Corporate Governance for Employees’ Welfare
Martono Anggusti, Bismar Nasution, Benny Tabalujan, Mahmul Siregar, Hikmahanto Juwana, Suhaidi, Tan Kamello
Abstract
The debate about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to stakeholders is a fairly lengthy debate in the
repertoire of the development of Company Law.At least there are two fundamentally different views to interpret
the CSR. The views, firstly, cling to the belief that the concept of corporate social responsibility is
counterproductive in the business world. According to Milton Friedman, a corporation are naturally only have a
goal to generate economic objectives for shareholders. A prominent liberal economics is very pessimistic and
tend to oppose any attempt to make the company as a social purpose.Furthermore, in Capitalism and Freedom
(1962), Milton Friedman clearly states that in a free society there is one and only one social responsibility of
business that utilizes the company's resources and engages in activities that aim to maximize profits. If this goal is
achieved by the company, it actually functions, and corporate social goals have been achieved, namely to improve
the welfare of society.The doctrine of the social responsibility in business, damagesthe freemarket economic
system.Acknowledging social responsibility that will lead to an economic system leads to the direction of the
economic plans of the Communist Countries. In the writings, published in the New York Times Magazine on
September 13th, 1970, with the title: "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits". This
reasoning is supported by Joel Bakan,which teaches that if the company gives some of its profits to the
community, the company has violated its nature.However, business sustainability can take place in the long term
if the company is able to provide an answer to the needs of stakeholders and give them what they need. This is in
lieu with the second view, that there is an increasing importance of the role and position of all stakeholders in the
Good Governance Management of a Company. Surely,the second thought, extremely gives rise to the
contradiction on the first view.The second view expressly acknowledges the existence of CSR towards
stakeholders. R. Edward Freeman in, "A Stakeholder Theory of the Modern Corporation," offers an alternative to the theory of
Friedman. On the view of Freeman, Friedman wrong to assume that the main task is the company's executive
moral fiduciary issue to their shareholders and that in fulfilling this obligation they act socially responsible.
Freeman takes issue with dissention and his opinions are:
1. "That the company's managers have a duty to all groups and individuals who own shares (a stake) in or claim
on the company (Freeman refer to groups and individuals as 'stakeholders');
2. That there was no stakeholder groups should be given primacy over the other when the company mediate the
competition claims of stakeholders; and
3. That company law should be changed to require executives to manage their enterprise in accordance with the
principles of the theory of stakeholders, namely, Freeman stated that the executive should be notified (legal /
official) to manage their company in the interests of their stakeholders ".
Regardless of whether the stakeholder management leads to improved financial performance, managers must
manage the business for the benefit of all of stakeholders. It should not look at a company as a mechanism to
improve the financial returns of stockholders,but as a vehicle for coordinating stakeholders interests and view
management as having a fiduciary relationship not only to shareholders, but to all of stakeholders. According to
the normative of stakeholders theory, management must give equal consideration to the interests of all
stakeholders, while a conflict of interest, to manage the business so as to achieve the optimum balance between
them. This, of course, implies that there will be a time while management is obliged to at least partially
sacrificing the interests of the stockholders to those of other stakeholders.In line with this thinking, John
Hasnas,stated that "management's fundamental obligation is not to maximize the firm's financial success, but to
Ensure its survival by balancing the conflicting claims of multiple stakeholders."John Elkington in Cannibal with
Forks: The Triple Bottom Line Twentieth Century Business (1997) says that if a company wants to remain
sustained, then he needs to consider not only the interests of the shareholders (profit), but also must pay attention
to the welfare of the people which were in it and around (peoples) and environmental sustainability
(planet).Stakeholder theory states that the basic duty of management is not to maximize the financial success of
the company, but to ensure its survival by balancing the conflicting demands of various stakeholders. The
Company shall be managed for the benefit of stakeholders, customers, suppliers, owners, employees, and local
communities. The rights of these groups must be ensured and, further, the group must participate, in some sense,
in decisions that substantially affect their welfare.Apart from the conceptual debate about the Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR). CSR in Indonesia has been acknowledged. Article 88, Law No. 19 of 2003 on State-Owned
Enterprises (SOE Act), firmly establish the SOEs can set aside part of its profits for the purposes of development
small businesses, cooperatives and community development around the SOE. Then, Act No. 40 Year 2007 on
Limited Liability Companies, Article 74, confirms the existence of Corporate Social Responsibility in Limited
