (Settlement principles or our approach Improvement Project) to social and environmental – Ecoton (Wetland Conservation NGO) responsibility, please visit our – Jambangan Local Authority website. Copies of previous – Jasa Tirta I (the authority responsible for the articles in this series, our Brantas River) latest Social Review and – Local Community Coordination Bureau Environmental Performance (Badan Koordinasi Masyrat BKM) Report and an overview of our approach, – Local Security Committee (Lembaga called Global Challenges Local Actions, can be Ketahanan Masyarakat Desa LKMD) read online or downloaded at – Ministry of Environment, Government www.unilever.com/environmentsociety of Indonesia – Navy of Indonesia

Cover picture: Suyatno, a fish farmer in Jambangan, Indonesia, with his latest catch of silver catfish, which are caught in fish nets in a tributary of the Brantas and sold to local restaurants. by the head of the gardens throughout the says, “not just to me and the Jambangan sub-district, the village, as well as for other farmers but to the Clean Brantas Forum includes greening the riverbank. The whole village. If people can representatives from the fruit from these trees are a see fish growing in the fish Brantas River Authority, the popular ingredient in food nets they don’t throw in their Agriculture Agency, Surabaya and medicine and can be rubbish and the more University, village leaders, ground into a powder and fishermen there are, the environmental NGOs and sold for 5,000 rupiahs (US$5) more people there are with Unilever Indonesia. One of the 77 rubbish carts Unilever has per 100 grams. (For com- an interest in keeping the donated to support Jambangan’s parison a 1kg bag of rice river clean.” rubbish recycling project. costs 3,000 rupiahs). The trees segregate their rubbish into will take around four years These are still early days but organic and non-organic to mature, at which time already the benefits of this waste. A central compost holistic approach are starting unit, with a shredder and to show. Villagers are taking incinerator, has been built, more care and more pride in where the University and their surroundings, the Unilever give training greening, waste manage- A small section of the riverbank where demonstrations on using ment and income generating trees have been planted and river-facing organic compost and provide initiatives are starting to houses have been built. advice on selling non-organic gather a life and momentum The project started with the waste that has a high resale of their own, and there is a Fruit from the java noni tree, which is University conducting a value, such as cans, bottles, prized for its culinary and medicinal new sense of vitality and Many of the tightly packed houses that line the bank of the Brantas use the river as a rubbish dump and open sewer. survey to scope out what was paper and plastics. properties, will provide a valuable source common purpose that was required. This highlighted of income when the 2,000 trees donated not there before. by Unilever start to mature in a few the need to improve basic Houses along the river bank years’ time. “ levels of communal typically face away from the The University is monitoring What was needed was not just a sanitation, create a house- river, with their back doors they will start to bear fruit all progress across a range of hold waste management overlooking, and in many year round, providing a criteria, including water process and introduce a cases overhanging, the river. valuable source of income. quality, air quality and public change in people’s personal habits but ‘greening’ programme to Owners are being encour- Mrs Winarsih, Head of the health. One of the key tests is encourage villagers to take aged to reverse the layout of Environmental Laboratory at the extent to which other individual responsibility for their houses so the fronts Surabaya University, is the companies can be persuaded a different attitude towards the river” the health and well-being of overlook the Brantas. This University’s representative on to back similar partnership their village. Some of these has the effect of making the the Brantas River Forum and schemes in other villages. projects had the potential to river their front garden, an active member of the Early signs are promising. uyatno lives in the from local industries, but a Indonesia Project Manager generate income, providing discouraging the use of the village housewives Already two other companies Indonesian village of far bigger problem is Silvi Tirawaty, “a holistic an added incentive for river for waste disposal. To association, one of several have decided to adopt S Jambangan on the River pollution from domestic solution was required villagers to get involved. illustrate how attractive the community groups that villages and Unilever and the Brantas in Surabaya, East waste, as the tightly packed involving everybody who riverbank can be made to coordinate non-organic Indonesian government are Java. For many years he has houses lining the riverbank