For the second year in a row, PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk has received the annual Lestari Awards in the Human Rights & Labor Standards category. This recognition was earned through program “Embedding Human Rights at the Heart of Merdeka’s Business Practices,” which underscores the implementation of the 5th pillar of Merdeka’s Sustainability Strategy: Respect for Human Rights. The program covers efforts to respect the rights of employees, contractor workers, and communities around its operational areas.
The award was presented to Dinia Widodo, External Communications Manager of Merdeka, at the gala night of Lestari Summit 2025, held at Hotel Raffles, Jakarta, on October 2, 2025. The ESG & Climate Change team of Merdeka was also in attendance, coordinating the company’s participation in the event.
This year, the selection process for the Lestari Awards was more rigorous and comprehensive, as it included interview stages for the first time. Participating companies submitted applications through the Lestari platform, which were then assessed by independent assessors, followed by finalist interviews. The winners were announced at the awards ceremony. The event is organized by KG Media in collaboration with several knowledge partners, including WWF, the Indonesian Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP), and BAPPENAS.
The ceremony was opened by Prof. Dr. Ir. Rachmat Pambudy, M.S., Minister of National Development Planning, and attended by Rosan Roeslani, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming of Indonesia, and Raja Juli Antoni, Minister of Forestry, who also presented awards to the winners.
According to Wisnu Nugroho, VP Sustainability of Kompas Gramedia, the Lestari Awards 2025 received 126 submissions—an increase of about 40 percent from last year. This reflects the growing number of organizations eager to share best practices on sustainability issues. In 2025, 16 companies were recognized as winners, with those from Indonesia advancing to the regional level alongside winners from Malaysia and the Philippines.
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Main photo: Dinia Widodo, External Communications Manager of Merdeka, receiving the 2025 LESTARI Awards.
