Posco’s winter charity gives back to the community

First established in 2018, 1% My Little Charity is Posco’s annual winter charity program in which donors can find and choose an area in which they want to make a contribution.

Yu Seon-young, from Posco’s Pohang plant, donated hematopoietic stem cells in November to help treat a patient with acute leukemia. [POSCO]

First established in 2018, 1% My Little Charity is Posco’s annual winter charity program in which donors can find and choose an area in which they want to make a contribution.

This year, 32,000 staff and employees from Posco Group and 120 partner companies decided to use contributions worth 91.6 billion won to donate to 150 causes, including child education, remodeling a senior facility and holding a para-marathon.

One of the recipients includes Pohang Family Center, which provides counseling to support families facing post-Covid crisis through counselor visits.

Under the group’s corporate citizenship philosophy, individual employees also take part in changing society to make it a warmer, brighter place.

Yu Seon-young, from Posco’s Pohang plant, donated hematopoietic stem cells in November to help treat a patient with acute leukemia.

“After applying four years ago, I was finally able to donate.” Yu said.

“Many people wait more than 10 years just to donate, to find a suitable recipient, so achieving my goal in just four years is very gratifying,” he added.

Kim Hyeon-jo, another employee at the plant, is growing out her hair to make wigs for children with pediatric cancer. Children often experience hair loss due to undergoing cancer treatment, and donating hair to make wigs is an effort to provide support.

“To meet the donation criteria of a certain hair length, I have to grow my hair and take care of it for more than a year, which can be a bit burdensome. However, I am making an effort to help children in difficult situations,” Kim said.

Meanwhile, The Posco 1% Foundation, Posco’s charity organization that stages 1% My Little Charity, has reached 10 years since its formation.

This year, the foundation was awarded the Deputy Prime Minister Award and Education Ministry Award on Nov. 30 in recognition of having provided quality science education programs to middle school students in Pohang and Gwangyang through the Beyond Imagination Science project.

On the same day, at the 2023 CSR Film Festival Awards, it earned the Minister of Employment and Labor Award for a video showcasing its Digital Academy project, which includes IT training and job education for people with disabilities.

BY KIM SU-HYEON [kim.suhyeon4@joongang.co.kr]