[Sponsored Report] SK supports enterprises giving back to society

Employees of SK Innovation partake in planting for Happy Farm, a social enterprise that grows and sells landscaping plants. Provided by the company

SK Group announced the launching of a social contribution philosophy dubbed “SK Style Social Contribution Model,” which aims to provide a longer-lasting philanthropic projects rather than simple charitable projects.

The company emphasized that rather than giving away fish, a paradigm of teaching how to fish more efficiently would prove more beneficial to the society in the long run.

“While charitable donations produce three times the economic and social value compared to the cost of donation, philanthropic enterprises produce some ten times the value,” it said.

SK Innovation’s social contribution activities have also been following philosophy of the new paradigm. It has started the 24-hour child care support in 2006 and has been continuing since.

The company also has been supporting the Mezzanine I-Pack, a box manufacturing company affiliated with the Ministry of Unification and Merry Year Foundation, and also helped set up Mezzanine Eco One, the environmentally friendly window blinds manufacturing company.

In 2011, SK Innovation set up a company that benefits the community dubbed Happy Farm, a social enterprise that grows and sells flowering plants and bushes. Happy Farm partakes in community development, creating jobs and offering sites for field trips.

Internationally, SK Yachaywasi in Peru, an agricultural development center, has been providing agricultural consultative services for marketing and technology to help families in farming stand on their own. Their second center is slated to open this year.

SK Innovation is also contributing to the society through many of its charitable projects as well.

First of all, SK Innovation is continuing the Kimchi of Love event held every year. Through the charitable event, the company makes of 70,000 kimchi from every November to December and delivers them to elders living alone, teenager household heads and people with disabilities. This festival delivering love to the neglected is one of SK Innovation’s main social contribution events and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Last year, it delivered 70,000 kimchi at 12 regions where SK Innovation branches are available in Seoul, Ulsan, Daejeon and Incheon.

This year, SK Innovation celebrates its half-century run, and it plans to leap into the new chapter with volunteer activities and social enterprises.

It will also work on village company, co-op or independent social contribution models and develop more of these kinds.

Not only will it help the management support of social enterprises such as Happy Farm, but it will help villages suffering from low birth rate and aging society through establishing connected infrastructure with social enterprises so it can help both groups produce continuous profit.