GS Donates 4 Billion Won in Year-End Donations... Heo Tae-soo "Practicing Social Responsibility"

GS Group Subsidiaries' Employees Volunteer
Fundraising and Year-End Neighborly Love Activities

Huh Tae-soo, Chairman of GS. Photo by GS

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] On the 13th, GS Group donated 4 billion KRW in year-end neighborly love donations to the Community Chest of Korea.

Since 2005, GS has been donating year-end neighborly love funds to the Community Chest of Korea to help socially vulnerable groups. The total amount donated to date reaches 68 billion KRW.

The funds delivered on this day will be used to support economically more difficult and marginalized neighbors. A GS official said, “As the year-end approaches, GS will work together so that neighbors in need can dream of a better life and create a bright future,” adding, “Going forward, we will continue social sharing activities by utilizing the capabilities and expertise of GS affiliates not only to address environmental issues such as climate change but also to help marginalized neighbors become self-reliant and live with hope.”

GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo has consistently emphasized corporate social responsibility. He stated, “To become an excellent and sustainable company, it is essential not only to contribute to national economic development but also to practice various activities for social contribution and mutual growth based on fair and transparent management,” and added, “For our society to become warmer and happier, the interest and participation of the entire society are necessary, and companies must take the lead in their social roles through sharing.”

Separately from this year-end neighborly love donation, GS is actively practicing neighborly love through employee volunteer work and various social contribution programs by each affiliate. First, GS Caltex has been conducting the ‘Year-end Relay Volunteer Activities’ for 18 years since 2005, supporting marginalized neighbors with kimchi sharing, heating supplies, and daily necessities. Additionally, this year-end, GS Caltex plans to produce Braille first aid kits for about 300 visually impaired people. Approximately 160 employees and their families will participate in making the Braille first aid kits to add meaning to the volunteer work.

Since 2009, GS Engineering & Construction has been running the ‘Love Kimchi Sharing Volunteer Program’ together with the Namchon Foundation. Especially since 2013, Miss Korea finalists, GS E&C employees, and their families have participated, gradually expanding the scale of sharing every year.

GS Retail pursues ESG management with a social contribution direction as a sharing platform in daily life, practicing emergency disaster relief, support for socially marginalized groups, and environmental cleanup. Centered on its nationwide business networks such as GS25, GS The Fresh, and GS Shop, GS Retail takes the lead in immediate disaster relief support.

In September, GS Retail supported the Korean Red Cross with emergency relief supplies consisting of beverages and energy bars for disaster victims in the Pohang area, which suffered great damage from the historic typhoon Hinnamnor. In August, GS Retail provided emergency supplies to residents of Seocho-gu who suffered heavy damage from concentrated heavy rains in the central region, and in June and March, it supported victims affected by large wildfires in Miryang, Gyeongnam, Uljin, Gyeongbuk, and Gangwon, Samcheok, and Donghae. Additionally, in August, GS Retail donated 100 million KRW to Good Neighbors to support abused children and family recovery. GS25 also sponsored the ‘2022 Jerry Can Challenge’ organized by World Vision to support clean water supply in Uganda, Africa.

Furthermore, GS Shop, operated by GS Retail, donated approximately 110 million KRW worth of clothing, shoes, and miscellaneous goods to Beautiful Store through logistics centers located in Icheon and Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province, in July. The donated items, equivalent to nine large trucks of last year’s hit products and refurbished goods from GS Shop, were sold at discounted prices through bazaars held by Beautiful Store, supporting marginalized neighbors struggling due to COVID-19 and other difficulties.

GS EPS sponsors cultural promotion projects and village events in the Dangjin area and contributes to improving the educational environment for youth through scholarships and educational equipment support. It is also engaged in coastal beautification near the power plant to improve the local environment. GS Sports continues educational activities for multicultural family soccer hopefuls through the FC Seoul youth soccer school operating throughout Seoul. It also supports the ‘HOPE Cup’ tournament organized by Korea Food for the Hungry International, spreading dreams and hope through soccer.

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