Supporting Education and Environment in Indonesia, OCBC Builds a School Using Eco-Bricks Made from Plastic Waste Through the SPARTA Program

APAC - English

• Indonesia - Bahasa

JAKARTA, Indonesia, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OCBC NISP Tbk (OCBC) proudly launched its second initiative named SPARTA (Walking, Running, Cycling, and Swimming) as part of its efforts to create a positive impact on society and the environment. The event took place from October 28 to November 17, 2024, involving all OCBC employees in Indonesia who collectively covered a total distance of 22,757 kilometers. This distance was converted into donations to rebuild the Syamsul Huda Early Childhood Education School in North Lombok, which was affected by the 2018 earthquake and had not been repaired by the end of 2024.

Julie Anwar, Head of Human Resources OCBC, explains that this initiative also reflects the company's commitment to supporting education and environmental sustainability. "Through the SPARTA activities, we want to demonstrate that small steps can lead to significant impacts. On this occasion, we invite OCBC employees, often referred to as TAYTB Warriors, to participate in activities that promote wellbeing, such as swimming, running, walking, and cycling, while simultaneously making a tangible contribution to society and the environment."

Data from BPS and the 2023 Education Statistics of NTB Province reveal that nearly 50% of elementary school classrooms in NTB were in poor and deplorable conditions during the 2022/2023 academic year.

On July 28, 2018, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 Mw struck Lombok NTB, damaging many areas, including North Lombok. In this situation, the Syamsul Huda Early Childhood Education School was among the affected schools, rendering its buildings unusable. Before the school buildings were repaired, children were forced to conduct their classes at the nearest mosque and in temporary structures.

In collaboration with Happy Hearts Indonesia, the Syamsul Huda Early Childhood Education School was constructed using eco-bricks made from plastic waste. This is an innovative step towards reducing waste and carbon emissions. "This year, we aimed to collect 18,000 kilometers from activities conducted by OCBC employees, or TAYTB Warriors. We are proud to announce that we exceeded this target. In addition to exercising, employees also contributed by donating usable items such as books for preschool children, toys, and school supplies for children in NTB," added Julie.

The collected donations were used to rebuild the facilities at the Syamsul Huda Early Childhood Education School, including two classrooms, one toilet, furniture, and a play area for the children. Additionally, this initiative had a positive impact on the environment, with 3.3 tons of plastic waste being recycled and 7.7 tons of carbon emissions reduced.

Julie also added that this activity is part of OCBC's commitment to creating a positive impact on society and the environment, in line with the principle of #OCBCVolunteer, which encourages active employee participation in CSR activities.

One of the employees who participated in the SPARTA activity in the Running category was Jenny Hartanto, National Network Head OCBC, who said "After participating in the SPARTA program for two years in a row, I am very happy because OCBC supports me to do what I really love, namely running, and this year I contributed to helping the younger students at PAUD Syamsul Huda Lombok to learn in a conducive way. I hope this SPARTA program will continue to exist, because I and the other TAYTB Warriors can't wait to participate in this program again next year."

Last year, through the inaugural SPARTA activity, OCBC planted 5,000 Rhizophora mucronata mangrove trees at two locations of PIK Mangrove Ecotourism and Tidung Kecil Island to reduce carbon emissions and create a balanced ecosystem, become a habitat for various marine species, protect beaches from abrasion, and provide sustainable natural resources for the surrounding community.

About OCBC
PT Bank OCBC NISP Tbk 'OCBC' was established in Bandung in 1941 under the name Nederlandsch Indische Spaar en Deposito Bank. Over its 83 years of journey, the Bank has undergone several name changes, from 'Bank NISP' to 'Bank OCBC NISP', and 'OCBC' on November 14, 2023. As of December 31, 2024, OCBC serves customers through 207 office networks in 54 cities in Indonesia. Furthermore, customers could conduct transaction through the Bank's 531 ATM, more than 90,000 ATM networks in Indonesia, and connected to more than 580 OCBC Group ATM networks in Singapore and Malaysia. OCBC also serves customers through various digital channels, including mobile banking and internet banking – both for individuals and corporations. OCBC is one of the banks with the highest credit ratings in Indonesia, namely AAA(idn)/stable from PT Fitch Ratings Indonesia.

Brand & Communication Division, OCBC
OCBC Tower, Jl Prof Dr Satrio Kav 25, Jakarta 12940
Tel: 021- 25533888; Fax: (62)-021-57944000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ocbc.id

SOURCE PT. Bank OCBC NISP, Tbk