Every year, Kartini Day sparks fresh waves of inspiration about women’s empowerment. Yet, in today’s business landscape, inspiration alone no longer moves the needle.
A more pressing question emerges: do organizations truly have systems in place that enable women to grow, lead, and contribute at their full potential?
As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards continue to shape modern business practices, gender equality -particularly women’s empowerment- has evolved beyond a supporting narrative. It now plays a central role in how businesses build sustainability, strengthen competitiveness, and manage talent strategically.
Organizations are no longer judged by what they claim, but by how their systems perform. Are opportunities genuinely accessible? Do employees grow on equal footing? And can existing policies sustain long-term career development?
These questions are best answered not just through reports or metrics, but in everyday workplace experiences. One example comes from the career journey of Tari Ustami, an Officer of Mass Broadband Product at Telkomsel.
A Career Move That Reflects a Bigger System
For Tari, change began with a single decision: stepping into a new role.
The first day in a new division often comes with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, new expectations to meet, new dynamics to understand, and very little time to settle in fully.
This transition was more than just switching desks. It marked a significant career leap that required readiness, resilience, and the courage to step outside her comfort zone. Tari embraced new responsibilities while pushing herself to grow beyond her previous experience in sales.
Her move was not based on informal connections or internal favouritism. Instead, she leveraged the Internal Job Posting (IJP) program, a structured and transparent pathway that enables cross-divisional hiring based on merit and competence.
This is where Tari’s story evolves into something bigger than a personal milestone. It reflects how ESG principles are implemented in practice. A fair system creates real opportunities for talent to thrive and contribute meaningfully.
Inclusivity Beyond the Buzzwords
Looking at the broader landscape, the reality across many companies in Indonesia still tells a different story. Female representation at leadership levels remains uneven.
The challenge isn’t a lack of awareness, it stems from inclusivity that hasn’t been built into daily workflows. Within the ESG “Social” pillar, women’s empowerment directly fuels agility, sharpens strategic decision-making, and future-proofs competitive advantage.
When ecosystems fail to level the playing field, businesses don’t just lose individual contributors. They sacrifice organizational velocity, dilute innovation, and weaken long-term market positioning.
When Systems Are Built to Support
Telkomsel recognizes that equality cannot rely on intention alone. It must be built into a connected and actionable system.
One key initiative is Women@Telkomsel, a program focused on developing female talent through three pillars: learning, mentoring, and well-being. This initiative goes beyond providing access to training, it accelerates leadership readiness among women.
Throughout 2024, more than 300 women actively participated in this program. Their involvement contributed directly to strengthening the internal leadership pipeline and fostering a more structured talent development ecosystem.
However, development without opportunity creates a bottleneck. This is where the Internal Job Posting (IJP) program plays a crucial role, ensuring equal access to career mobility across the organization. It enables employees -regardless of gender- to pursue growth based on merit.
Another essential component is parental leave policy. With up to 90 days of maternity leave and a return-to-work rate of 99.77%, Telkomsel ensures that women’s career journeys are not disrupted by life transitions.
Women are not only given access to opportunities, they are supported with a safe and sustainable environment to grow, contribute, and remain in the workforce long term.
Numbers That Speak Louder Than Promises
Telkomsel’s 2024 Sustainability Report shows that women make up 22.84% of its total workforce of 6,216 employees. At the same time, 41.09% of new hires that year were female talents.
These figures indicate that efforts to strengthen representation are ongoing. When access is fair, the impact extends beyond individuals, it reinforces the company’s leadership pipeline.
Equity is also reflected in compensation. Based on GRI 405-2 standards, the company has achieved a 1:1 pay ratio between men and women for equivalent roles, embedding fairness into its operational foundation.
Looking ahead, Telkomsel aims to have 15% women representation in managerial roles by 2030, reinforcing diversity at the decision-making level.
All of these efforts highlight that ESG implementation, particularly within the social dimension, is not merely aspirational. It is translated into measurable systems that deliver tangible impact.
A New Standard Starts with a Choice
Tari Ustami’s journey is a reminder that opportunities can be created, but systems determine who can truly access them. Within the ESG landscape, this distinction separates companies with symbolic programs from those building genuinely inclusive ecosystems.
Telkomsel's approach is that women’s empowerment can be designed as a measurable business strategy, supported by aligned programs, policies, and measurable outcomes.
Kartini Day then becomes more than a celebration. It becomes a moment of reflection. The real question is no longer whether gender equality matters, but whether organizations are ready to make it a standard.
Because when women grow within company, the impact extends far beyond individual careers, it drives sustainable business growth as a whole.