lived along the river. What To discourage the use of the look, a small section has been rubbish collection and the talking to several more. But earned a small living selling use the river as a rubbish was needed was not just a river as a public toilet, created where rubbish has planting of java noni trees. ornamental fish at the local dump and open sewer. change in people’s personal “Any revenues earned from “there is a new pet shop. Now, following the habits but a wholly different this are shared among the clean up of a tributary to this Unilever Indonesia has a attitude towards the river, From left to right: Unilever Indonesia housewives”,says Mrs sense of vitality highly polluted river, he has factory in Surabaya at otherwise any short term Project Manager Silvi Tirawaty and Field Winarsih. “At the moment Project Officer Ristina Aprillia discussing and common become a full-time fish Rangkut, five kilometres improvements would soon progress with Mrs Winarsih, Head of people are making more farmer, earning up to a from the river. The factory disappear”. the Environmental Laboratory at money selling their rubbish purpose” uses treated water from the Surabaya University and Mrs Sriswati million rupiahs* (US$1,000) a Abubakar, leader of the Jambangan but when the trees mature, year from selling silver catfish Brantas to manufacture soap, “Owners Housewives’ Association. this will provide a useful to local restaurants. toothpaste and shampoo, all additional source of income”. of which require clean water are being management expertise, the real test will come in a Suyatno’s change of fortune to be used, so it is in encouraged voluntary help and ne of the most few years time when the is not the only change you Unilever’s commercial interest equipment, to encourage the dramatic early villagers assume full respon- will find in Jambangan. to improve water quality in to reverse the villagers to develop and O successes has been sibility for sustaining the Thanks to an experimental Indonesia. It is also part of sustain a self-help approach. the restoration of the river momentum Unilever has community regeneration its social and environmental layout of their canals that run through the helped to set in progress. It was decided to implement scheme supported by responsibility as a local houses” A villager emptying household waste into one of the 200 compost bins Unilever has village. Once a month the Suyatno has no doubt the Unilever Indonesia, the lives corporate citizen. In 2001 a phased approach so the distributed throughout Jambangan. community turns out to de- approach Unilever and its of thousands of people in Unilever Indonesia lessons learned in one village communal lavatories have been cleared, river-facing silt the water and clear away partners have taken is the four riverside villages are approached the Indonesian could be applied to the been built or renovated in all houses and a riverside path rubbish which, along with a right one. “People in the being, in some cases literally, Environment Ministry In consultation with the local others. The village chosen for four villages and at the local have been built set back donation from Unilever of village are changing their turned around for the better. offering support for its Clean government, Unilever agreed the first phase is called schools, where children are from the water front, and fish nets, fish food and minds about the river. They River Programme, an offer to ‘adopt’ four villages along Jambangan, the smallest of being taught about the trees have been planted. thousands of freshly spawned are taking more care not to The River Brantas rises in that was gladly accepted. a four kilometre stretch of the four villages with a importance of sanitary silver catfish, has enabled the throw rubbish away. All our Mount Arjuno in East Java’s the river and to work with population of nearly 6,000 hygiene and keeping their Local villagers and Unilever introduction of fish farming lives have improved. And”, Malang district, meandering Unilever recognised this the villagers and other people. To make sure community clean. volunteers have helped to on a commercial scale. he says, with only the some 320 kilometres across wasn’t solely an environ- stakeholders to come up everyone with a stake in the clear the bank and plant slightest hint of self-interest, the island before reaching mental problem that could with a solution that, if river was involved and to To support waste manage- morinda fruit trees, or java Suyatno is one of ten fish “people are eating a lot the sea a few kilometres be solved simply by successful, could be applied create a sense of common ment efforts, Unilever has noni trees as they are known farmers in Jambangan and more fresh fish!” south of Jambangan. As it organising a clean up of the in other communities. Rather ownership, a forum was set distributed 77 rubbish carts locally. Unilever has donated their unofficial leader. “The passes through Surabaya, river. “To have a sustainable than donating money, up in 2001 to develop and and nearly 2,000 rubbish 2,000 of these trees for Clean Brantas project has the river becomes polluted impact”, explains Unilever Unilever offered to provide coordinate activities. Chaired bins. Villagers have agreed to planting in streets and made a big difference” he

