KOTRA Promotes CSR Activities Overseas with 31 Partner Companies

KOTRA announced a project to promote 52 corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in emerging markets with 31 Korean companies. The specific projects to be done by KOTRA and 31 other companies include donating the products and services of Korean companies to solve local social problems as well as operating foreign technology schools to transfer technological experience to the local government and clients.

KOTRA acknowledges the importance of Korean companies’ global CSR activities. As shown in the recent situations in Southeast Asia, foreign companies that fail to build positive images before a crisis can always become the target of attacks when crises occur in local society. KOTRA plans to continue CSR activities as “sowing seed” projects that contribute to solving local social problems and assisting Korean companies to enter the overseas markets. KOTRA created a separate organization be solely responsible for CSR activities in 2012 for the first time among public institutions.

There are 16 companies that are donating products and services this year. AOG System, a manufacturer of under-floor heating systems, decided to donate its heaters to the national kindergarten for disabled children in Belarus, which has insufficient heating for winter. Ire Chemical, a manufacturer of environmentally-friendly paints for hospitals, will renovate the first national children's hospital in Turkey with its paint.

KOTRA is promoting 27 projects to contribute to improve the quality of life and health environment in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. This will help local governments and consumers to have a positive image of Korean companies and ultimately become a friendly foundation for possible government supply and consumer market contracts in the future.

Fifteen other companies will operate foreign technology schools through 25 businesses in Asia, Central America, and South America. Korean companies plan to transfer their own technologies and expertise to related companies and institutions in emerging countries. Participating companies will be able to form close networks with clients that are normally difficult to access and seize opportunities to introduce superior technologies to government officials and engineers in client countries.

Midas IT, a construction design software company, will teach construction design to government officials, engineers, and professors in emerging countries including India together with KOTRA, and donate its own software to local universities. This program was already implemented in the National Autonomous University of Mexico and became the regular curriculum there. Seoyeong Engineering, a small engineering company, will share the railroad design technologies with the government officials of potential railroad project client countries in emerging markets. For each company, this education program can be an opportunity to discuss practical businesses during the training period.

The CEO of IZ-FOG, a participant in KOTRA’s global CSR activities for the last two consecutive years, said, “Through KOTRA’s CSR program, we could establish close relationships with local buyers and government officials. Once we decide what product to donate and where to donate it, KOTRA plans, executes and advertises the projects, which is a big plus to us.”