DBS Foundation allocates more than IDR100 billion to boost social impact in Indonesia until 2028
Indonesia, 21 Jan 2025 - Bank DBS Indonesia, supported by DBS Foundation, will allocate SGD9 million or more than Rp100 billion over the next three years to improve the quality of life and well-being of vulnerable communities in Indonesia, including women, small-scale farmers, youth, and people with disabilities. The move is the realisation of DBS Group's commitment announced in 2023 to providing SGD1 billion over the next 10 years to support vulnerable communities. The inauguration of this strategic partnership was attended by the President Director of PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Lim Chu Chong
, Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Mona Monika
, Women's Rights and Inclusion Director at The Asia Foundation
Renata Arianingtyas
, Executive Director of The Foundation for Humanism and Social Innovation
Tunggal Pawestri
, and Director of Government Affairs at Dicoding Indonesia
Mutiara Arumsari
.
“At Bank DBS, we aspire to be the 'Best Bank for a Better World', reflecting our commitment to not only focusing on our customers but to also contributing to and impacting our business, the environment, and local communities. Guided by Bank DBS Indonesia's third sustainability pillar, Impact Beyond Banking, we are pleased to announce our partnership with The Asia Foundation, The Foundation for Humanism and Social Innovation, and Dicoding to advance our sustainability agenda and create meaningful impact for a better future for generations of Indonesians,” said President Director of PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Lim Chu Chong
.
This strategic collaboration with three partners in 2025 is specifically designed to address the challenges faced by vulnerable communities in various regions, such as:
The SHE CAN programme (Accelerating Financial Inclusion for Marginalised Women) with The Asia Foundation (for the period 2024-2027 or three years)
to improve financial literacy and inclusion and enhance leadership and entrepreneurship skills of 80,000 marginalised women in West Kalimantan.
The FEAST programme (Flores Empowerment for Agricultural Sustainability and Transformation) with Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (for the period 2025-2028 or three years)
to increase the capacity of
small-scale farmers
in implementing
sustainable/climate-smart agricultural
In addition, the programme aims to improve
the nutritional status of farmers and their families
through women's leadership role in food diversification and family food security. The programme benefits around 28,000 small-scale farmers (50 percent of them women) and their families.
The Coding Camp programme with Dicoding (for the period 2024-2026 or two years)
to improve digital literacy through free online coding and soft skills training for 130,000 vocational school and university students, including people with disabilities, in various regions in Indonesia and job opportunities.
The Challenges of Social and Food Inequality in Indonesia
Social inequality remains a serious problem in Indonesia.
Ministry of Social Affairs
2022 data show that Indonesia's Inclusiveness Index is low compared to other ASEAN countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand. Indonesia is ranked 125
th
globally in the index, reflecting the wide gaps in access to education, economic opportunities, and financial services.
The inequality problem is even more pronounced in Eastern Indonesia. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) 2023 data show that the rate of food insecurity in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) was 14.68 percent, far above the national average of 4.5 percent. In addition to climate challenges, the region has to deal with infrastructure deficits, lack of access to and knowledge about nutritious food, and huge economic disparities. Therefore, more equitable and inclusive community empowerment measures are needed to ensure that no one is left behind.
DBS Foundation's Dual Focus on Providing Essential Needs and Fostering Inclusion
Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Mona Monika
added that, “Each initiative undertaken by DBS Foundation is guided by two main focuses: providing essential needs and fostering inclusion for vulnerable communities. We believe that by meeting urgent basic needs and opening up access for every individual, a strong foundation for long-term positive change can be built. This is the case with the new programmes we are launching today that are expected to benefit 238,000 people.”
“Our collaboration with the three partners is based on the DBS Foundation's 'From a Spark Within to Impact Beyond' philosophy. This is because we are optimistic that a consistent and shared 'spark' will create change that goes beyond generations and boundaries. In addition to providing direct assistance, we also equip vulnerable communities with knowledge, skills and opportunities that can pave the way for them to build a better and sustainable future,” she went on to say.
The capabilities and track record of each partner, along with an understanding of the challenges and needs of communities across different regions, form the foundation for programme development and implementation. All of these efforts align with the ‘spark’ or spirit of Bank DBS Indonesia to become the ‘Best Bank for a Better World’ that focuses not only on financial success, but also on making a positive contribution to society.
DBS Foundation was established in 2014 with an initial commitment of SGD50 million to support social enterprises or innovative businesses that not only focus on profit but also create a sustainable impact through the DBS Foundation Business for Impact Grant Award Programme. So far, DBS Foundation has awarded SGD2.28 million in grants for 14 social enterprises and MSMEs in Indonesia. Last year, four social enterprises in Indonesia—Plana, Nafas, Liberty Society, and Magalarva—received grants worth IDR 8.2 billion to address environmental and social issues such as air pollution, food and plastic waste, and women empowerment. In 2023, DBS Foundation committed an additional
SGD1 billion over the next 10 years to
focus on these two themes and Business for Impact.
These initiatives earned DBS Bank Ltd (Bank DBS) the World's Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility title from Euromoney in 2023.
For more information about DBS Foundation’s programmes, please visit @
dbsfoundationid
or
this page
.
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