RGM International, a top industrial group, was recently named one of the Most Social Responsible Enterprises in China.

The group is a market leader of pulp and paper-making, clean energy, dissolving pulp and viscose fibre, and palm oil production in the Asia-Pacific region. One of its members, the Asia-Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd (APRIL), is a leading producer of fiber plantation and one of the largest producers of pulp and paper in the world

The group, with constantly low key publicity for its social efforts, is the only winning enterprise founded by an overseas Chinese merchant.

The high-profile award granted during the first China Corporate Social Responsibility Forum held by the China News Weekly late February, was appraised by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the China News Service.

"As a company established by overseas Chinese, we are very proud of winning the laurel, a recognition of RGM's commitment to social responsibility in China," said Chen Jiangshan (Rudy Tanoto), director of Singapore RGM Group and chief representative of the group's Beijing office, at the award-giving ceremony.

Altruistic efforts

To date, RGM's donations in China have exceeded 130 million yuan (US$16.02 million).

"RGM has its vision in the 'Three Good' strategy. Essentially good business must be good for the community, good for the environment and good for the country. We have stuck to this strategy in our businesses operating around the world," Chen said.

Founder of the group and chairman of the board Chen Jianghe (Sukanto Tanoto) returned to China in the 1990s and has been engaged in public welfare undertakings since then.

RGM has established its reputation in China through a series of little publicized donations.

"We have constantly chosen a low key attitude in these activities," Chen Jiangshan noted.

The chairman of RGM has "many firsts" to his credit.

He was the first donor for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Stadium. A total of 3 million yuan (US$369,913) was injected into the construction of the swimming stadium for the sports gala.

He was also the first overseas Chinese entrepreneur to donate a large sum of money when SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) broke out in China in 2003. The donation, worth 30 million yuan (US$3.7 million), was the largest from an overseas Chinese during that period.

In addition, he is the top overseas Chinese donor in terms of one-time donation in founding the "Qiaoxin Elementary Schools." "Qiaoxin" means "the heart of overseas Chinese."

Since 2004, he has established 20 such schools scattered across poverty-stricken areas in Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Heilongjiang provinces and Tibet, Guangxi Zhuang and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

The chairman of RGM has also set up education funds in Putian of East China's Fujian Province, Suzhou of East China's Jiangsu Province, and Jinggangshan in Central China's Jiangxi Province.

"And at Peking and Fudan universities two of the nation's prestigious universities, scholarships which have been set up by the group and granted to elite business school students are well in operation," Chen Jiangshan added.

Also, a large number of donations by the group have been channeled into an education project to promote Chinese culture and support occupational education in under-developed areas and also other projects in the science and technology sector and medical treatment.

"This year, RGM will enhance its co-operation with governments at all levels and non-government organizations, devoting itself to a greater number of environmental protection projects," Chen said.

(China Daily 03/06/2006 page8)