[Sponsored Report] Korea East-West Power gives back to society

Korea East-West Power (EWP) recognizes that the role of corporations in society is changing from a profit-oriented position to one of social responsibility. The energy company is developing its initiatives in line with this paradigm shift.

EWP’s initiatives to develop the local community and society fall into three categories - “Work Linked CSR,” “Expansion of Sharing Culture” and “Answering the Social Demand.”

Under the “Work Linked CSR” initiative, EWP is working to fulfill government policies by energy welfare promotion. EWP is supporting photovoltaic manufacturers to supply solar farms to welfare facilities and disadvantaged people in order to improve their living environments.

One of the major projects under this umbrella is the “Happy Energy Voucher” scheme. The project started in 2014 to support lower income families who do not benefit from governmental energy voucher support.

EWP plans to expand the Happy Energy Voucher program from this winter. In July, EWP held a Happy Energy Voucher donation event at City Hall in Ulsan, delivering 50 million won ($45,000) to the city. Through this donation, electric charges and summer items, such as fans, will be given out for free, with 350 families and 50 welfare facilities set to benefit.

“We are happy to join the government’s welfare policy as an energy public enterprise and hope that the Happy Energy Voucher scheme helps neighbors in need of a cool summer,” said an EWP spokesperson.

Under “Expansion of Sharing Culture,” EWP is driving initiatives to encourage people to give more, including an employee-led culture sharing program and sponsoring culture and sports activities near power stations.

Since 2004, EWP has run its “Loving Relay Blood Donation,” a donor scheme focused on patients with incurable diseases. The “15th Loving Relay Blood Donation” in June delivered donations to the Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer (KACLC) Ulsan branch. In total, 3,427 people have participated in the scheme.

The Ulsan donation event included a performance from the Dream High band, a musical group made up of developmentally disabled performers. The Dream High band was founded in 2016 to give the musicians involved a chance to perform and earn money. EWP plans to continue supporting artists with disabilities.

As a responsible member of the local community, EWP’s “Answering the Social Demand” initiative is all about supporting the local community through commerce. EWP uses local produce and encourages employees and the public to shop at traditional markets in order to support local businesses and revitalize local economies.

EWP has been running the “Traditional Market Happy Energy Dream” event every year to revitalize stagnant local economies due to weak domestic demand and help people in need.

In July, EWP visited Nammok Market in Ulsan, a local market that has fallen on hard times since the shipping industry started to struggle. About 500 employees visited the market and purchased 10-million-won worth of traditional market products. At this event, employees handed out shopping baskets to customers for traditional market public relations and drinks to market vendors. After the event, the purchased products were donated to welfare facilities.

EWP is also focusing on environmental issues connected to local communities. The “Happy Energy in Forest Dream” event, which takes place on Arbor Day (April 5) every year, sees EWP donating trees to local areas. This year, with the help of some local residents, EWP planted 800 trees near Ulsan Grand Park.

BY KIM HA-EUN [kim.haeun@joongang.co.kr]