[Recap] SK Innovation affiliates’ volunteer activities in H1 2024: “Stand together, make it better!” – Consistent efforts for big changes

British playwright John Dryden once said, “We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” This powerful insight highlights how consistent habits can spark positive changes and create a virtuous cycle in our lives. Embracing this idea, many individuals actively cultivate habits that transform their reality for the better. What will happen if these habits go beyond individuals and expand to companies? SK Innovation and its subsidiaries have been making consistent efforts to create an environment where members’ consistent volunteer work can become part of their daily lives, embedding it into the corporate culture. Moreover, in addition to existing programs, they have developed various programs every year that reflect new trends, encouraging employees to actively participate in volunteer work.

This year, SK Innovation selected “Stand together, make it better” as the main slogan for its volunteer activities through a contest held for its members. Especially, from May 20 to 31, the company held a volunteerism-focused-campaign called “Volunteer Week” participated by members from both domestic and overseas business sites of SK Innovation affiliates. During this period, a total of 2,800 members in 15 countries, including South Korea, voluntarily participated in various volunteer activities. These initiatives, designed to foster coexistence with local communities and tackle social issues, included support and volunteering for vulnerable groups, environmental clean-up efforts, and blood donation campaigns.

| The warm hearts delivered through meal sharing

Amid the rise in economic hardship and social isolation, many people struggle to secure even a single meal. Recognizing this pressing social issue, SK Innovation has turned its focus to addressing the hunger faced by vulnerable communities. The company provided warm meals in the areas which social welfare cannot reach, including the elderly living alone, and through face-to-face volunteer activities, employees connected with them and expressed their sincerity. This year, “Meal Sharing” volunteer initiative, which began at the Angel Free Food Providing Center in Jongno and the Myeongdong Bapjip, plans to expand across local communities where regional business sites are located, including Seoul, Daejeon, Seosan, and Jeungpyeong.

Members of SK Innovation’s Ulsan Complex (Ulsan CLX) visited elderly households to deliver lunch boxes, share conversations and offer companionship. They also visited a daycare center for children with developmental disabilities, spending an enjoyable time baking bread together with the kids.

To celebrate Family Month in May, SK IE Technology’s Jeungpyeong site also held a cultural experience event for the members and the elderly people. Similarly, SK On’s Daejeon site operated a cultural experience booth, offering activities such as making wooden trays. SK Incheon Petrochem visited the Seo-gu Senior Welfare Center in Incheon to host a Parents’ Day event and organized the “Hopeful Sports Class” for children with developmental disabilities, as well as the Love Food Truck event.

| Various environmental protection activities

SK Innovation subsidiaries’ concerns and sense of responsibility for the environment have also been reflected in their social contribution activities. The fact that programs involving employees are not limited to environmental clean-up but are gradually expanding in various directions is noteworthy. This year, SK Innovation launched “The Guardians of Biodiversity” activity to remove plant species which disturb the ecosystem and harm native plants due to their rapid and aggressive spread. This program, involving invasive plants removal in Ichon Hangang Park in Seoul, has been conducted twice a week since its first activity on Arbor Day.

SK Innovation and its subsidiaries have been actively engaging in environmental clean-up efforts, aiming to coexist with local communities not only in Asia but also in Europe, North America, and South America, where overseas business sites are located.

SK Battery America, the forward base for SK On’s batteries in the United States, has contributed to improving the aesthetics of the roads around its facility, SK Boulevard, in Jackson County, Georgia, through the Adopt-A-Road program since 2022. Additionally, following the works of SK On Hungary Komárom, the Iváncsa plant employees joined in environmental clean-up activities for the first time this year.

Vajtuné Laczik Dóra, a SHE Engineer of SK On Hungary, said, “As a member of SK On Hungary, recently I’ve had a chance to join the volunteer cleanup campaign organized by the company.” “It was great to see how different the area looked after the garbage had been collected, especially a part around the Danube, where our activity took place.” “The beauty of nature indeed needs to be preserved with our efforts,” she added.

Global employees of SK Geo Centric, SK Enmove, and SK Trading International in Japan, India, United Kingdom, France, Spain, etc. also contributed to environmental improvements for the local communities where SK Innovation business sites are located. Employees at SK IE Technology’s branches in China and Poland, SK On’s China plants, and SK Earthon Kuala Lumpur Branch, etc. participated respectively in their own locations too.

Employees of SK Geo Centric, SK Enmove, and SK Trading International’s U.S. offices in Texas joined the Beach Clean-Up program to collect plastic waste on Surfside Beach and Galveston Beach, contributing to coastal conservation efforts. Meanwhile, members of SK Earthon Lima Branch have consistently been taking part in protecting coastal environment at Barranco Beach near their office for several years.

| Recharging with the love of life sharing

Blood has no substitute and cannot be stored for a long period time, so it is essential to maintain adequate blood reserves to save patients in need of blood transfusions. However, the reality is that blood shortage remains a pressing global issue.

SK Innovation and its subsidiaries have been consistently participating in the“Life Sharing blood donation campaign, alongside other SK Group companies, to help address the blood shortage problem. This year, blood donation campaigns for the first half of 2024 were conducted on May 24 and 29 at the SK Seorin Building, where the headquarters staff work, and on May 27 at the SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology in Daejeon. Through these efforts, a total of 170 employees, their families, and partner companies participated in the life-sharing initiative.

A member of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology, who participated in the blood donation campaign, said, “I feel very proud knowing that this little act of sharing by me and my colleagues can save many precious lives.” “I will continue to donate blood and encourage others around me to join as well.”

Blood donation activities are taking places in not only Korea, but also overseas business site of SK Innovation. Notably, since 2021, members of SK On Hungary in Komárom have donated blood more than twice a year, with a cumulative total of 350 participants by the first half of this year. In recognition of these efforts, SK On Hungary received a certificate of appreciation from the Komárom Red Cross.

| Leading by example – SK Innovation executives’ active participation

Active participation of SK Innovation affiliates in volunteer activities has been largely driven by the exemplary involvement of their executives and presidents.

On May 9, at Ulsan Grand Park, a place that symbolizes 60 years of friendship between Ulsan and SK, CEO of SK Energy Oh Jong-hoon participated in the Metasequoia forest trail maintenance activity with around 30 employees of SK Innovation Ulsan Complex to help Ulsan citizens enjoy the forest’s phytoncides.

CEO of SK Enmove Kim Wone-kee joined 60 employees of the company to take part in The Guardian of Biodiversity program, which took place around Han River, Seoul. Additionally, CEO of SK Geo Centric Na Kyung-soo, CEO of SK Incheon Petrochem Roh Sang-goo, CEO of SK Trading International Chang Ho-joon, Head of SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science & Technology Lee Seong-jun, and other SK Innovation executives took part in environmental clean-up activities with employees in various locations including Seoul, Incheon, and Daejeon. The executives not only participated wholeheartedly in the volunteer activities with the employees but also had meaningful conversations with them.

This year, SK Innovation is taking part in social contribution activities with goals of coexistence with local communities, sustainable environment, and creative solutions to social problems. The intensive volunteer period for the first half of the year has concluded, but the company plans to introduce a wider variety of programs in the second half at both domestic and overseas business site continues its consistent efforts to create a more valuable world.