Harita Nickel continues to strengthen its support for local businesses on Obi Island through entrepreneurship training with the theme of “QCD & Entrepreneur Development”. This activity was attended by 43 participants, comprising MSMEs, agricultural and fishery cooperatives, and local suppliers, all of whom were supported by the company.
With the rapid growth of the Obi Industrial Park, the demand for food ingredients to support company operations continues to increase. Currently, Harita Nickel and its catering vendors have partnered with 67 local suppliers, a figure that reflects the significant role of the community in the company's supply chain. This situation highlights the pressing need to increase business capacity and standards.
Community Development Superintendent of Harita Nickel, Suryo Aji, emphasized that this activity is not merely technical training, but also a long-term investment in community economic empowerment.
"We want to open up networks, increase productivity, and strengthen the capabilities of MSMEs and local suppliers so that they can meet company standards," he said.
He added that aligning quality, delivery accuracy, and cost efficiency are major challenges in the local supply chain.
Harita Nickel's assisted groups are engaged in three sectors, namely food processing, agriculture, and fisheries. To date, these assisted groups have supplied the needs of four of the company's business units, ranging from canteens and cafes to minimarkets.
"The empowerment of MSMEs has generated a monthly turnover of around Rp14 billion, involving 26 business groups and 65 local suppliers. Overall, this program has created 729 jobs," he added.
The Kawasi Village Government also expressed its appreciation for this initiative. Frans Datang, Secretary of Kawasi Village, believes that the training has a direct impact on local businesses. He hopes that collaboration between companies and MSMEs will continue to be strengthened so that economic opportunities for the community will become more widely available.
The participants also felt the positive impact of the training. Putri Ibrahim (36), chairperson of the Pro Mama group that processes coconut oil, said that the company's assistance helped her group improve quality and marketing, making their business more stable and sustainable.
"The assistance from the company has helped us improve quality and marketing. Our business is more stable and has a significant impact on our family's economy," she said.
In addition to business development and food safety materials, this activity also facilitates meetings between local businesses and financing institutions to expand access to capital for MSMEs.
The workshop that was held on November 15, 2025, at the Activity Center of PT Halmahera Persada Lygend featured culinary entrepreneur and founder of Baba Rafi, Hendy Setiyono, as well as speakers from the Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health (IHOH) team at Harita Nickel. Also in attendance were Primus Priyanto, Head of Mining Engineering at PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk, along with representatives from other business units.
This entrepreneurship workshop underscores Harita Nickel's commitment to strengthening the economic foundation of the community through sustainable Community Development and Empowerment (PPM) programs, as well as ensuring that industrial development goes hand in hand with the growth of local business capacity.
Harita Nickel also scored 89 on the 2024 Community Satisfaction Index (IKM), with an average Social Return on Investment (SROI) of 2.62.