Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Samsung Display helps students pursue dreams
Award winners pose during the BOM Dream Awards ceremony, Tuesday, at Samsung Display's headquarters in Asan, South Chungcheong Province. / Courtesy of Samsung Display
By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Display has been actively performing corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for youths and the underprivileged to make a sustainable future for local communities.
“For the past year, we have attempted to cultivate hope in youth and tried to actively engage in CSR activities to truly make a difference in our communities,” a Samsung Display official said, Wednesday.
To stimulate interest among young people in book reading, Samsung Display has performed its CSR service “Bread of Mind (BOM) Dream” since 2014. With the program, Samsung Display has provided quality books and fixed up aging school libraries and other spaces for reading in South Chungcheong Province.
The firm donated 16,500 books to 70 places for free in 2018, and has provided more than 70,000 books over the past five years. The firm has also offered various reading programs such as mentoring sessions, reading competitions and book reading camps.
Aiming to cultivate the artistic talent of young people with developmental disorders, the firm has operated the “Soundable Arts Group” program as well. With this program, some 50 young people have participated in various performances such as choir events, recitals, musicals and sign language performances, with assistance by professional artists.
Beyond its youth-related CSR activities, the firm has also contributed to local communities as it has held a “gimjang” or kimchi-making event for 14 consecutive years since 2005.
Samsung Display employees held the annual kimchi-making event on Nov. 14 and about 500 employees and local volunteers used 20,000 heads of cabbage to make kimchi which they delivered to about 4,000 underprivileged citizens.
Samsung Display said about 7,000 people have taken part in the kimchi-making event so far and have presented about 400 tons of kimchi to 39,000 low-income households.
The display maker is also helping create jobs for people with developmental disorders as the firm has operated a flower delivery service called “One Table One Flower” since 2011. The employees of the flower delivery service have delivered flowers to desks of Samsung Display employees, who purchase flowers from the service, once every week.
Samsung Display employees have held fundraising events to cover the medical fees of 25 low-income children.
“We have been providing various kinds of support to youth in our communities as we are trying to create greater social value,” the Samsung Display official said. “We will continue to have these kinds of activities so young people, local communities and Samsung Display can grow together.”
(Advertorial)