*Average GNI per capita in Indonesia is US$710 by the head of the gardens throughout the says, “not just to me and the Jambangan sub-district, the village, as well as for other farmers but to the Clean Brantas Forum includes greening the riverbank. The whole village. If people can representatives from the fruit from these trees are a see fish growing in the fish Brantas River Authority, the popular ingredient in food nets they don’t throw in their Agriculture Agency, Surabaya and medicine and can be rubbish and the more University, village leaders, ground into a powder and fishermen there are, the environmental NGOs and sold for 5,000 rupiahs (US$5) more people there are with Unilever Indonesia. One of the 77 rubbish carts Unilever has per 100 grams. (For com- an interest in keeping the donated to support Jambangan’s parison a 1kg bag of rice river clean.” rubbish recycling project. costs 3,000 rupiahs). The trees segregate their rubbish into will take around four years These are still early days but organic and non-organic to mature, at which time already the benefits of this waste. A central compost holistic approach are starting unit, with a shredder and to show. Villagers are taking incinerator, has been built, more care and more pride in where the University and their surroundings, the Unilever give training greening, waste manage- A small section of the riverbank where demonstrations on using ment and income generating trees have been planted and river-facing organic compost and provide initiatives are starting to houses have been built. advice on selling non-organic gather a life and momentum The project started with the waste that has a high resale of their own, and there is a Fruit from the java noni tree, which is University conducting a value, such as cans, bottles, prized for its culinary and medicinal new sense of vitality and Many of the tightly packed houses that line the bank of the Brantas use the river as a rubbish dump and open sewer. survey to scope out what was paper and plastics. properties, will provide a valuable source common purpose that was required. This highlighted of income when the 2,000 trees donated not there before. by Unilever start to mature in a few the need to improve basic Houses along the river bank years’ time. “ levels of communal typically face away from the The University is monitoring What was needed was not just a sanitation, create a house- river, with their back doors they will start to bear fruit all progress across a range of hold waste management overlooking, and in many year round, providing a criteria, including water process and introduce a cases overhanging, the river. valuable source of income. quality, air quality and public change in people’s personal habits but ‘greening’ programme to Owners are being encour- Mrs Winarsih, Head of the health. One of the key tests is encourage villagers to take aged to reverse the layout of Environmental Laboratory at the extent to which other individual responsibility for their houses so the fronts Surabaya University, is the companies can be persuaded a different attitude towards the river” the health and well-being of overlook the Brantas. This University’s representative on to back similar partnership their village. Some of these has the effect of making the the Brantas River Forum and schemes in other villages. projects had the potential to river their front garden, an active member of the Early signs are promising. uyatno lives in the from local industries, but a Indonesia Project Manager generate income, providing discouraging the use of the village housewives Already two other companies Indonesian village of far bigger problem is Silvi Tirawaty, “a holistic an added incentive for river for waste disposal. To association, one of several have decided to adopt S Jambangan on the River pollution from domestic solution was required villagers to get involved. illustrate how attractive the community groups that villages and Unilever and the Brantas in Surabaya, East waste, as the tightly packed involving everybody who riverbank can be made to coordinate non-organic Indonesian government are Java. For many years he has houses lining the riverbank lived along the river. What To discourage the use of the look, a small section has been rubbish collection and the talking to several more. But earned a small living selling use the river as a rubbish was needed was not just a river as a public toilet, created where rubbish has planting of java noni trees. ornamental fish at the local dump and open sewer. change in people’s personal “Any revenues earned from “there is a new pet shop. Now, following the habits but a wholly different this are shared among the clean up of a tributary to this Unilever Indonesia has a attitude towards the river, From left