Orang-Orang Hebat di Dalam Tanoto Foundation

Tanoto Foundation adalah sebuah yayasan yang bergerak dibidang pendidikan dan sosial. Organisasi ini dibentuk oleh keluarga Tanoto dengan grup RGE International miliknya yang merupakan kelompok perusahaan global di bidang industri manufaktur. Tanoto Foundation dapat dikatakan sangat berhasil menjalankan visi dan misinya yaitu menanggulangi kemiskinan, terutama yang berada di Indonesia. Hal ini juga tidak lepas dari orang-orang penting yang bergerak dan terlibat didalam yayasan ini.

Pertama adalah orang-orang yang menjadi Dewan Pembina yayasan ini. Yang pertama adalah Sukanto Tanoto. Beliau dapat dikatakan sebagai orang dibalik lahirnya RGE International. Yang menarik dari Sukanto Tanoto adalah prinsipnya dalam menjalankan perusahaan dan kelompok yang dipimpinnya. Beliau senantiasa menggabungkan bisnis dengan bidang sosial dan selalu menekankan nilai tanggung jawab dalam bisnisnya. Oleh karena itu, perusahaan yang beliau pimpin selalu berupaya untuk menghasilkan yang terbaik untuk negara, masyarakat dan perusahaan itu sendiri. Dalam RGE International, Sukanto Tanoto, selain sebagai pendiri, juga menjadi Ketua dan Direktur Utama.  Anggota Dewan Pembina selanjutnya adalah Tinah Bingei Tanoto. Selain sebagai anggota Dewan Pembina, beliau juga menjadi Wakil Direktur Utama dari RGE International, sekaligus istri dari Sukanto Tanoto. Sebagai seorang filantropis sejati, beliau dapat mewujudkan pemikirannya dalam yayasan yang berbasis pendidikan dan sosial ini. Selanjutnya ada Andre Tanoto putra sulung Sukanto Tanoto dan Tinah Bingei. Tanoto. Saat ini, dia menjalankan usaha dalam industri makanan dan minuman. Anggota Dewan Pembina selanjutnya adalah Imelda Tanoto, putri tertua keluarga Tanoto. Dia menjadi salah satu orang penting dalam operasional RGE International di Indonesia. Belinda Tanoto juga adalah salah satu orang yang ada di balik kesuksesan Tanoto Foundation. Saat ini dia bekerjas di APRIL, perusahaan pembuat pulp dan kertas milik keluarga Tanoto. Belinda juga menjadi salah satu inisiator pembentukan sekolah alam di Riau yang menjadi salah satu perwujudan visi dan misi Tanoto Foundation. Yang terakhir ada Anderson Tanoto. Meskipun dia saat ini sedang berkuliah di Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Amerika Serikat, dia sudah mempunyai pengalaman banyak saat magang di berbagai perusahaan besar di dunia. Hal ini menjadikan posisinya cukup penting di Tanoto Foundation.

Selain Dewan Pembina, dalam Tanoto Foundation terdapat juga dua kelompok penting lagi, yaitu Dewan Pengawas dan Dewan Pelaksana. Kedua kelompok ini juga berperan penting dalam perusahaan dan yayasan ini. Anggota Dewan Pengawas adalah antara lain Ibrahim Hasan yang menjadi Ketua dari Dewan Pengawas. Beliau dibantu oleh Susilo Soputro dan Leonardy Halim. Dewan Pelaksana diketuai oleh Sihol Aritonang. Selain itu, orang-orang yang tergabung dalam Dewan Pelaksana adalah Ratih Loekito sebagai Sekretaris Umum, Paulus Tamie sebagai Sekretaris, Dharmanadi Chandra sebagai Bendahara dan Dewi Susanti yang menjadi Manager Program Peningkatan Kualitas Pendidikan (Pelita Pendidikan).

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RGE Indonesia: the Leading Group of World-Class Companies

Indonesia may be a small country. However, even though it is small and not very significant, it has world-class companies. Some of these world-class companies are the member of RGE Indonesia. RGE stands for Royal Golden Eagle. This group consists of Asian Agri, April, Asia Symbol, Sateri Holdings, Apical Group Ltd, and Pacific Oil and Gas. The work of these companies focuses on different field. One of them focuses on pulp and paper, palm oil, or energy. They are successful in the global market. Their products are sold in about 20 countries.

All of the companies that are the member of RGE are founded by Sukanto Tanoto. He is from Medan, Indonesia. He was born in a Chinese immigrant family. Because of it, his teenage years were not easy. The government at that time closed Chinese school in Indonesia and he was not allowed to go to national public school because his family citizenship. In consequence, he helped his father business started at 17. It gave him some experiences that sharpened his business acumen. With skill and cash in hands, he started his own business in 1973.

Today, he is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Indonesia. He is also one of the richest men in Indonesia. Even though he is rich and successful, he does not forget the well fare of other people or the environmental condition where his company located. All of the companies in RGE applied sustainable practices that protect the environment from damage. The companies that are really committed to it are Asia Symbol, April, Asian Agri, and Sateri Holdings. Asia Symbol, Sateri Holdings, and April focuses on producing pulp and paper so that it is no wonder that it applies the safe practices in producing them. Meanwhile, Asian Agri focuses on producing palm oil in consequence it also does the sustainable practices very strictly.

