SK Innovation's 'Sanhaejinmi Week' Picking Up Trash While Taking a Walk

by Oh Hyungil

Published 11 Apr.2023 08:56(KST)

SK Innovation is conducting the 'Sanhaejinmi Week' with employees from all domestic and international business sites in celebration of Earth Day (April 22).

Sanhaejinmi is SK Innovation's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiative aimed at "protecting the mountains and seas from waste plastics and garbage, the main culprits of environmental pollution, to create a truly beautiful Earth." This marks the third year of the campaign.

Kim Jun, Vice Chairman of SK Innovation (second from the left), and new employees carried out Sanhaejinmi activities in the Jongno-gu area of Seoul on the 4th.

SK Innovation employees plan to participate in plogging activities, picking up trash while walking or jogging.

In the first year of the Sanhaejinmi campaign in 2021, about 160,000 participants including SK employees, general citizens, and students joined, and last year, the number increased by approximately 70% to about 270,000 participants.

The Sanhaejinmi activities have also brought significant changes in participants' environmental awareness. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Central Volunteer Center with 1,312 campaign participants, the percentage of respondents who answered "yes" to the question "I will refrain from using and consuming disposable products" rose sharply from 63.5% before participating in the campaign to 91.2% after.

Regarding participation in activities to respond to the climate crisis, 41.3% of participants answered positively before joining Sanhaejinmi, which increased significantly to 73.2% after the activities.

An SK Innovation official said, "It is meaningful to continue Sanhaejinmi, which has become a habit in daily life and part of our corporate culture, with all domestic and international business members this year as well. We will continue these activities to bring about a nationwide change in environmental awareness, starting with SK Innovation employees."