Liability company in Indonesia.In fact, Article 74 is more advanced conceptually by putting social and
environmental liability in limited liability company as a social mandatory, not just a moral and ethical
responsibility. Article 74 has a power that can be enforced against a limited liability company to implement social
and environmental liability.Shifting the paradigm of the management company which is intended only to the
interests of shareholders (profit) in the direction of the management of the company, to consider the interests of
all stakeholders, and environmental interests, assessed constitutional by the Constitutional Court on legal
considerations in the Constitutional Court Decision 53 / PUU-VI / 2008, is explained, that the Indonesian
economy system as set forth in Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution:
1. The economy shall be organized as a common endeavour based upon the principles of the family system.
2. Sectors of production which are important for the country and affect the life of the people shall be controlled
by the state.
3. The land, the water, and the natural riches contained therein shall be controlled by the State and exploited to
the greatest benefit of the people.
That understanding individualistic and liberalism in the economy was not fit, even in contrary to the economic
democracy embraced by the nation of Indonesia. Earth, water and natural resources contained in it not only for
the prosperity of the few entrepreneurs who have capital, but rather for the prosperity of the people. The economy
as a joint venture, not only between employers and the state, but also collaboration between employers and the
community, especially the surrounding community.
Genuine concern of employers on their social environment will provide a secure business environment for the
surrounding community feel cared by the employer, so it will strengthen the fabric of the relationship between
employers and society.Based on the Decision of the Constitutional Court concluded that the Good Governance
management company solely devoted to the interests of shareholders, are not in accordance with democratic
principles adopted by the State Indonesian economy. Good Governance Management companies must instead be
directed to the welfare of the people of Indonesia. Therefore, companies must be managed with due regard to the
interests of all stakeholders, no exception labor / employees of the company. Thus, the management of the
company needs to consider the interests of all stakeholders not only as a moral responsibility of the company, but
as a mandate of a company law. Company should orient its company management efforts to improve the welfare
ofstakeholders; including workers / employees of the company is the embodiment of company's contribution to the
mutual obligations between the government and the business community to improve the welfare of the
community.Implementation of the Good Governance management company, for the benefit of stakeholders, did
not specifically aimed at corporate responsibility efforts to improve the welfare of employees. Article 74 of the
Limited Liability Company Law does not specifically direct the implementation of corporate social responsibility
to the interests of employees. However, it does not mean that the discussion of social regulation of corporate
governance efforts is directed at improving the welfare of the employees concerned becomes unimportant. The
ambiguity of Article 74 of the Limited Liability Company Law actually cause the position of employees as part of
an internal stakeholders or primary stakeholders of the limited liability company grow weary and still received
less attention. On 4th April 2012, the Government enacted Government Regulation No. 47 of 2012 on Social and
Environmental Responsibility Company Limited. As the implementation of Article 74 of the Limited Liability
Company Law, Government Regulation 47 of 2012 is focused on regulating the use of a limited liability company
expense budget has been earmarked as the cost of social and environmental responsibility. However, this rule did
not clearly set out the allocation of the budget, the amount of the budget, and the subject use of the budget. Thus,
it would be difficult to expect the implementation of this government regulation to improve the lives and welfare
of labor as the company's internal stakeholders. Therefore, regulation of corporate governance is to realize the
efforts to improve the standard of living and welfare of labor is still very necessary. The discussionabout the need
forlegislationthatdirects thecorporate governance management toimprove the livesandwelfare oflaboris
stillrelevantandveryimportantthing to do. At least there aresomevery basic reasons onthe importance on
discussing the need forlegislationthatdirects thecorporate governance managementtoimprove thewelfare
oflaborinIndonesia, namely:First, Corporate Governance (CG) management that gives attention to efforts to
improve the lives and welfare of employees / workers / labors is not a concern in the legislation governing the
company in Indonesia. Legislation currently regulating corporate governance is still dominated by the interests of
employers in optimizing capital or in developing other businesses in order to generate profits and shareholder
value.Although social and environmental responsibility has been mandatory under Article 74 of the Limited
Liability Company Law, but its application in the narrow scope led to the implementation of social and
environmental responsibility under Article 74 of the Limited Liability Company Law is not very significant in
efforts to improve the lives and well-being of the company workforce. Law governing companies, such as Act No.
