InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Efforts to build a more sustainable palm oil industry are increasingly extending beyond environmental management to include the protection of children's rights. Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food has received the 2026 Partnership for Action Against Child Labour in Agriculture (PAACLA) Award in recognition of its commitment to promoting child-friendly plantation environments through the Sawit Indonesia Ramah Anak (SIRA) initiative.
The company received the award in the category of National Company Affiliated with a Multinational Corporation. The recognition highlights its efforts to protect children's rights, prevent child labor, and create safer environments for children in and around plantation communities.
Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food maintains a policy prohibiting child labor and applies a zero-tolerance approach to employing anyone under the age of 18. The company supports this commitment through worker identity verification and efforts to raise awareness among supply chain partners about the risks associated with child labor.
These measures form part of its broader approach to responsible labor practices, respect for human rights, and sustainable business operations.
Education and Family Welfare at the Center
Beyond preventing child labor, the company also supports children's access to basic services and seeks to improve the welfare of workers' families. Its initiatives include basic healthcare services, educational access in communities surrounding its operations, protections for pregnant and breastfeeding women workers, and childcare facilities for employees' families.
“This award encourages us to continue strengthening collaboration to support children's well-being and development. Creating opportunities for children to learn, grow, and reach their full potential is a shared responsibility that requires long-term commitment from all stakeholders,” said Anita Neville, Chief Sustainability & Communications Officer at Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food.
She added that lasting impact depends on collective action and continued cooperation with partners to create inclusive and supportive environments for future generations.
Education is another component of the company's approach. Through schools managed in collaboration with the Eka Tjipta Foundation (ETF), the company seeks to improve access to quality education for children living near its operational areas and provide opportunities for them to develop their potential.
Evelyn Widjaja, Division Head of Education at the Eka Tjipta Foundation, said preventing child labor in plantation areas requires more than a prohibition on employing children. It also demands a comprehensive approach that gives children opportunities to grow, develop, and build better futures.
“Education plays an important role in making this possible,” she said.
Strengthening Social Sustainability in Palm Oil
The PAACLA Award 2026 places greater attention on the social dimension of sustainability in Indonesia's palm oil industry. While environmental performance remains important, child protection, access to education, and responsible employment practices are also essential elements of a sustainable plantation sector.
Through SIRA and its related community initiatives, Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food aims to strengthen child protection and support the well-being of families in plantation areas.
The initiative reflects the broader challenge facing the industry: ensuring that economic activity in agricultural supply chains is accompanied by meaningful protections for workers and children, particularly in communities whose livelihoods depend on plantation operations. (T2)
