Sleman – As part of its commitment to strengthening the competitiveness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) organized a community engagement program entitled "Integrated Assistance for Halal Certification and Business Identification Number (NIB) Registration as a Strategy to Enhance MSME Competitiveness" in Pulewulung Hamlet, Bangunkerto Village, Turi District, Sleman Regency, recently.
The program reflects UNY's ongoing commitment to empowering local communities by improving the capacity and competitiveness of small business owners.
The community service team was led by Dr. Dhyah Setyorini, S.E., M.Si., Ak., CA., with team members Bintang Lazuardi Benteng Buana Muslim, S.M., M.M., Syahida Norviana, M.Sc., and Rr. Indah Mustikawati, S.E., M.Si., Ak., CA. The initiative also involved student assistants, namely Hassan Pramanca Atmaja, Muhammad Gading Lentera Arrasy, Yoga Pratama Samsugiharja, Taufik Nur Hidayat, and Muhammad Anugrah, who provided direct support to participants throughout the program.
A total of 30 MSME owners participated in the workshop, which ran from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The program addressed the limited understanding among entrepreneurs regarding the importance of business legalization and halal certification as essential requirements for expanding market access and increasing consumer confidence.
In her opening remarks, Rr. Indah Mustikawati emphasized that many MSMEs already produce high-quality products but are still unfamiliar with the procedures for obtaining business legality and the growing importance of halal certification in an increasingly competitive market. She expressed hope that the assistance program would enable entrepreneurs to obtain the legal credentials needed to expand their businesses.
The program featured two expert speakers. Dr. Mustofa, S.Pd., M.Sc. delivered a session on halal certification, while Pandu Baniadi, M.Pd. provided technical training on the registration process for the Business Identification Number (Nomor Induk Berusaha/NIB). In addition to theoretical presentations, participants received practical guidance on using the Online Single Submission (OSS) system to complete business registration procedures.
During intensive mentoring sessions, participants were guided through document preparation, registration procedures, and common challenges encountered during the application process. The UNY team and student volunteers also provided hands-on assistance in completing business profiles and fulfilling administrative requirements.
Beyond explaining administrative procedures, the program highlighted the long-term benefits of obtaining an NIB and halal certification. Official business registration enhances product credibility, expands marketing opportunities, facilitates business partnerships, and improves access to government empowerment programs and financing schemes.
At the conclusion of the program, participants completed a post-test to evaluate their understanding after the training and mentoring sessions. The high level of engagement during discussions and question-and-answer sessions reflected participants' enthusiasm and interest.
The head of the community service team, Dr. Dhyah Setyorini, expressed appreciation for the participants' active involvement and encouraged MSMEs in Pulewulung to complete their business legalization processes promptly. She hopes the initiative will strengthen the competitiveness of local products and support the sustainable growth of businesses at both regional and national levels.
This program contributes directly to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by strengthening the capacity and competitiveness of MSMEs, and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by improving entrepreneurs' access to business legalization systems and certification processes that support sustainable business development.