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Indonesian Philanthropist in Education

Do you ever heard about Tanoto Foundation scholarship? This is one type of scholarships that is given by Tanoto Foundation. This foundation was established by Sukanto Tanoto as a concern of the education quality problems that happened in Indonesia. Not all of people perhaps know who is Sukanto Tanoto when they heard about his name. Hence, this is short Sukanto Tanoto biography will help you to know about him. 

Sukanto Tanoto was born with the name Tan Kang Hoo in Medan December 25^th, 1949. He is a founder and chairman of RGE or Royal Golden Eagle group which consist s of global resources companies. Many people recognize him as a philanthropist in Indonesia’s education since he gives scholarships for some top universities students in Indonesia through Tanoto Foundation. He and his wife also can be found in the list of The Highland circle in Carnegie Melon University as contributor which gives one million dollars of his money to university students for their life spans. He joined this membership with other over two hundred entities, families, corporations, and also foundations.

Sukanto Tanoto was given the award from Wharton School of Pennsylvania University. This award has been given for whom gives contribution to individual which contribute in global economic and improvement of life quality all over the world. This award was given based on Sukanto Tanoto’s leadership in global business and industrial innovation that spread in Indonesia and China. Beside that, his focus on overcoming poverty through education is another reason why he achieved this award. The owner and founder of this Tanoto foundation are also considered to have good visions and philantrophist characters. Sukanto Tanoto through Tanoto foundation has given many educational scholarships for many students who need. The six top universities in Indonesia that is cooperated to be given scholarship from Tanoto foundation, such as Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Institut Pertanian Bogor, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and Universitas Riau.

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Social Work of Tanoto Foundation

Together with his wife, Tinah Bingei Tanoto, Sukanto Tanoto created Tanoto Foundation in 2001. It’s his main foundation to support education and social empowerement in the society. The foundation is fully funded by the Tanotos and it becomes a non-profit organization with the main purpose to give back the benefits that the companies has had to the community. It’s actively involved in real efforts to reduce poverty. Tanoto Foundation is mostly active in social works in Indonesia, Singapore, Chine, and USA.

Tanoto Foundation mostly works on the coming generation. It’s based on the strong belief that the only way to reduce poverty lies in the hands of the young generation who can break the intergenerational poverty if they have the education and social supports. Therefore, Tanoto Foundation tries to give opportunities for these young children to pursue education and it also provides more empowerment opportunities. It also make activities for parents with societal values, so parents can support their children in pursuing education.

Tanoto Foundation has scholarship programs in every degree. It also has training programs for teachers. To support the scholarship programs, this foundation also builds school buildings from kindergartens to junior high schools, providing books and educational equipments, as well as providing research fundings at university level in various areas from forestry, disease detection and prevention, also biomass application.

In the empowerment area, Tanoto Foundation gives more attention in helping small businesses, especially the ones in the rural areas. It gives vocational trainings and microfinance trainings. It gives the chance for those small businesses to promote integrated farming system that will change their traditional way of farming. What used to be the slash and burn farmers will transform into self sufficient and sustainable farmers. Besides the educational and social empowerment support, Tanoto Foundation also provides disaster relief help. Whether it’s in earthquakes, floods, or volcanic eruptions, Tanoto Foundation takes parts to provide financial assistance and material help for the victims.

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His Successful Tracks in Business

Started his business more than 40 years ago, Sukanto Tanoto has found his successful way to become RGE founder and chairman. It’s a global manufacturing company with corporate offices located in several countries, including Singapore, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Beijing. He first started his business as spare parts supplier for the oil and construction industries. Then, he decided to join the plywood business. Since then, he’s unstoppable. His business stretches from pulp and paper, oil palm, power generation, and forestry industries. With assets more than US$15 billions, RGE works in 4 operational areas, the pulp and paper business on APRIL, palm oil on Asian Agri and Apical, rayo and specialty pulp on Sateri International, and the lates on the energy area with Pacific Oil and Gas.

Sukanto Tanoto holds to a strong principle in his business. He believes that all his business have to bring goodness to the people, the country, and the company itself. Therefore, he creates programs to ensure his business has taken the responsibility to the environmental and social life. All his companies are known for applying corporate social responsibility on each business. The companies create special programs such as the integrated farming training to transform villagers into self-sufficient farmers. Another CSR program is in providing entreprise programs to support small business, providing vocational training, and in helping creating infrastructure support.

Even though Sukanto Tanoto has had all the success in business, he still has endless passion on education. He might not have the chance to pursue high education in his young age, now with all his wealth and success he manages to take management courses at the finest business schools. He also shows big interest in giving educational help for the communitues. He, along with his family developed Tanoto Foundation in 1981 with its main purpose in reducing poverty and support achievement in humanity. Tanoto Foundation is known for its social works in various areas, from education, disaster relief, and healthcare. The foundation give scholarships for poor students, financial supports for teachers, and helps in providing educational equipments such as school buildings. Sukanto Tanoto becomes well respected members of several executive busines board such as the INSEAD International Council, Wharton Executive Board for Asia, and Wharton Boad of Overseers. He also received several awards for his business achievements.

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