#GIIC Archives

Balancing Industrial Growth with Urban Forest Planting

From electricity consumption and infrastructure development to manufacturing and distribution, the industrial sector stands among the world’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), direct industrial emissions account for nearly 22% of total global emissions, while indirect emissions – from electricity and industrial heat – contribute another 31%. This places the industrial sector at the center of the climate challenge and makes it a priority for emission reduction.

Recognizing this responsibility, Jaya Obayashi has strengthened its commitment to balancing industrial growth with environmental protection through sustainability-driven initiatives. Hardy Tekyawan, a member of the company’s Board of Directors, explained the company not only complies with ISO 14001 international environmental management, but also strives to go beyond compliance by taking direct action.

“Our parent company is deeply committed to sustainability and, as a construction subsidiary, we are encouraged to actively contribute as well. It’s no longer just about meeting regulations, but about taking part in real environmental action,” he said

Turing Commitment into Action: 500 Trees for Urban Forest Expansion

As part of their ongoing sustainability efforts, Jaya Obayashi has committed to expanding the urban forest located within the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) area in Cikarang, West Java – one of Indonesia’s largest and most active industrial hubs in the Greater Jakarta region. With support from Trees4Trees, Jaya Obayashi recently planted 500 trees in this location.

Kentaro Miyashita, Jaya Obayashi’s General Affairs Admin Advisor, confirmed that over 50 employees from various divisions took part in this initiative as planting volunteers. “Every year, we improve and strengthen our sustainability program, while also encouraging more staff to connect to environmental protection efforts,” he said.

Hardy added that the company’s approach to sustainability applies across all business levels, from head office to project sites. “Our internal engagement must be strong, so everyone consciously participates in environmental responsibility.”

Balancing Industrial Growth with Urban Forest Planting — Hardy (left), a member of the Jaya Obayashi Board of Directors, receives a tree-planting certificate from Trees4Trees’ Director, Pandu Budi Wahono.

Beyond Compliance: Annual Sustainable Programs

Ramdan and Tasya, from the Jaya Obayashi Corporate Communications and Legal team, also explained that urban reforestation is one of several environmental programs which the Company carries out on a regular basis. “In addition to this tree-planting activity,” explained Ramdan, “we also conducted mangrove planting from 2022 to 2024 and have continued our upcycling program for old employee uniforms.”

Both went on to emphasize that these efforts are designed, not only to address environmental impact, but also to build a culture of awareness within the organization. By engaging and involving employees, the company aims to strengthen environmental consciousness through practical action.

Jaya Obayashi staff plant trees — (Above) Ramdan (crouching in the center) and Tasya (second from the right), together with other Jaya Obayashi employees finish planting trees in a plot of land within the GIIC industrial area. (Below) Over 50 members of staff from Jaya Obayashi join in the tree-planting activity.

Reversing the Damage, Contributing to Climate Action

The urban forest planting initiative forms part of Jaya Obayashi’s broader vision to help restore the ecological function of industrial landscapes – areas often exposed to higher temperatures, increased emissions, and land degradation. Tree planting serves as a way to mitigate ecological stress while contributing to positive climate action.

“We all know that global warming is worsening,” says Ramdan. “Through initiatives like this, we are aligning our efforts with the UN SDGs by taking real action.” The company hopes the newly planted trees will provide long-term environmental improvements, while converting unused areas into green buffer zones.

Tomi Bustomi, Trees4Trees’ Regional Manager for West Java, explained that a mix of tree species was selected to accelerate canopy formation. “These trees sequester emissions and produce oxygen,” he said. “We use a combination of shade trees like rain trees along with fast-growing species such as gmelina, albizia, and cadamba to speed up greening and ecological recovery.”

The event was also joined by Trees4Trees Green Ambassadors Tantri (Kotak) and Arda Hatna, whose presence brought extra excitement to the initiative. “The energy and enthusiasm were incredible,” said Tantri. “We hope these trees will help ease today’s climate challenges, growing into shade and absorbing emissions in this industrial area.”

Their participation shows how collective action can inspire more people to take part in real climate solutions.

Arda and Tantri plant trees with Trees4Trees — Arda and Tantri, Trees4Trees green ambassadors joined the tree-planting as volunteers.

A Sense of Peace and Purpose

Hardy emphasized that the initiative is meant, not only to restore the environment, but also to demonstrate the value of trees to human life. “We love trees because they give us oxygen and support the well-being of humankind and all living creatures. I hope this program inspires others to follow a similar path,” he said.

Sharing the same sentiment, Kentaro highlighted the cultural perspectives rooted in the company’s Japanese heritage. “Wooden houses are traditionally very common in Japan, so we naturally feel a cultural closeness to trees,” he explained. Trees, he noted, symbolize both beauty and life. “When we look at trees, they bring a sense of peace. The greenery is soothing to the eyes.”

In closing, he emphasized that protecting trees today means protecting the future. Continuing planting and protecting trees is not just an environmental responsibility, but also a way of preserving life and culture for future generations.

