By Kang Seung-woo
Staff reporter
John Dryden's establishment of the Prudential Insurance Company in 1875 was seen as the root of insurers' corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as the firm then played an important role in protecting those out of social safety net with a philosophy of love.
With the founder's philosophy in mind, all executives and employees of Prudential Life Insurance Company of Korea have built up its corporate culture aiming at social contribution.
The life insurer, along with Prudential Investment and Securities and Prudential Investment Management, set up the Prudential Foundation of Korea in December 2006 to contribute to society.
It was the first time in the nation for subsidiaries of a financial group to jointly form an organization.
Under the motto ``One Prudential,'' the foundation has worked on a variety of programs, including nurturing a young role model, creating a scholarship and supporting patients with incurable diseases.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is the most-emphasized program by the foundation.
Since its inception in 1999, the awards, co-organized by the Korea Association of Secondary Vocation Education (KASVE), have annually unearthed volunteers from middle and high schools, and encouraged youth volunteerism and indentify and reward young role models.
This event is a worldwide one, as it also takes place in the United States, Japan, Taiwan and Ireland.
Thus far, approximately 100,000 students in middle and high schools have participated in the program and more than 20,000 have been awarded for their community service activities.
The life insurance company established Make-A-Wish Foundation in Korea in November 2002 and its President and CEO Hwang Ou-jin has headed the body. The foundation is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Not just financial aid, the company formed 36 teams comprised of executives and employees and has made 58 kids' wishes come true until now.
It has delivered economic classes for kids of low-income families to give them an understanding about economics.
Instead of inviting outside instructors or volunteer university students, Prudential's executives and employees, who completed its education program, teach them with ease, taking advantage of board games and economy-related quizzes.
Since 1995, the company has observed ``Global Volunteer Day'' on the first Saturday in October.
It is an annual initiative where more than 32,000 volunteers led by Prudential Financial employees, along with their family and friends, will spend hundreds of hours on projects designed to better local communities.
In addition, Prudential Life Insurance began a mileage system in April 2006, which accumulates employees' time of volunteer service into mileage points and awards prizes based on the record.