PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk Supports Effort to combat Climate Change

PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk, the largest integrated tire manufacturer in Southeast Asia, joined hands with Conservation International (CI) in an effort to combat climate change and protect endangered species, financially contributing to multiple projects. The donation, in collaboration with GITI Tire, Chinas leading tire manufacturer, will target conservation projects in the Batang Toru conservation area in Northern Sumatra (Indonesia) and the mountains of Southwest China.

In Indonesia, the program will protect habitat which is home of threatened species such as the Sumatran orangutan, by amongst others supporting the livelihoods of local communities to ensure the sustainability of the program. In China, CIs China affiliate, the Shanshui Center for Nature and Society, will replant 60 hectares of native forest, along with conserving wetlands and watersheds. These programs will significantly help offset Gajah Tunggals carbon footprint.

The problem of climate change and environmental depletion, highlighted by the Bali conference on climate change in December 2007, has long been a major concern not only for the company, but also for the rest of the world. As a major Indonesian manufacturer, the company fully realizes its environmental responsibilities by increasing spending on R&D to create more fuel-efficient tires, as well switching to cleaner energy sources.

This effort will make GT and GITI Tire the first tire manufacturers to successfully offset its carbon footprints in 2008, in the world.