OCBC Empowers SMEs to Create Sustainable, Innovative, Functional, and Accessible Products through the RISE Program

Jakarta, 5 August 2026 – Public awareness of sustainability continues to grow. PwC's Voice of the Consumer 2025 survey shows that more Indonesian consumers are aligning their purchasing decisions with sustainability values. However, the same survey also found that while 62% of respondents expressed concern about climate change, many acknowledged that it is not something they regularly consider in their daily lives. This highlights that the challenge today goes beyond building awareness; it is also about making sustainable choices more accessible, relevant, and integrated into everyday life.

Against that survey, OCBC continues to encourage employees and the wider community to adopt sustainable practices through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, with a focus on driving lifestyle and behavioural change. One of these initiatives is RISE (Responsible Innovation for Sustainable Everyday Lifestyle), OCBC's latest initiative that brings together the strengths of OCBC Preneurship and Upcydea Festival to make sustainable practices more relevant and applicable to everyday life.

Through RISE, OCBC aims to turn awareness into meaningful action while reinforcing the message that sustainable living can be part of our everyday lifestyle. Sustainable products do not have to be expensive or exclusive; they can be creative, functional, accessible, and relevant to everyday needs.

RISE PROGRAM (Responsible Innovation for Sustainable Everyday Lifestyle)

Through RISE, OCBC not only strengthens the capabilities of SMEs through workshops, mentoring, and curation, but also supports them in developing product innovations that create economic value while generating a positive environmental impact. A total of 50 SMEs, comprising 25 culinary businesses and 25 fashion and craft businesses, participated in an intensive program designed to integrate sustainability principles into their products and business models, in collaboration with Femalepreneur Indonesia.

Selected SMEs developed innovative products using OCBC's pre-owned uniforms, which were processed and transformed into new fabric. The material was then turned into practical everyday products that can be purchased by OCBC employees, with proceeds from the sales channelled towards the purchase of mangrove seedlings.

Aleta Hanafi, Brand & Communication Head OCBC, said that sustainability can become more deeply embedded in people's lives when it is translated into simple and relevant everyday choices. "Through RISE (Responsible Innovation for Sustainable Everyday Lifestyle), we want to demonstrate that sustainability does not have to be complicated or expensive. We believe meaningful change can start with simple steps that are taken consistently."

RISE focuses on developing products that are innovative, functional, and sustainable. To support this mission, OCBC engaged Billy Tjong and Petty S. Fatimah as mentors.

As a mentor in the program, Billy Tjong believes sustainability should be seen as an opportunity for continuous innovation. " Changes in the environment, trends, and consumer behaviour require businesses to continuously adapt. To me, sustainability is innovation. When we are able to see limitations as opportunities, that is where new ideas, materials, and products with economic value can emerge."

Meanwhile, Petty S. Fatimah, Women's Entrepreneurship Advocate, Communication Strategist, and Lecturer, sees the fashion industry increasingly moving towards more sustainable practices. " Consumers today are not only buying products; they are also looking at the stories and values behind them. Through mentorship, we help SMEs approach product creativity from a sustainability perspective, transforming recycled materials into products that are attractive and commercially viable."

With RISE, OCBC hopes to encourage more SMEs to view sustainability not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to continuously innovate. As sustainable products become more creative, functional, and accessible, behavioural change towards a more sustainable lifestyle can begin with simple choices made in everyday life.

OCBC'S COMMITMENT TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

• OCBC remains committed to advancing its circular economy initiatives, which began in 2023 by encouraging employees to return and donate uniforms they no longer used.
• In 2024, the initiative expanded to include the development of a wider range of products in collaboration with CSR partners that share the same values (value). These products were made available exclusively to OCBC employees, with proceeds from the sales channelled towards the purchase of mangrove seedlings.
• In 2025, the idea for Upcydea Festival emerged from a simple question: how could uniforms that were no longer in use be given a new life? From this challenge, OCBC saw an opportunity to transform waste into value through innovation and collaboration.
• During the year, OCBC successfully upcycled 256 kilograms of pre-owned batik uniforms into a range of fashion products. The initiative generated Rp43.7 million in sales, all of which was donated to support the planting of 2,185 mangrove trees, with an estimated environmental benefit equivalent to offsetting approximately 258.89 kilograms of CO2e emissions.
• In 2026, OCBC further expanded the initiative, including to its Semarang branch, to strengthen circular economy practices and engage more employees and members of the community. The impact of Upcydea Festival was further extended through the introduction of RISE (Responsible Innovation for Sustainable Everyday Lifestyle), providing SMEs with a learning platform where they can meaningfully integrate sustainability into their business strategies.

About OCBC
PT Bank OCBC NISP Tbk (OCBC) was established in Bandung in 1941 under the name Nederlandsch Indische Spaar en Deposito Bank. Over its 85 years of journey, the Bank has undergone several name changes, from 'Bank NISP' to 'Bank OCBC NISP', and 'OCBC' on November 14, 2023. As of June 30, 2026, OCBC serves customers through 192 office networks in 52 cities in Indonesia. Furthermore, customers could conduct transaction through the Bank's 504 ATM, about 85,000 ATM networks in Indonesia, and connected to more than 390 OCBC Group ATM networks in Singapore and Malaysia. OCBC also serves customers through various digital channels, including mobile banking and internet banking – both for individuals and corporations. For further information about OCBC please visit www.ocbc.id.

Brand & Communication Division, OCBC
OCBC Tower, Jl Prof Dr Satrio Kav 25, Jakarta 12940
Tel: 021- 25533888; Fax: (62)-021-57944000
Email: brand.communication@ocbc.id
Website: www.ocbc.id