40 of 2007 on Limited Liability Companies Act No. 19 of 2003 on State Owned Enterprises, Act No. 25 Year 2007
on Investment and Act No. 8 of 1995 on the Capital Market is more focused on efforts to the creation of a
conducive business climate as a requirement that the business community in Indonesia can compete to face an
increasingly competitive global competition. In other words, the main interest underlying the legislation was the
interest of shareholders. Public welfare, including welfare of the workers, do not become a major priority of the
legislation. Where noted, Article 43 paragraph (3) Limited Liability Company Law paves the way for efforts to
improve the status and welfare of employees through the issuance of new shares that are specifically intended for
employees. Through Article 43 paragraph (3) that, it is possible to elevate the position of the employees become
shareholders through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).However, the implementation of Article 43
paragraph (3) is highly dependent on the generosity of its shareholders through the Annual General Meeting
(AGM), because after all if General Meeting of Shareholders does not decide that the issuance of new shares is
specifically intended for the benefit of employees, the new shares shall first be offered to existing shareholders, or
better known as the pre-emptive right.Basically some aspects of corporate governance related to efforts to
improve the welfare of the employees as one of the stakeholders can be the rationale, for example: Protection of
interests of employees,in various corporate action such as a merger, consolidation, acquisition, and spin-off
companies, bankruptcy, and liquidation of the company; efforts to increase the value and dignity of employees through improving the status of workers / employees become owners / shareholders as ESOP (Employee Stock
Ownership Plan, Profit Sharing etc), is an effort to increase bipartite collaboration that are mutually
beneficial.Secondly, the setting ofCSR as stipulated in Article 74 of the Limited Liability Company Law, did not
provide a strong emphasis on the use and size of the CSR fundfor efforts to improve the lives and welfare of
employees as internal stakeholders. Article 74 of the Limited Liability Company Law and its implementing
regulations as stipulated in Government Regulation No. 47 of 2012 on Social and Environmental Responsibility
Company Limited is only intended to regulate the use of budget CSR General Meeting of Shareholders approved
the Work Plan and Budget (CBP).Article 74 and its implementing regulations have not sufficiently regulated the
practices of companies devoted to the interests of stakeholders, including workers / employees that are outside the
company's CSR program budgeted. Article 74 and its implementing regulations are focused on the use of budget
CSR for the benefit of local communities and the environment. The fate of the workers / employees still beyond the
reach of Article 74 of the Limited Liability Company Law Jo. Government Regulation no. 47 in 2012. Thirdly, the
accommodation is not enough on Principles of ISO 26000 as the standardization of CSR in theLimited Liability
Company Law. For example, about 7 Principles of ISO 26000: ISO 26000 principles namely:
1. Community development;
2. Consumers;
3. Practice Institution healthy activities;
4. Environment;
5. Employment;
6. The Human Rights;
7.Organization Governance (Government Organization).
