All Eyes on Trade – and the O.S.C.A.R.
All Eyes on Trade – and the O.S.C.A.R.
The O.S.C.A.R. initiative (Outstanding Supporter of Compliance and Responsibility) honors colleagues who go beyond formal requirements and actively strengthen NKG’s culture of integrity in their everyday work. Reflecting this MAG issue’s focus topic, “Trade”, the award recognizes a colleague who integrates responsible business practices into Trade and Quality Assurance.
Hiro plays a key role in protecting NKG’s ability to trade coffee responsibly and sustainably. He does so by ensuring that NKG’s business partners meet internal standards as well as legal requirements. In essence, Hiro carries out a “Know‑Who‑You’re‑Working‑With” check for new business partners; a process formally known as Business Partner Due Diligence.
Based in Indonesia, Hiro is deeply involved in the day‑to‑day implementation of NKG’s Business Partner Due Diligence. Before and throughout a business relationship, he gathers and reviews relevant information on partners and conducts Business Partner Screenings in close collaboration with Group Compliance.
By identifying risks related to business partners, such as financial or economic sanctions or involvement in financial crime, Hiro helps safeguard NKG’s supply chains from unlawful engagement and potential reputational damage. In 2025 alone, Hiro carried out Due Diligence Checks for over 130 business partners!
When asked about the role of Business Partner Due Diligence in Trade and Quality Assurance, Hiro points out that coffee businesses in Indonesia operate at very different scales, from individual traders and small independent companies to large corporations. Each comes with its own needs, purchasing capacities, and risk profiles.
“In my role in Trade and Quality Assurance, Business partner Due Diligence helps me understand both the opportunity and the risk of each individual business relationship.”
Hiro Panji Lesmana
What stands out about Hiro is that he understands effective Due Diligence as more than just identifying risks. He explains that to him, effective Due Diligence means carefully balancing risk mitigation with enabling business. He thereby ensures that potential risks are managed responsibly and addressed early—before they escalate into more serious issues.
As Hiro puts it:
“Making a sale and doing business is important. However, protecting NKG is the top priority.”
NOMINEE
Hiro Panji Lesmana
COMPANY
NKG Indonesia
Do you have a colleague who shows unwavering commitment ensuring that our coffee travels safely? From bean to brew, and door to door, does their meticulous attention to detail ensure that every cup of coffee reaches our customers in perfect condition?
Please reach out to us and nominate your colleague for the next O.S.C.A.R. by writing an e-mail to compliance@nkg.coffee or talking to your local Compliance Representative. Just explain what makes your colleagues efforts stand out and why they would be the perfect fit for the next O.S.C.A.R.
Naturally, we ensure that every nominee provides their consent before the article is published.
In this issue, we shine the spotlight on the Risk Control Unit (RCU). Heidi Ühleke, who leads the team, brings over 30 years of experience in the coffee industry. She is joined by Lyuben Chernev, CFA and, most recently, Mauricio Calado, who together manage risk for the group.
Time really does fly – another six months have passed and here is our next issue of the MAG! And I can hardly believe it, but I have really been with NKG for five years now. This anniversary reminded me of how much I have learned about our business and how much there still is to learn more about. Our core business, for example: this issue is all about trade! From what I heard when I first entered NKG, traders were mainly focused on their core tasks and their customers. This view definitely changed through working on the current issue of our MAG!
Each year, International Women’s Day reminds us that diverse perspectives, open conversations and truly listening to each other are more than just values – they drive good decisions and successful business. This year’s initiative, “Give Diverse Voices a Stage,” invited women across NKG to apply to represent the company at the Women in Tea & Coffee Conference in London. In total, 28 inspiring colleagues shared their experiences, ideas and contributions.
