PALMOILMAGAZINE, MEDAN — Marking Indonesia’s National Women’s Day, Musim Mas reaffirmed its commitment to building a more inclusive palm oil industry by strengthening women’s empowerment and gender equality initiatives across its operations and surrounding communities.
The company believes that women play a vital role in driving sustainability and progress in the palm oil sector. For Musim Mas, promoting gender equality is not merely a social responsibility, but a key element of the company’s long-term business strategy.
This commitment has been implemented through a range of initiatives, including the establishment of Gender Committees and various women’s empowerment programs. The company has further strengthened these efforts through the Musim Mas Sustainability Roadmap 2026–2030, which identifies Gender Equity and Women Empowerment as one of its strategic priorities.
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Through the strengthening of Gender Committees at the operational level and the implementation of the Women Smallholders Program (WSP) within local communities, Musim Mas continues to promote women’s participation and contributions throughout the palm oil supply chain. The initiative forms part of the company’s broader effort to foster a sustainable and competitive industry.
During a webinar titled “Strengthening Business Resilience through Sustainability,” Vivi Anita, General Manager of Sustainability at Musim Mas, emphasized that women’s empowerment programs are an essential component of the company’s sustainability strategy.
“Through these initiatives, we are not only implementing responsible business practices but also investing in human capital to strengthen operational resilience. At the same time, the program supports women’s autonomy and independence, which ultimately contributes to improving overall community welfare,” Vivi said in a statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday (March 9, 2026).
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Gender Committee: Strengthening Support for Women in the Workplace
Since its establishment in 2008, the Gender Committee has played a key role in fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment across Musim Mas’ operational units, particularly for women employees.
At the operational level, the committee actively promotes women’s protection while encouraging their participation and strategic contributions within the company.
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Musim Mas also collaborates with the independent organization DIWA (Dignity in Work for All), a global non-profit focused on protecting workers’ rights and dignity. Through assessments, focus group discussions with workers, and training sessions for Gender Committee members and plantation and mill employees, the program aims to drive meaningful change not only at a structural level but also within everyday workplace culture.
These initiatives provide safe spaces for women workers to share their experiences and concerns, while strengthening mechanisms to address sensitive issues such as discrimination, gender-based violence, and sexual harassment through a survivor-centered approach.
The program also aims to improve understanding of gender equality, strengthen women’s leadership, and encourage men to play an active role in supporting gender equality and broader social transformation.
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For Musim Mas, women’s empowerment is not merely a program but an integral part of its sustainability strategy. Through the Gender Committee, the company continues to promote equal access and opportunities for women across different roles and leadership levels, while acknowledging women’s dual roles as employees and family members and encouraging social norm changes through male engagement in gender equality dialogues.
Women Smallholders Program: Empowering Women in Plantation Communities
Beyond its internal operations, Musim Mas also extends its women’s empowerment efforts to surrounding communities through the Women Smallholders Program (WSP).
The program targets female smallholders and the wives of smallholder farmers, focusing on strengthening their social and economic capacities so they can play a greater role in household welfare, plantation management, and community development.
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The WSP program addresses real challenges faced by women in plantation areas through training programs on Family Nutrition and Health, Financial Literacy, and Business Development.
In 2023, the first phase of the program was implemented in three districts in Riau, in collaboration with academics from the University of North Sumatra and national financial institutions.
Initial results demonstrate tangible impacts. More than 500 women participated in Family Nutrition and Health training programs that included monitoring of behavioral changes related to health practices. Meanwhile, 574 women joined financial literacy training designed to strengthen household economic resilience.
The program also facilitated the establishment of three women-led business groups that received training and mentoring to manage small-scale grocery businesses. Today, these groups supply essential goods to local communities and nearby shops, with average group assets reaching approximately IDR 80 million.
Prof. Ir. Diana Chalil, M.Si., Ph.D., an agribusiness lecturer at the University of North Sumatra who was involved in mentoring the WSP program, described the initiative as a strategic step.
“Smallholder plantations are generally managed as family businesses, where women play a crucial role both as workers and household financial managers. Therefore, efforts to improve the performance and sustainability of smallholder palm oil plantations must actively involve and empower women,” she said. (P3)
