Universitas Indonesia backs Indonesian diaspora workers in Auckland with business skills program

Fifteen Indonesian diaspora workers at Mill Bakery in Auckland joined a Universitas Indonesia-led training program on digital marketing, food safety and workplace safety. The effort is aimed at helping diaspora-run small businesses improve operations, strengthen compliance and build long-term competitiveness. Why it matters: - The program targets day-to-day skills that can help small food businesses stay competitive, safer and more sustainable. - The training also supports Indonesian diaspora workers and entrepreneurs in New Zealand, a group operating across different business, labor and regulatory expectations. - The workshops connect academic expertise with practical business needs, which can speed up adoption of safer and more efficient operating practices. What happened: - Fifteen Indonesian diaspora workers at Mill Bakery, an Indonesian-owned bakery in Auckland, took part in a capacity-building workshop series. - Universitas Indonesia organized the INTEGRA program through the Community Development Grant Program of the Directorate of Community Engagement and Social Innovation. - The program focused on digital marketing strategy, food safety awareness and occupational health and safety systems. - The workshop was delivered in Auckland, New Zealand, on June 12, 2026. The details: - INTEGRA stands for Integrated Improvement of Digital Marketing Strategy, Food Safety Awareness, and Occupational Health and Safety System. - The program combined digital marketing, food safety and occupational health and safety in one framework to support SME competitiveness and business sustainability. - Abdul Kadir, project leader of INTEGRA and head of the Occupational Health and Safety Undergraduate Program at Universitas Indonesia’s Faculty of Public Health, said the initiative was designed to help businesses address operational challenges and improve long-term sustainability. - Universitas Indonesia worked with Fabulous Work Group, the parent company of Mill Bakery and K-Chicken, and Desamind Indonesia as a strategic partner. - Hardika Dwi Hermawan, president director of Desamind Indonesia, joined the program and met local stakeholders on sustainable business practices and community development. - The training covered digital marketing, social media use, food safety principles, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, occupational health and safety, and risk management. - Employees from Mill Bakery and K-Chicken learned how to promote businesses through digital platforms, identify workplace hazards and apply risk-based decision-making. - Interactive discussions and case studies were part of the learning approach. - One output was customized Food Safety Standard Operating Procedures and Food Safety Checklists for Mill Bakery. - The program also built understanding of workplace safety management, HACCP implementation, operational risk management and digital business strategies. - The workshop included academics and Indonesian postgraduate students from the University of Auckland, creating cross-border knowledge exchange. Between the lines: - The initiative reflects a push to link university research and teaching with immediate industry problems. - Food-related SMEs face rising pressure from technology change, food safety demands and expectations for safe workplaces. - The program is also a soft-power example of Indonesian institutions supporting diaspora-led businesses abroad while reinforcing community ties. - Taufiq, CEO of Fabulous Work Group, said the program gave the team new insight into how digital marketing, food safety and employee wellbeing can work together to strengthen performance. What’s next: - The organizing team plans to continue supporting participating businesses through knowledge-sharing, implementation monitoring and future collaboration on food safety and occupational health and safety. - The customized SOPs and checklists are expected to support safer production, more consistent quality and stronger consumer confidence. - The broader goal is to improve operational efficiency, quality assurance and customer trust while advancing decent work, responsible production and sustainable business development. - Stevan Sunarno, deputy project leader of INTEGRA and a lecturer in occupational health and safety at Universitas Indonesia, said the university aims to connect academic knowledge with community needs and support innovation, business resilience and sustainable economic development. The bottom line: - INTEGRA is a practical university-industry partnership designed to help Indonesian diaspora businesses in New Zealand grow more safely, more digitally and more sustainably.