SBF, Kadin push for businesses to follow sustainable agricultural practices

THE Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) are urging businesses to follow global industry standards on sustainable agricultural practices.

This comes as Singapore as well as cities in Indonesia and Malaysia are dealing with a blanket of haze from the burning of forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The haze has been costing businesses "millions" in business activities while workforce productivity is falling and health expenses are on the rise, they noted.

In a joint release on Wednesday, they said: "(Businesses) are encouraged to certify all their plantations according to global industry standards such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) or Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) for palm oil cultivation, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for responsible managed forests and the SVLK (Timber Legality Verification System) and the PHPL for the pulp and paper value chain."

In addition, both chambers encouraged the business community to commit to only buying sustainable products and adopting green procurement practices.

SBF chairman SS Teo added: "The business community applauds the strong commitment and action by both governments to tackle the haze issue on the ground, through the active collaborations with all stakeholders in the supply chain and through the legal framework."