Indonesia, 29 Feb 2024 - Bank DBS Indonesia through DBS Foundation announced four social enterprises (SEs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Indonesia as winners of DBS Foundation (DBSF) Business for Impact Grant Award Programme 2023 who will receive a combined total of SGD710,000 in grants or the equivalent to Rp8.2 billion. The grants will be used by the recipients to address environmental and social issues such as air pollution, food and plastic waste, and women's empowerment. The awards ceremony was attended by Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika representing DBS Foundation as well as Plana's Co-founder & Chief of Sustainability Joshua C. Chandra, Liberty Society's Co-founder & CEO Tamara Gondo, Nafas' Co-founder & CEO Nathan Roestandy, Magalarva's Founder & CEO Rendria Labde representing the SEs/SMEs.
President Director of PT Bank DBS Indonesia Lim Chu Chong explained, "Over time, the environmental challenges faced by Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, is becoming more complex and require innovative solutions. Bank DBS Indonesia recognises the important role the bank plays in assisting businesses and SEs/SMEs in creating positive change through solutions to help the planet. We are confident that these grants will empower the selected SEs/SMEs to increase their impact and inspire others to join the fight for a more sustainable future."
The winners of DBSF Business for Impact Grant Award Programme 2023 were selected after a rigorous selection process involving more than 2,000 applicants from six countries in Asia, including 181 applicants from Indonesia. In total, there are 24 SEs/SMEs that will receive SGD3.7 million worth of grants or the equivalent of Rp43.1 billion. They were selected for their potential for accelerating innovation, scalability, and positive impact of their unique and innovative solutions on various social and environmental challenges. DBS Foundation's support will encourage these grantees to expand their reach and sustainability impact, such as improving products and services through research and development/new prototyping, as well as to increase the operating capacity of their business.
Following last year's selection of SukkhaCitta as the only winner from Indonesian, this year saw four winners from Indonesia, namely:
Plana,
which focuses on processing plastic waste into a new material, Plana Wood, a sustainable alternative to natural wood that can be used as building material;
Liberty Society, which endeavors to recycle corporate waste (plastics, textiles, and cardboard boxes) into B2B merchandise and provide employment opportunities for marginalized communities;
Nafas, which provides air quality index (AQI) data to raise awareness about air pollution and drive policy change, and
Magalarva, which provides waste collection services and converts the waste into high-quality Black Soldier Fly meal to be used as animal feed ingredient.
Overall, the four awardees have the potential to create a positive impact on the environment and society by raising awareness and expanding air pollution monitoring to five new cities, monitoring the empowerment of 200 women in various regions in Indonesia, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 9,000 tonnes, reducing food waste by 3,000 tonnes, and recycling 470 tonnes of waste in Indonesia.
Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika said, "As a purpose-driven bank, we are committed to building a more sustainable future. We are very impressed with the mission and dedication of the selected SEs/SMEs, and we believe their solutions have the potential to make a real difference in Indonesia. Through DBS Foundation Business for Impact Grant Award Programme 2023, we play a part in realising the winners' great mission to preserve the environment and empower communities, as a manifestation of our third pillar, Impact Beyond Banking, in accordance with our vision to be the 'Best Bank for a Better World'."
Since its establishment in Singapore in 2014, DBS Foundation has developed a range of programmes aimed at creating positive impact and improving people's quality of life. This is done by supporting social entrepreneurship as well as enhancing people's digital skills and improving civil food resilience. The DBSF Business for Impact Grant Award Programme has since 2015 awarded around SGD17 million in grants to more than 140 impactful businesses across the region where DBS Bank Ltd (DBS Bank) operates. Furthermore, DBS Foundation also provides access to a wider community network through such programmes as the annual SE & SME Impact Makers Meetup and SE Bootcamp.
For more information about DBSF Business for Impact Grant Award Programme 2023, visit this page.

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 15 consecutive years from 2009 to 2023.
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 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.