The RSPO is pleased to announce that three students have been selected as sustainability ambassadors from the Youth Leader in Sustainability programme. The programme launched in January 2017 and garnered fantastic reception with eager participation from 810 students from 58 universities across Indonesia. The competition was hosted by the RSPO in collaboration with WWF-Indonesia, The Body Shop Indonesia, and SINAR MEADOW. The youth leaders are; Andrian Pramana from Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Dwi Saputri from Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Nizar Nur Wicaksono from Universitas Gadjah Mada.
All three ambassadors have the opportunity to participate in a six month internship programme with the RSPO and its partner hosts. During this period, they will be equipped with the knowledge to effectively implement sustainability principles and will have the chance to materialise their own sustainability campaign once their internship is complete.
Younger generation plants seeds of hope for future of sustainability
The Youth Leader in Sustainability programme was based on the results of a consumer study, commissioned by the RSPO and carried out by Daemeter Consulting in 2015, which showed a low level of awareness regarding the impact of sustainable palm oil in Indonesia. As future decision makers, the RSPO believes it’s crucial that younger generations learn to develop the relevant values, attitudes, and skills required to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The Youth Leader in Sustainability programme is an ideal platform to engage with millennials on the topic of sustainability.
Participants put their passion for green initiatives to the test
The first phase of the programme involved a series of activities including university roadshows, seminars, and a selection phase where all participants completed sustainability-related tasks through the Sustainability Quest application, in addition to submitting a video explaining their unique sustainability campaign idea. Seven finalists from Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta were selected to join the second and final phase of competition in Jakarta, which included a workshop session, presentation of their campaign idea, and an interview. In addition to these tasks and activities, ambassadors were also assessed on their passion and commitment to leading the change towards sustainability and their ability to influence the public towards sustainability initiatives through a measurable and feasible campaign.
RSPO Director finds youth engagement is key
Director of RSPO Indonesia, Tiur Rumondang, said “The RSPO believes that the most efficient way to educate the younger generation is through deeper audience engagement where messages are exchanged among members of the group. We want to find leaders that will create more leaders by fostering talented ambassadors. We believe that the Youth Leader in Sustainability programme will bring positive outcomes in increasing awareness and involvement amongst the younger generation for a more sustainable future.”
On behalf of RSPO, WWF-Indonesia, The Body Shop and SINAR MEADOW, we congratulate the Youth Leader in Sustainability ambassadors and wish them the best for their internships.
