The highest volume of waste in Indonesia is from organic and food waste, accounting for 40.8% or around 19.5 million tonnes of the total waste in 2022, according to Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) data. Households are the largest contributor to the total waste (39.2%), followed by commercial centers (21.2%). Aware of the serious threat the high volume of food waste poses on the environment, Bank DBS Indonesia initiated the 'Towards Zero Food Waste' movement or #MakanTanpaSisa in 2020. To expand the reach of the movement, Bank DBS Indonesia collaborated with waste management startup PT Jangjo Teknologi Indonesia (Jangjo) to address the problem of food waste in commercial areas such as shopping centers and restaurants in Jakarta and South Tangerang by adopting a circular economy approach in waste management.

Mona Monika, Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, PT Bank DBS Indonesia, said, "Driven by the aspiration of being 'The Best Bank For A Better World', Bank DBS Indonesia strives to implement its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitment through three sustainability pillars, namely Responsible Banking, Responsible Business Practice, and Impact Beyond Banking. As part of the realisation of the sustainability pillars, the #MakanTanpaSisa movement was initiated in 2020 and has since worked in partnership with others to reduce food waste so that it does not end up in landfills. In 2022, we managed to save around 56,596 kg of food impact or an increase of 241% compared to 2021. This tangible commitment makes us ‘More like an eco-warrior, less like a Bank'."

Jangjo notes that food waste, particularly in urban areas, often goes unnoticed by the public, despite the fact that it accounts for more than 50% of the total waste. Shopping centers and hotels, where many food and beverages businesses operate, are the main contributors to municipal waste. To address the problem, Jangjo has reached out to more than 300 restaurant brands, including prominent shopping centres such as Plaza Indonesia, PIK Avenue, Mall of Indonesia (MOI), Ashta, and many more. Jangjo processes one tonne of food waste per day from these locations and expects to process an additional 10 tonnes of food waste per day. This is believed to be able to reduce methane gas emission by 48,000 kg, as well as reduce the amount of food waste in commercial areas where Jangjo operates by 50%.

Jangjo Teknologi Indonesia Founder & Chief Executive Officer Joe Hansen said, "We have a vision of creating a sustainable life for the wider public and the environment. Therefore, we are grateful for the support of Bank DBS Indonesia through this movement. Through this collaboration, we can increase our food waste processing capacity and has set a target of 10 tonnes per day. This brings us closer to our ambition to reform food waste management in Indonesia."

Jakarta Environmental Agency Head Asep Kuswanto welcomed the movement, saying “Food waste is a serious issue and requires joint effort to solve . Bank DBS Indonesia’s joint campaign with Jangjo is an initiative that has a positive impact on the public, and also supports the implementation of Gubernatorial Regulation Number 102 of 2021, which stipulates that commercial property owners are responsible for waste management in their properties. Of course, we hope this collaboration can continue and inspire more parties to contribute positively to environmental conservation efforts.”

Also under the umbrella of the #MakanTanpaSisa movement, in 2022, Bank DBS Indonesia through the More Sustainability Action, Less Waste campaign collaborates with various brands, e-commerce companies, and waste management partners such as Blibli.com, Bukalapak, Kebun Kumara, and Waste4change who share the same vision, namely to overcome the problem of food waste. In addition to building partnerships, Bank DBS Indonesia realises its sustainability pillars by implementing internal company policies and inviting public participation in adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. The activity, entitled ‘People of Purpose’, has successfully generated 24,211 hours dedicated to environment-related activities, including food waste management.

As part of the implementation of the second pillar, Responsible Business Practice, Bank DBS Indonesia undertook various initiatives to reduce the amount of carbon emissions by installing solar panels and using more environmentally friendly air conditioners (AC). By 2022, Bank DBS Indonesia had succeeded in reducing carbon emissions from 5,135 tonnes (tCO2e) to 4,845 tCO2e or more than 5.65%. In addition, Bank DBS Indonesia reduced the use of paper and switched to e-statements, and managed waste through the ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ waste management system in all office buildings, reducing the amount of waste to 94.68 tonnes from 120 tonnes or a significant decrease of 21.2%.

More information about #MakanTanpaSisa is available on @dbsbankid Instagram account

About DBS

DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world.

Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Global Finance, “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney and “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney and the world’s “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia“ award by Global Finance for 14 consecutive years from 2009 to 2022.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting social enterprises: businesses with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping communities with future-ready skills and building food resilience.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com

Bank DBS Indonesia expands MakanTanpaSisa reach to support food waste management in Jakarta commercial districts