PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) held the GoZero% Grand Champion Innovation Festival on March 2–3, 2026, at the Telkom Landmark Tower, Surabaya. This program is a competition for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-based innovations, involving Telkom employees from various regions to present innovative, applicable, and sustainable operational waste management solutions.
Previously, the GoZero% Innovation Festival was held in Telkom Regional Offices (TREG) I to V, covering Bandung, Makassar, Medan, Tarakan, and Yogyakarta. The best ideas from each region were then competed at the national level through the GoZero% Grand Champion Innovation Festival to determine the most impactful innovations with the potential for wider implementation within the TelkomGroup. This program serves as a platform for the birth of various ESG-based innovations that support the company's sustainable transformation and align with Telkom's ESG pillars, Save Our Planet and Empower Our People.
Waste and operational waste management is also a challenge that is increasingly being addressed by many companies. Cables, electronic devices, and even office waste often pile up without optimal utilization, even though they have the potential to be processed into sustainable solutions. Through the GoZero% Innovation Festival, Telkom is encouraging a more systematic and innovative approach to optimizing waste management.
Dr. Runik Machfiroh, Director of Digital Collaboration for Sustainability (DCS), believes GoZero% is a crucial program in driving corporate sustainability commitments through employee engagement. "This program not only raises awareness but also encourages concrete action from employees on sustainability issues," he said.
The GoZero% Grand Champion Innovation Festival spanned two days. The first day featured presentations from the finalists, while the second day featured a GoZero% Eco-Deep Dive at the Benowo Waste-to-Energy Plant (PLTSA) as part of the validation process. Five finalists presented their innovations: MyCarbon (TREG I), Ecoquest (TREG II), Forec (TREG III), Restylecle Transforming Uniforms Sustainability (TREG IV), and Clean Ocean IoT – CLEOO (TREG V). The evaluation took into account ESG relevance, implementation potential, impact, sustainability, and innovation value, ensuring that the selected solutions were not only conceptual but also practical.
From the evaluation process, Forec (TREG III) was selected as the champion for its innovation of processing cable waste into construction and paving materials. This innovation not only reduces waste but also unlocks potential new economic value because the solution presented is practical and can be implemented in practice.
On the second day, all participants participated in the GoZero% Eco-Deep Dive to deepen their understanding of waste management practices, which align with the Waste to Energy (WTE) program, managed by BPI Danantara and a national priority. This activity also demonstrated Telkom's support for the national sustainability and energy transition agenda.
On the occasion, Telkom's VP of Sustainability, Gunawan Wasisto Ciptaning Andri, emphasized the importance of continuous learning through this activity. "One of the objectives of this Eco-Deep Dive is that the knowledge and learning gained will not stop at this activity but can be brought back and implemented in each region," said Gunawan.
The learning took place through a direct visit to the Benowo Waste-to-Energy Plant (PLTSA), managed by PT Sumber Organik (PTSO). This facility processes approximately 1,600 tons of waste per day, or nearly 70% of Surabaya City's waste generation. In its operations, the Benowo Waste-to-Energy Plant utilizes Gas Fermentation (Landfill Gas Power Plant) technology with a capacity of 1.65–2 MW and Thermochemical (Gasification Power Plant) with a capacity of 9 MW, generating a total of 11 MW of electricity. This energy is equivalent to the needs of approximately 11,000 households and is distributed to the national electricity grid, managed by the State Electricity Company (PLN).
During the Eco-Deep Dive session at the Benowo Waste-to-Energy Plant, participants also received an explanation of the waste-to-energy process. The Benowo Waste-to-Energy Plant Operations Manager, M. Ali Asyar, explained that the waste managed at the facility can be processed into usable water, electrical energy, and even compost. "The characteristics of our household waste are actually very good for processing into energy," he explained.
Through this initiative, Telkom emphasizes that waste management is not just an environmental responsibility, but also an opportunity to encourage creativity, empower employees, and deliver innovations that have a real impact on a more sustainable future.
Photo caption: GoZero% Grand Champion Innovation Festival at the Telkom Landmark Tower, Surabaya, some time ago.
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