RAPP Company Employees and Families Participate in Blood Drives

Every three months, staff members of Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper, or RAPP, participate in a blood drive to benefit the people of Indonesia. The most recent drive took place at Riau Complex in Pangkalan Kerinci, on the island of Sumatra, where the RAPP processing facilities are located. The company, a subsidiary of Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), is part of the $15 billion RGE Group owned by Indonesian entrepreneur Sukanto Tanoto. Mr. Tanoto’s focus on giving back to the local communities in which he does business is evident in the organizing of regular blood drives and other community and philanthropic activities.

The Indonesian Red Cross, part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, assisted in directing and supervising the event, which collected hundreds of units of blood. So far, RAPP’s regular drives have collected the greatest number of donated units in the entire province of Riau. Officials have noted that the need for blood in Riau’s capital, Pekanbaru, reaches as much as 4,000 bags each month. The high participation levels at RAPP’s Riau Complex have gone a long way toward satisfying this demand.

By organizing and participating in local blood drives, RAPP employees are following the example set by Mr. Tanoto, whose philosophy of business focuses on putting the needs of people and society on an equal footing with the need to drive profits.

The Indonesian Red Cross, which organizes the supply of blood to hospitals across much of the country, is known in the Indonesian language as Palang Merah Indonesia, or PMI. The organization assists communities in a variety of important ways. In response to recent volcano eruptions, earthquakes, and floods, it has responded with disaster relief, medical assistance, and help rebuilding infrastructure at affected sites.