Employee Count and Status
As of the end of 2022, the total number of Merdeka employees was 8,262, marking a 136% increase from the previous year. The surge in total employee count can be attributed to the development and acquisition of several assets by Merdeka.

Recruitment
Employee recruitment at Merdeka is conducted inclusively and in line with international standards and government regulations. In addition to individual hires, Merdeka annually conducts the Merdeka Youth Talent Program (MYTP), a structured two-year development program targeting outstanding graduates as future leaders. In 2022, MYTP recruited 31 employees. Merdeka also opens opportunities for students in relevant fields of study to engage in internships, final projects, and training placements.

We prioritize hiring people from areas surrounding our mining operations. We believe that providing local employment opportunities will not only improve the community’s welfare but also improve regional economic development. The total number of employees who are residents of Ring 1 (district-level areas) and Ring 2 (regional and provincial areas) in our operations and projects has ranged from 60-70 percent since 2020. In 2022, the percentage of local workers at the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine was 70.5 percent, and at the Wetar Copper Mine, it was 62 percent.

In addition to regular recruitment, since 2020, two of Merdeka’s mining operations have run the Mining Apprentice Program, which trains and recruits women from the local community to become heavy equipment operators at the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine and Wetar Copper Mine. In 2022, 102 out of the 236 (43%) heavy equipment operators at the Wetar Copper Mine were women.

Merdeka is committed to continually increasing the percentage of female and local employees by enhancing human resources through various training programs, special scholarships, and skills development for working-age groups to prepare them for entry into the mining sector and other supporting sectors.

Remuneration
Merdeka is committed to providing competitive and timely remuneration in accordance with performance and applicable government regulations. Remuneration and benefits encompass salaries, performance-based bonuses for both permanent and temporary employees, leaves, meal and transportation allowances, religious holiday allowances, health insurance, accommodation, housing, retirement benefits, and various other allowances as per the Collective Labor Agreement and company regulations. Remuneration and benefits are reviewed annually based on employee and company performance, as well as wage surveys.

In addition to receiving salaries, permanent and contract employees are entitled to other benefits, including Religious Holiday Allowance, BPJS Kesehatan and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (Social Security Administration Agency for Health and for Employment), maternity leave, annual leave, paid leave, transportation allowance, educational assistance, death benefits, maternity assistance, eyeglass assistance, menstrual leave, night shift allowance, field break allowance, personal protective equipment, and production bonuses. Permanent employees also receive service award benefits and telecommunication and communication device facilities.

For a comprehensive review of our performance in this section, please download the 2022 Sustainability Report.

Supportive Facilities
Merdeka believes that providing a comfortable workplace is key to enhancing productivity. Periodically, Merdeka assesses its supportive facilities and welcomes suggestions from employees to improve productivity. These assessments and suggestions guide Merdeka in providing services and facilities such as accommodation, sports and health facility provisions or rentals, places of worship, and shuttle services for employees. Merdeka also organizes webinars on physical and mental health.

Employee Surveys
In 2022, Merdeka conducted an Employee Effectiveness Survey for all permanent and contract employees with a tenure of six months or more.

Women’s Forum
In October 2022, PT Sulawesi Cahaya Mineral (SCM), a business asset of PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk, a subsidiary of Merdeka, established the Female Forum. This forum serves as a virtual and in-person platform for all female SCM employees to share success stories and experiences in overcoming challenges faced by female employees in the workplace. The forum invites external and internal female speakers within the Merdeka Group.

In 2022, the Female Forum conducted five meetings with an average attendance of 60 female employees.

Work-Life Balance
Merdeka supports work-life balance by providing flexible working hours for religious practices or maternity leave. Rotations and job transfers are arranged for pregnant female employees to ensure their health and safety.

In 2022, 22 female employees took maternity leave. Out of these, 18 (82%) have returned to their original positions and regained their rights after their maternity leave; the remaining are still on maternity leave.

Work-Life Balance Merdeka advocates for work-life balance by providing flexible working hours, accommodating religious practices, and maternity leave. Rotations and job transfers are implemented for pregnant female employees to ensure their health and safety.

In 2022, there were 22 female employees who took maternity leave. Out of these 22 employees, 18 (82%) returned to their original positions and reclaimed their rights after maternity leave; the remaining are still on maternity leave.

Workers Unions
Through the Freedom of Association and Organization Protection Policy, Merdeka is committed to allowing every worker to engage in workers’ unions.

By the end of 2022, the number of employees who were members of the workers union at PT Bumi Suksesindo (Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine) was 1,310 employees, accounting for 97% of the total number of employees. Meanwhile, the number of employees who were members of the workers union at the Wetar Copper Mine was 808 employees, constituting 57% of the total number of employees.

As of the end of 2022, trade unions had not been established in the Pani Gold Project, AIM Project (Acid, Iron, Metal), and PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk. However, a Bipartite Work Cooperation Institution had been formed at the headquarters of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk. In 2022, there were no employee strikes or lockouts that involved employees and led to operational shutdowns.

Employee Development and Training
Merdeka continuously enhances employee competence through various training programs, covering both soft skills and technical expertise. This includes training in Occupational Health and Safety, languages, and cultural awareness. Merdeka also conducts certification programs to improve the competence of both permanent and temporary employees.

In 2022, Merdeka invested US$1.4 million in employee development and training programs. The total training duration throughout 2022 amounted to 131,861 hours, averaging around 15.9 hours of training per employee.

Merdeka Innovation Award
Every year, Merdeka holds the Merdeka Innovation Award, a platform for employees to innovate and enhance safety, production efficiency, cost-saving, and environmental improvement, with prizes reaching millions of Indonesian rupiah.

For a comprehensive review of our performance in this section, please download the 2022 Sustainability Report.