[Sponsored Report] Hyosung social welfare project reaches overseas

Hyosung’s overseas medical volunteering group Smile Expedition provides medical treatment to residents in Vietnam.

Hyosung believes in creating a society that people can live together and is performing various social welfare projects including the Hyosung Culture Series that combines cultural art with sharing with neighbors.

Hyosung recruited an overseas medical volunteer group Smile Expedition and student technology volunteer group Hyosung Blue Challenger, and expanded their sharing from Korea to overseas. Miso Expedition offered free medical care for the disadvantaged Vietnamese. Also the Hyosung Blue Challenger visited Vietnam and Cambodia in August last year and January this year to distribute the new technology the students have developed to improve the health and daily lives of the residents.

In Vietnam the students introduced a fire pot to complete combust of the firewood, and in Cambodia they introduced a water purifying system so the residents can purify the first rainwater into drinking water. These projects helped vastly to improve the quality of lives of the needy.

Hyosung is also leading the Finding New Lives campaign through the blood donation drive. In April 27, to support the Korean Red Cross to reach the three million blood donating population, the company participated in a blood drive event held at the Cheonggye stream, central Seoul. The company donated a blood donation bus and the several of Hyosung employees also donated blood. The bus the company donated has one blood-gathering bed and a TV monitor. It will be a moving blood donation house and is expected to contribute greatly in attracting three million blood donators to self-supply blood to meet the needs within Korea.

Hyosung also conducts blood donation campaign more than twice a year at the Hyosung headquarters and local branches in Gumi in North Gyeongsang, Anyang in Gyeonggi, Ulsan and Changwon in South Gyeongsang.

To become a reliable company and a co-existing company as a global group, Hyosung is establishing a company culture through the “Sharing Through Participation” campaign. Since 2007 the company has the “Matching Grant” system where employees donate part of their salary regularly and the company donates the equivalent amount ? thus doubling employees’ contribution ? to charity. The fund raised through the “Matching Grant” is used to conduct sharing love by providing rice and fuel, delivering children’s book, hosting senior citizen party, and by supporting heating expenses at the headquarters and local branches. In addition, the executives participate in outside study events for the disabled students and help them further their education. The volunteer groups within the company also conduct continuous and regular activities to share with the neighbors creating a positive, charitable company culture.

Through Hyosung Culture Series’ social contribution activity, the company is supporting the arts and sports, helping those in need hope and dream of a better future.

As part of the global social contribution work, Hyosung invited Sejong Ggumnamu Harmony Orchestra members, an orchestra with members from multicultural families, to attend the concert “The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma.” The orchestra members also attended special teaching class by the world famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the ensemble members.

By Lee Ji-hyun [concordia@joongang.co.kr]