Microsoft’s Green Initiative: Expanding Urban Forests in West Java
In Cikarang, West Java, the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) is starting to be crisscrossed with corridors of green. Over the past two years, Trees4Trees has been working with Microsoft and One Tree Planted to regreen this urban area, by planting trees and engaging communities in reforestation efforts. These trees will be joined by new growth in the weeks ahead, as part of a new chapter in the ongoing story of regeneration in Cikarang.
In November 2022, the tree-planting initiative kicked off in the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) in Bekasi and the Karawang International Industrial Center (KIIC) in Karawang. As two of Indonesia’s biggest industrial hubs, both locations have to contend with serious environmental issues, from air pollution and rising temperatures to soil degradation and subsidence.
With more than 40,000 trees planted between 2022 and 2023, both have seen positive changes over time, with more improvements ready to take root in the months ahead. From December 2024 to February 2025, an additional 20,000 trees are being planted, further enhancing the urban environment with nature-based solutions.
Restoring soil, reviving the ecosystem
The primary goal of the latest tree-planting program is to conserve water and soil. Several species of shade trees will be planted over the next few months, including burflower (jabon), albizia, suren, and black-wood cassia (johar). “We intend to plant 14,500 trees in the GIIC, and more in community lands around the KIIC,” explains Pandu Budi Wahono, Director of Trees4Trees.
“Industrial areas tend to feature marginal lands characterized by nutrient-deficient soils,” he says. “To address this issue, Trees4Trees focuses on planting fast-growing shade trees that are both well-suited to poor soil and able to improve it over time by recycling nutrients. Restoring soil health and reviving the ecosystem is our top priority,” he added.
A new chapter in the story
To kick off the next phase of Microsoft’s ongoing urban forestry initiative, a tree-planting event was held on November 22, 2024, at GIIC, Cikarang. The event involved Microsoft’s stakeholders and staff, with over 100 volunteers working together to plant 600 new trees. “We want to be part of the community, and we’ve brought together all the different stakeholders today to support this program,” said Arina Dafir, Microsoft’s Community Affairs Manager – Southeast Asia.
One of these stakeholders is the Nusantara Academy, represented by Erick Hadi, the founder of the academy. He confirmed they are committed to promoting environmental awareness: “it’s great to see a lot of companies today sending representatives to do something good for the Earth,” he said at the event. Kentaro Miyashita, GA Admin Advisor of Jaya Obayashi, who also volunteered for this event, said “I hope events like this will continue in the future, encouraging more people to join, providing them with opportunities to think more about the global environment.”
Impact and inspiration: Working together with local communities
The event demonstrated Microsoft’s wider commitment to creating lasting impacts, both on the environment and in local communities living near the data center in GIIC. “In addition to tree planting,” explains Microsoft’s Community Engagement Lead for Indonesia, Dania Pratiwi, “Microsoft has also undertaken other initiatives including providing local communities with access to clean water, community empowerment funding for school infrastructure development, and digital skills improvement,” she said.
“It’s truly inspiring how Microsoft invites the community to work together for a better environment,” said Danastri Widoningtyas, Program Manager of Yayasan Rumah Energi, one of Microsoft’s community partners. Happy Syarifudin, from the GIIC Community Relations department, also noted that Microsoft’s initiative has already inspired some other companies to follow their example. “I believe in the coming year more companies will engage in similar initiatives,” he said.
‘Responsible neighbors’: Microsoft Global Sustainability Goals
Through an ongoing process of urban forest expansion, Microsoft aims to achieve lasting impacts that align with their global sustainability goals. To support this mission, Microsoft is continually looking for new ways to give back to nature and engender a more sustainable, better-connected society.
“Supporting programs like this is an investment in the future,” explains Arina Dafir, Microsoft’s Community Manager – Southeast Asia, “because the trees that we plant today will continue to benefit nature and communities for many years to come. We are striving to be good, responsible neighbors to the communities we live with and the environment we operate in.”
Highlighting the visible green impact of the tree-planting initiative on the industrial area, Happy Syarifudin, representing GIIC management, expressed his sincere gratitude to Microsoft and Trees4Trees for their collaboration. “This marks the third year of Microsoft’s urban forestry initiative. We hope this program will continue to expand, bringing greater benefits to both the environment and the local community,” he said.
Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Chris Alexander. Photos: Yulianisa Dessenita & Kemas Duga Muis/Trees4Trees