Fourth, the welfare conditions of laborers / workers / employees which still a concern in Indonesia. Labor /
Workers / Employees, or more popular as workers have extremely significant contribution in supporting the
Indonesian economy. Beside as a driver of economic state, workers also became one of the major strengths in
building civilization. Labours or workers who drive the economic sectors under which incidentally has a
tremendous contribution to the State's economy and to balance the savior even balance the State's economic
growth. Ironically, a very major role and importance is not getting an adequate appreciation of the government
and the business world. Wages received by workers / employees are not comparable / insufficient to meet real
needs. When compared with the speed of the increase in the cost of "running" while wages "going nowhere" no
increase or even just suffered a setback. From the Central Bureau of Statistics as an overview in 2006 for simple
decent life in Jakarta, someone has to spend between Rp 1.5 million to Rp 2 million per month for the purposes of
daily life. Compared then to the local minimum wage in Jakarta which only Rp 950.000, - It is clear that it is
impossible worker / laborer to live decently.Other data illustrates the inequities of life of workers / laborers
presented in the research of AKATIGA. Government efforts to create a conducive investment climate and invite as
many foreign and domestic investors to encourage government in implementing two basic strategies namely run
low wage policy and apply the principles of liberalization, flexible and decentralized in matters of
employment.The low wages of workers / laborare used as an attraction to invite investors.Investment
Coordinating Board (BKPM) includes wage / cheap labor in Indonesia, the minimum limit of the highest labor
costs in Java (Rp. 1.3344 million, - per month - USD 147 per month) is still lower than the wages of workers in
Thailand (USD 240 per month), even if the wages in Java are raised 50%. Labor wages is used as a negotiating
tool in the management of the automotive component industry in Indonesia with Trade Unions is the main
attraction of Indonesia to invite investors. Cheap labor has proven to create difficult lives on labors because the
averageminimum wage in Indonesia Rp 892.160, - can only afford about 62.4% of real expenditures of workers /
laborers.Fifth, handed efforts to improve the welfare of employees through legislation in the field of employment
was inadequate. During this time, the problem is always delivered on labor welfare legislation in the field of
employment. As described above,cheap labor leads to the welfare of workers / laborers which is not feasible. It is
proven that the issue of lifting the standard of living and welfare of the workers / laborers can not be left solely to
the legislation in the field of employment. Efforts to improve the standard of living and welfare of the workers /
laborers need to be supported by the corporate governance management system which can support the
improvement of the standard of living and welfare of workers / employees, either in the form of optimal utilization
of corporate social responsibility and stewardship corporate governance rules, which can support the
improvement of the standard life and welfare of the workers / employees. Sixth, the limited liability company law
can be used as an instrument to improve the welfare of employees through corporate governance management arrangements to improve the lives and well-being of employees. Thus, despite the existence of legislation in the
field of employment, legislation governing its managed stylist, for example the Limited Liability Company Law,
the Law on Enterprises, Investment Law, Capital Market Law and its implementing regulations can be used as an
instrument to direct more attention to the behavior of the company interests of stakeholders, including workers /
employees. In such a context, the role of the State through the Government as law makers is necessary, so that the
problems of workers welfare / employees are not solely left to the market mechanism with the argument of
economic liberalization and globalization. In addition to the government party, the Company is a good alternative
receptacle to resolve the problem, because the company provides a receptacle mutual benefit to work, learn, gain
experience fitting, in differentemployment level: Employee, Self-employed, Employer, and Investor (ESEI).
Under conditions of the wise, the state described as a referee in a football game. He has no right to strike
or hold the ball. That needs to be done for the football game is running smoothly and there is no cheating. Has
this value been realized? What is the role of the entrepreneur as the manager of the largest natural resource? The
reality is that entrepreneurs can not immediately meet the standards of stakeholders, so that what is referred to as
welfare is commensurate discourse. From the first, issues workers / employees being widely reported, but from
the beginning these issues are not resolved, resulting in gaps. To note in common, is that one of the drivers in the
business in the last decade of this century in addition to the profitability of an investment in the form of people.
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