'Food Rescue Warrior' by Bank DBS Indonesia and FoodCycle distributes more than 650,000 food packages to 53,000 vulnerable persons | Bahasa

Indonesia.03 Jan 2025.3 min read
Indonesia, 03 Jan 2025 - Bank DBS Indonesia has been running the #MakanTanpaSisa programme since 2020 to raise public awareness of food waste and its impact on global warming. In 2024, the programme evolved into Food Rescue Warrior, which aims to involve more parties, including players in the horeca sector (hotels, restaurants, and cafés), shopping malls, and business districts. The programme encourages active participation in sustainable food waste management and addresses food surpluses by distributing food fit for consumption to vulnerable persons.

Launched in April 2024, the Food Rescue Warrior programme is a collaboration between Bank DBS Indonesia and FoodCycle Indonesia that focuses on managing excess food donated by horeca to be distributed to those in need. Since its launch, the programme has been successful in:

  • Rescuing 134,700 kg of surplus food (edible food rescued) to be processed into 658,071 food packages and distributed to 53,046 recipients. The Food Rescue Warrior programme successfully processed the rescued surplus food into healthy and nutritious meals that benefitted the general public, especially the underprivileged.
  • Collaborating with 28 hotels and 56 food tenants as surplus food donors. The Food Rescue Warrior ecosystem is comprised of leading restaurants and cafés such as Holland Bakery, Solaria, and Kopi Kenangan, as well as hotel chains such as Le Meridien Jakarta, Aston Pluit Hotel, Harris Suites fX Sudirman, and others.
  • Establishing and managing three urban farms that provided training for 52 people and employed four sponsored youths.
  • Managing 74,695 kg of food waste sustainably so it does not end up in landfills.

Through this Food Rescue Warrior programme, Bank DBS Indonesia and DBS Foundation invite partners and the general public to work together to combat food waste and support food security in Indonesia. This is in line with Bank DBS Indonesia's sustainability pillars, particularly the third pillar, Impact Beyond Banking, which highlights efforts to create a positive impact for a more prosperous society and sustainable Earth.

Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika stated that, “Providing basic needs, including nutritious food for vulnerable communities, is proof of Bank DBS Indonesia's real commitment through DBS Foundation to contributing positively to the community, in line with our vision to be the ‘Best Bank for a Better World’. Going forward, we will focus on working with more partners to create a healthier, more prosperous society that has better access to basic nutritional needs.”

The 2023 Global Hunger Index also shows that besides child malnutrition, Indonesia ranked 70th out of 107 countries with a score of 20.4 in the index, indicating a serious level of hunger. In addition, according to the 2022 Global Food Security Index (GFSI), Indonesia ranked 63rd out of 113 countries in terms of food security, with an average score of 60.2, below Vietnam, which ranked 46th, and Malaysia, which ranked 41st.

The Indonesian government has shown a strong commitment to dealing with the problem of malnutrition and hunger. However, in addition to the efforts made by the government, collective efforts are important to reduce inequalities in nutrition and food security in Indonesia. One of the parties that can play a role is the horeca industry that can contribute by redistributing surplus food produced daily.

In 2025, Bank DBS Indonesia will expand the scope of this programme by focusing on equitable distribution of nutrition to various regions in Indonesia, including remote areas. In addition, the programme will also promote urban farming as a creative solution to provide fresh food ingredients and bolster food security.

For more information about Food Rescue Warrior and to see the list of tenants who are part of this movement, please visit https://go.dbs.com/id-tzfw

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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 16 consecutive years from 2009 to 2024.

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.

Established in 1989 as part of the Singapore-based DBS Group, PT Bank DBS Indonesia (Bank DBS Indonesia) is one of the banks with the longest history in Asia. Currently operating 1 Head Office, 13 Branch Offices, 16 Assistant Offices and 4 Functional Offices and 3,011 active employees in 15 Major Cities in Indonesia, Bank DBS Indonesia provides comprehensive banking services that focus on the customer experience to 'Live more, Bank less'. We also see a purpose beyond banking and are committed to supporting our customers, employees, and the community towards a sustainable future. 

PT Bank DBS Indonesia is licensed and supervised by The Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK), and an insured member of Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS).

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 businesses for impact: enterprises 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 underserved communities with future-ready skills and helping them to build 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.


About DBS Foundation
Established in 2014, DBS Foundation is committed to uplifting lives and livelihoods of those in need. It provides essential needs to the underprivileged, and fosters inclusion by equipping the underserved with financial and digital literacy skills. It also nurtures innovative social enterprises that create positive impact. It aims to bring hope to those with less today, so no one is left behind and we can all face the future with confidence.

In 2024, DBS committed up to SGD 1 billion dollars over the next decade to support vulnerable communities. It also pledged to contribute 1.5 million employee volunteer hours over the same period.

Together with an ecosystem of like-minded partners, DBS Foundation seeks to create impact that goes beyond banking, beyond borders, and beyond generations.

For more information, please visit: www.dbs.com/dbsfoundation.

DBS Foundation