CU "Highlighting Safety and Welfare Blind Spots in Over 15,000 Stores"

AI CU Campaign (Photo by BGF Retail).

Safety Role for Missing and Abused Children, Emergency Relief Activities Utilizing Nationwide Logistics Infrastructure
Acts as a Bridge Connecting At-Risk Households and Welfare Departments in Local Communities

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] BGF Retail announced on the 10th that it will expand its public-private cooperation system from a human safety network for dementia patients and missing children, and a logistics safety network prepared for disaster situations, to a welfare support network for marginalized neighbors, leveraging the nation’s largest network.

CU stated that on the 6th, it signed a 'Business Agreement for Discovering and Supporting Welfare Blind Spots' and appointed 50 CU franchise owners in Guri City as 'Honorary Social Welfare Officers.' These franchise owners will serve as a bridge by connecting customers who appear to need help to the relevant welfare departments.

Given the nature of convenience stores, which have frequent visits from nearby residents and primarily face-to-face sales, CU aims to fill welfare blind spots overlooked by local governments by utilizing the advantage of close contact with visitors who are neighbors and customers. CU said, "Due to recent changes in social demographics and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, interactions with neighbors have decreased, increasing the number of marginalized groups. However, many cases occur where people do not receive benefits because they are unaware of welfare systems and access methods. CU is expected to play a significant role in discovering at-risk households."

BGF Retail has been running the 'iCU' campaign, a human safety network for children, disabled people, and dementia patients, together with CU franchise stores nationwide for five years. Since 2017, the 'iCU' public-private cooperation system has been operating, which reports missing children through CU’s POS system and safely protects them in stores until handed over to the police.

As it became difficult to detect child abuse due to restricted outdoor activities caused by COVID-19, a child abuse crime reporting function was added to the iCU system last year. CU employees can quickly report suspected child abuse situations witnessed inside or outside the store to the police via the POS system.

This year, BGF Retail signed a 'Joint Cooperation Agreement for the Prevention and Early Detection of Missing Dementia Patients' with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and added a reporting function for missing or suspected dementia patients to the iCU reporting system. Additionally, CU has utilized its characteristics as an open space with lights on 24 hours and staff present to operate as a Women’s Safety Keeper House and Child Safety Keeper House for several years.

Emergency relief activities are also conducted during disaster situations. In 2015, BGF Retail became the first in the industry to sign a 'Business Agreement on Disaster Prevention and Relief' with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and others, and operates 'BGF Bridge,' which supports national disaster prevention and emergency relief activities based on over 30 logistics centers and the nationwide CU network.

Last year, more than ten locations including Icheon, Daejeon, Yeongdeok, Jeungpyeong, Eumseong, and Jincheon, which suffered significant damage from record-breaking monsoon rains, received emergency relief supplies through BGF Bridge. In July this year, the Jeonnam region, which experienced over 500mm of heavy rain, was also able to receive rapid support through BGF Retail’s logistics network.

Jungkwon Park, Head of Communications at BGF Retail, said, "BGF Retail is actively developing and expanding a public-private cooperation system that illuminates safety and welfare blind spots in local communities, fulfilling its responsibilities as a corporate citizen and striving to repay the love received from customers." He added, "Based on CU stores as everyday platforms, we will continue to serve as a lighthouse that brightens the dark areas of local communities together with franchise owners."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.