In Indonesia, many resort-linked charities operate under what’s called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) — or in Indonesian, Tanggung Jawab Sosial dan Lingkungan (TJSL), meaning Social and Environmental Responsibility.
Unlike in many countries, CSR here isn’t just a voluntary initiative — it’s part of national law. Any company that uses or impacts natural resources, such as land, water, or coastal areas, is legally required to contribute to the social and environmental well-being of the surrounding community.
This obligation is outlined in:
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In simple terms**: If a company builds on Lombok’s land or coastline, it also takes on the duty to protect that environment and give back to the people who call it home.**
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To meet these commitments, companies often allocate only 2–3% of their profits to social and environmental programs, typically managed through a foundation (yayasan). This allows them to organize long-term initiatives and collaborate with community partners.
Common CSR activities in Lombok include:
These programs can bring meaningful benefits to local people and ecosystems. But its important to recognise they also help companies build good relationships with communities, comply with legal requirements, and strengthen their brand reputation among investors and travellers.
CSR foundations are established to fulfill a company’s own legal and moral responsibility — therefore, they should ideally self-fund their activities from company profits rather than seek external donations. However, strong CSR programs still depend on collaboration, and expertise from others. By inviting input from local NGOs, community leaders, and sustainability professionals, CSR foundations can design programs that are relevant, inclusive, and effective.
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When done well, CSR becomes a bridge between commercial success and community well-being — aligning business goals with genuine local impact. But when done poorly, it can slip into greenwashing — where social or environmental projects are used mainly for marketing rather than real change.
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