20 Indonesian firms pledge to build workplaces free of harassment and violence

And abuse isn’t confined to physical workplaces, as the report noted that nearly 40% of incidents now occur online, which a sign that digital workspaces have become new frontiers for misconduct. 

Against this backdrop, Indonesian business leaders are stepping forward with a collective promise: gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace will no longer be ignored. This week in Jakarta, the ILO, along with the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women’s Empowerment (IBCWE), brought together more than 20 major companies for the Leaders’ Gathering on Building a Workplace Free from Violence and Harassment. The timing couldn’t be more symbolic, coinciding with the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. 

These leaders signed the Zero Tolerance for Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) Pledge, committing to embed prevention into everyday operations, governance structures, and workplace culture.

Myra Hanartani, Head of the Regulatory Committee at Apindo, stressed that prevention must become part of the corporate DNA. “Company leaders must actively participate and take concrete steps. Embedding these practices into corporate governance is a powerful driver of change,” she said.

For Apindo, this is not rhetoric, they released comprehensive guidelines in 2022 to help employers detect, prevent, and respond to harassment more effectively. The pledge now pushes companies to turn those guidelines into measurable action. 

ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Simrin Singh, praised the momentum. She highlighted the RealGains project, which funded by Canada, and is helping sectors like footwear, palm oil, and lithium battery manufacturing tackle gender discrimination and child labour. “This commitment goes beyond compliance,” she noted. “It’s about building workplaces that are inclusive, equitable and sustainable.”

The event also brought forward industry voices who are already doing the work. In an interactive panel moderated by IBCWE’s Executive Director, Wita Krisanti, leaders from GAPKI, Adis Dimension Footwear, and the ILO discussed sector-level approaches to zero-tolerance policies, stronger reporting systems, and aligning company practices with international labour standards. 

But beyond the boardrooms and pledges, the human impact remains the heart of the issue. The ILO’s large-scale survey, conducted online between August and September 2022 with 1,173 respondents, revealed how widespread the issue truly is. 

Director Michiko Miyamoto emphasized why Indonesia needs to move urgently toward ratifying ILO Convention No. 190, the first global treaty affirming the right to a workplace free from violence. “No one is immune… and we must speak up and take action,” she said.

The survey results sparked a companion talk show, “Semua Bisa Kena” (Anyone Can Be Affected), featuring gender advocates, digital rights campaigners, and business leaders. Their message was clear, harassment affects victims and witnesses alike, leading to trauma, lost productivity, and in many cases, job loss.

“Violence and harassment make people lose motivation and focus. The consequences can be devastating,” said Alvin Nicola, founder of the Never Okay Project, which partnered with the ILO on awareness campaigns and a petition calling for safer workplaces. 

What is emerging now is a strong, collective front, a signal that businesses, policymakers, and civil society are ready to rewrite norms long swept under the rug. And with major companies standing up and pledging zero tolerance, the movement is gaining a force that could reshape Indonesia’s workplace culture for generations.