to right: Unilever Indonesia housewives”, says Mrs sense of vitality highly polluted river, he has factory in Surabaya at otherwise any short term Project Manager Silvi Tirawaty and Field Winarsih. “At the moment Project Officer Ristina Aprillia discussing and common become a full-time fish Rangkut, five kilometres improvements would soon progress with Mrs Winarsih, Head of people are making more farmer, earning up to a from the river. The factory disappear”. the Environmental Laboratory at money selling their rubbish purpose” uses treated water from the Surabaya University and Mrs Sriswati million rupiahs* (US$1,000) a Abubakar, leader of the Jambangan but when the trees mature, year from selling silver catfish Brantas to manufacture soap, “Owners Housewives’ Association. this will provide a useful to local restaurants. toothpaste and shampoo, all additional source of income”. of which require clean water are being management expertise, the real test will come in a Suyatno’s change of fortune to be used, so it is in encouraged voluntary help and ne of the most few years time when the is not the only change you Unilever’s commercial interest equipment, to encourage the dramatic early villagers assume full respon- will find in Jambangan. to improve water quality in to reverse the villagers to develop and O successes has been sibility for sustaining the Thanks to an experimental Indonesia. It is also part of sustain a self-help approach. the restoration of the river momentum Unilever has community regeneration its social and environmental layout of their canals that run through the helped to set in progress. It was decided to implement scheme supported by responsibility as a local houses” A villager emptying household waste into one of the 200 compost bins Unilever has village. Once a month the Suyatno has no doubt the Unilever Indonesia, the lives corporate citizen. In 2001 a phased approach so the distributed throughout Jambangan. community turns out to de- approach Unilever and its of thousands of people in Unilever Indonesia lessons learned in one village communal lavatories have been cleared, river-facing silt the water and clear away partners have taken is the four riverside villages are approached the Indonesian could be applied to the been built or renovated in all houses and a riverside path rubbish which, along with a right one. “People in the being, in some cases literally, Environment Ministry In consultation with the local others. The village chosen for four villages and at the local have been built set back donation from Unilever of village are changing their turned around for the better. offering support for its Clean government, Unilever agreed the first phase is called schools, where children are from the water front, and fish nets, fish food and minds about the river. They River Programme, an offer to ‘adopt’ four villages along Jambangan, the smallest of being taught about the trees have been planted. thousands of freshly spawned are taking more care not to The River Brantas rises in that was gladly accepted. a four kilometre stretch of the four villages with a importance of sanitary silver catfish, has enabled the throw rubbish away. All our Mount Arjuno in East Java’s the river and to work with population of nearly 6,000 hygiene and keeping their Local villagers and Unilever introduction of fish farming lives have improved. And”, Malang district, meandering Unilever recognised this the villagers and other people. To make sure community clean. volunteers have helped to on a commercial scale. he says, with only the some 320 kilometres across wasn’t solely an environ- stakeholders to come up everyone with a stake in the clear the bank and plant slightest hint of self-interest, the island before reaching mental problem that could with a solution that, if river was involved and to To support waste manage- morinda fruit trees, or java Suyatno is one of ten fish “people are eating a lot the sea a few kilometres be solved simply by successful, could be applied create a sense of common ment efforts, Unilever has noni trees as they are known farmers in Jambangan and more fresh fish!” south of Jambangan. As it organising a clean up of the in other communities. Rather ownership, a forum was set distributed 77 rubbish carts locally. Unilever has donated their unofficial leader. “The passes through Surabaya, river. “To have a sustainable than donating money, up in 2001 to develop and and nearly 2,000 rubbish 2,000 of these trees for Clean Brantas project has the river becomes polluted impact”, explains Unilever Unilever offered to provide coordinate activities. Chaired bins. Villagers have agreed to planting in streets and made a big difference” he

*Average GNI per capita in Indonesia is US$710 “I never thought I would farm fish in this river. It was too polluted. Now I make a living from it”

Cover picture: Suyatno, a fish farmer in Jambangan, Indonesia, with his latest catch of silver catfish, which are caught in fish nets in a tributary of the Brantas and sold to local restaurants.