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Photos: Yulianisa Dessenita

#GIIC #JayaObayashi #UrbanForest bekasi csr trees4trees

Earth Day 2025: Creating an Urban Forest with FedEx

Every year on April 22, people around the world come together to celebrate Earth Day, an urgent call to reduce our collective carbon footprint and contribute to positive environmental developments. Answering that call, FedEx Indonesia took part in a tree-planting event at the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC) in Cikarang, Bekasi on April 26, 2025. The initiative set out to create an urban forest that can regreen one of Jakarta’s major industrial buffer zones.

Garrick Thompson, Managing Director of FedEx Indonesia, confirmed the initiative was not just a celebration of Earth Day, but also a reflection of the company’s commitment to nature-positive action. The FedEx Indonesia office is located in the heart of Jakarta, where issues like traffic and air pollution are a daily challenge. In nearby buffer zones like Bekasi, where the GIIC is located, environmentally friendly actions can have a wide-ranging impact for people living and working in the city.

“You know, this environment that we live and work in is fragile,” said Thompson, who is committed to finding solutions for environmental problems in his local area. “There’s a lot of land we can regenerate, and thereby give back to nature,” he added.

(Above) Garrick Thompson, Managing Director of FedEx Indonesia, who joined the tree-planting event in Cikarang this April.

Planting Trees, Seeding Progress

The tree-planting initiative was a collaborative effort between FedEx Indonesia, Trees4Trees, and the GIIC management. A total of 300 trees were planted, which will provide shade and fruit in the new urban forest.

Trees like cadamba (jabon), gmelina, albizia (sengon) jackfruit, and avocado were chosen for their resilience – they should be able to take root and thrive, even in the area’s poor soil, which has been degraded by years of rapid land conversion for industrial development. These trees will provide shade, a simple step which is proven to reduce temperatures and improve airflow in urban areas.

The planting was carried out by a large team of volunteers from FedEx, who demonstrated their dedication, and the commitment of their company, to environmental preservation.

(Above) More than 50 FedEx team members took part in the project, which successfully planted 300 new trees around the GIIC in Bekasi.

“We’re excited to bring our team here together with Trees4Trees,” explained Thompson during the tree-planting activities. “We have more than 50 people from our team helping out today,” he added, before noting that this kind of activity will help engender an environmental mindset among employees moving forwards. “It’s a great opportunity to instill a sense of responsibility to give back and to find ways to contribute to a sustainable environment,” he added.

Dewi Herniani, Vendor Clearance Manager at FedEx, found the experience especially meaningful. Raised in a village close to nature, she was excited to reconnect with the environment through this initiative. “We were each assigned six trees for planting today, but I’m happy that I managed to plant 10,” she said proudly. Dewi hopes to participate in more activities like this, as part of FedEx’s ongoing sustainability program. “If no one cares about greening the environment, and the world ends up without trees, what would it look like? That’s why I believe it’s important for us to act together,” she added.

(Above) Dewi Herniani, FedEx Indonesia Vendor Clearance Manager, gets her hands dirty and commits to making an impact through urban forestry.

Contributing to FedEx’s Carbon Reduction Goals

As a global logistics company, FedEx understands the importance of contributing to environmental sustainability. During the event, Thompson noted that tree-planting activities like this contribute to FedEx’s wider sustainability mission.

“We place a big emphasis on sustainability in our business,” he said. “Our target at FedEx is to be carbon neutral by 2040 and this tree-planting activity plays a big role in helping us achieve that.” Thompson also added that this sustainability goal is a priority, not only for the company, but also for its customers.

Rahmat Fauzi works in the FedEx Customer Service team. He confirmed that environmental preservation is an integral part of FedEx’s corporate culture. “FedEx is focusing on creating linkages between company, community, and environment. By working together, we can achieve positive impacts,” he said.

(Above) Adi Gani, Trees4Trees’ Project Manager, presents a tree-planting certificate to Garrick Thompson, Managing Director of FedEx Indonesia.

Earth Day — (Above) FedEx employees carefully planted the new saplings together, then watered them and added fertilizer to give the new growth a good chance of survival.

A Shared Responsibility for a Greener Future

Dewi believes caring for the environment isn’t just a corporate responsibility, but an important path for individuals to follow too. “At FedEx, we’re not just working – each of us has a role in protecting the environment,” before adding that “we all breathe the same air; planting trees is something anyone can do to produce cleaner air, even starting with just one tree.”

Rahmat added that FedEx’s culture encourages both the company and individuals to act together for the environment, while also giving back to nature and communities. “Humans and nature are connected,” he said. “If we protect nature, it protects us; if we harm it, it harms us back. Initiatives like this are a way to ensure better environmental sustainability in the future,” he added.

The 300 new trees planted by the FedEx team are expected to grow strong and support a healthier environment in the industrial area, helping reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, increase green cover to cool the climate, and bring lasting benefits to surrounding areas. With support from Trees4Trees, FedEx Indonesia is furthering their sustainability mission and helping to secure a greener, cleaner future for Jakarta’s urban areas.

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Chris Alexander. Photos: Kemas Duga Muis

#GIIC bekasi Earthday fedex

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.

Pandu and Arina — Pandu Budi Wahono (left), Trees4Trees’ Director presents a tree-planting certificate to Arina Dafir (right), Microsoft’s Community Affairs Manager – Southeast Asia.

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.

Tree Planting event — Not only adults, but also children, under their parents’ supervision, volunteered to plant trees.

“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

#GIIC #PlantingEvent microsoft

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