This report reflects the main findings of a research into Heineken’s business operations in
Indonesia, in the company PT Multi Bintang Indonesia (MBI). This research was carried out with
the consent from Heineken’s corporate management and was based on a review of documents,
internet research and media reports. In addition, interviews were conducted with workers, the
union and MBI management.
Despite Heineken’s head office advance notice, MBI management only agreed to co-operate with
the research in August 2005 and granted an interview with its Director of Human Resources (HR).
Subsequent communications with MBI’s plant management proved sluggish. As a consequence,
interviews with workers and the union could only be arranged in December 2005. Due to these
delays, there was insufficient opportunity to investigate the operations of MBI’s main local
suppliers.
It also took some time for the researchers to gain the workers’ and unions’ trust. In the end, both
groups became very enthusiastic about the research and expressed hope that they would be able
to establish links with unions at other Heineken operations. Researchers were able to set up two
group interviews and a two-hours focus group discussion with the union Chief, Secretary, and
Treasurer and respectively two, four and five workers. These meetings were held during working
hours. The researchers felt that additional time and opportunities to interview workers would
probably have allowed them to gather more and more detailed information. In a later stage, after
a first draft report had been written, the management provided more input to the research and,
after several revisions, MBI approved the final report.