In September 2017, Iberchem received “A status” MUI halal certification for its facility in Indonesia, officially qualifying us to offer MUI halal-certified fragrances to our customers. Today, we sit down with Siti Maonah, Quality Assurance Manager at Iberchem Indonesia, who supervised the steps towards gaining certification.

What was the most challenging part of getting MUI halal certification?

Obtaining MUI halal certification obviously doesn’t happen overnight. From day one to when we received the certification, it took nearly six months of intensive work. The whole process started with a five-day training session in Bogor, where the Indonesian Council of Ulama is headquartered. Afterwards, there were a lot of administrative procedures to take care of, from the registration of the raw materials we work with to the accreditation of our installations. Fortunately, everything went smoothly and we had no issues during the certification process.  Thanks to everyone’s teamwork and hard work, we even managed to get “A status”, the highest possible grade.

Besides the administrative procedures, did anything else have to be done to receive the certification?

Obtaining the certification involved both temporary and permanent changes in how our employees work. Therefore, we ran personalised training sessions to ensure that they were fully aware of what MUI halal certification involves and that how they work complies with MUI standards. New tasks were added, while others had to be modified. Overall, everyone has been very receptive and understood that these changes were for the best.

What future do you see for the halal industry in Indonesia?

I see great potential not only for halal fragrances, but for halal products in general. Even the younger generations are on the lookout for halal-certified products. For instance, when shopping for make-up and personal care products, many of my friends only focus on brands offering halal options.  Now, with the Law No. 33 on Halal Product Assurance coming into effect in 2019, we should see even more halal products on the shelves.