PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk is committed to supporting President Prabowo Subianto's Asta Cita to improve the green economy. The BNI UMKM Ramah Lingkungan (BUMI) Program focuses on empowering MSMEs, especially those who implement green business practices or produce environmentally friendly products that are export-oriented through Xpora. The company has distributed financing of IDR 38.9 billion to 164 business actors in the craft industry.
BNI Corporate Secretary Okki Rushartomo said that the BUMI program is a form of BNI's commitment as a pioneer in sustainable financing in improving the people's economy.
"Through the BUMI program, we encourage MSMEs to continue implementing ESG principles in their operations so that they can play a role in the green economy as part of President Prabowo's Asta Cita program," said Okki in a press release.
The BUMI program, which was just started last year, not only provides financing in the form of People's Business Credit (KUR) and BNI Wirausaha (BWU), but also assistance so that MSMEs continue to implement environmentally friendly governance practices for the products and services they produce.
"BUMI customers receive education from BNI so that they become MSMEs that upgrade the class and are able to improve the economic welfare of the surrounding community," said Okki.
One of BNI's customers who participated in the BUMI Program is Sari Wahyuni (42), who runs the Sweet Shabrina ecoprint fashion business. Sari has been a BNI KUR customer since 2022 and started participating in the BUMI program in 2024.
"Initially, I was a company employee, but since my child started school and needed a mother to accompany his activities, I decided to start the Ecoprint Sweet Shabrina business, which was also funded by BNI," said Sari.
In running the operation, Sari involves many women in the neighborhood where she lives in East Jakarta. In addition, she also involves people with disabilities to contribute to the fashion products produced ranging from clothes, bags, to book covers.
"Our fashion products do not have the same motifs as each other because they use leaf prints and natural dyes," he said.
Sari admitted that BNI was able to support her business through various exhibitions held throughout last year. Sweet Shabrina had the opportunity to attend three BNI exhibitions throughout 2024, including Incraft 2024 on February 28-March 3, BNI Expo 2024 wondrful Journey on August 2-4, 2024, and BNI Investor Daily Summit in October last year which was also attended by President Joko Widodo who was still in office at that time and President Prabowo Subianto as president-elect.
"Sales from BNI exhibitions really help me, I can get a turnover of at least IDR 50 million from one exhibition," he concluded.