Pulitzer Center Update November 22, 2024
Pulitzer Center and Indonesian Business Students Explore Climate-Labor Nexus
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The Pulitzer Center, in collaboration with top Indonesian business school Sekolah Bisnis Manajemen Institut Teknologi Bandung (SBM ITB), led the Green Voice Matters (GVM) event focusing on climate and labor issues.
Held as a class visit in the Intercultural Communication and Conflict Management course, supervised by Neneng Nurlaela Arief, the event in Bandung attracted over 100 undergraduate and graduate business students, including master of business administration participants.
The event encouraged critical examination of environmental degradation, particularly climate change, and its impact on business operations, while also addressing the root causes of these challenges. It was held on November 6, 2024, at SBM ITB’s old Ganesha Campus.
Grenti Paramitha, Southeast Asia education program manager for the Pulitzer Center, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into future business strategies.
“This topic of climate and labor may be under-discussed, but it’s crucial that we start thinking critically about the intersection of climate risks, business, and labor. There have been proactive efforts to incorporate this view into the ESG model and reporting but also incorporate these in the sustainability accounting course model,” Paramitha said.
The event featured two journalists as speakers: Karol Ilagan of the Philippines, the Pulitzer Center's AI Spotlight Series coordinator, and Asnil Bambani from Kontan News. Bambani is an Our Work/Environment Pulitzer Center grantee from Indonesia.
The costs of nickel mining
Ilagan shared her investigative work on the environmental and social consequences of nickel mining in Palawan, Philippines. Her report revealed the unsustainable practices tied to the electric vehicle supply chain, spotlighting issues such as Indigenous conflict, labor disputes, and government corruption.
The case study gave students a global perspective on the intersection of business, labor, and environmental sustainability. In a March 31, 2022, report by Ilagan for the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), it was revealed that the Philippine government spent ₱72 million to review mining operations, but the results are kept confidential due to non-disclosure agreements with mining firms. The Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) cited executive privilege and the use of the reports for policy development as reasons for withholding information.
Insights on Climate-Induced Impact on Factory Workers
Bambani presented case studies from Indonesia, focusing on the coastal industrial areas of Semarang and Jakarta. His upcoming investigation highlights the severe impacts of climate change, including flooding caused by sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and extreme heat waves.
These phenomena have led to worker safety concerns, financial and material losses, mobility challenges, and job displacement due to industry relocation. Bambani also underscored the rising costs of insurance and infrastructure adaptation, which have strained corporate-labor relations.
“In Semarang, PT Nayati Indonesia exemplifies the harsh reality of rising sea levels—having raised its factory floor by 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) in 2019, the company now faces a sea level just 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) away; escalating costs force difficult choices, including layoffs—showing how climate change threatens both land and livelihoods," Bambani said.
At the event, students engaged through poetry readings, questions, and thought-provoking commentary on digital learning boards. International students also contributed to the discussion, asking for follow-up actions and solutions.
Takeaways
The discussions highlighted the critical role of ESG and communication in addressing the climate-labor nexus—an underreported yet pressing issue with far-reaching implications. Understanding environmental and climate risks in business assessments is essential for industry leaders. A thriving business depends on a healthy planet—there's no success in a failing ecosystem.
“The root of the climate and labor issues are in how climate change impacts jobs, especially in sectors like agriculture, energy, and manufacturing, which are vulnerable to environmental disruptions,” said student Shofiya Nailul.
The event concluded with a commitment from the Pulitzer Center and SBM ITB to expand their collaboration. Future activities include environmental journalism workshops, art and photo exhibitions, webinars, and additional educational initiatives.
The Pulitzer Center reaffirmed its dedication to promoting environmental investigative journalism within Southeast Asian academic institutions, particularly in Indonesia. By strengthening ties between academia and journalism, the initiative aims to combat climate change, shape narratives, and inspire meaningful action to safeguard the planet’s future.
