POSCO promotes job creation, resource recycling with old work uniforms

POSCO employees deliver daily necessities for migrant women in the Philippines, July 2. Courtesy of POSCO

POSCO has donated 30,000 old work uniforms to the Philippines to help support the livelihoods of poor migrant women there, the company said Tuesday.

The uniforms will be transformed into new clothing and bags by urban migrants in the Towerville area utilizing their sewing skills.

The initiative carries significance, as it contributes not only to resource recycling but also to the livelihoods of the migrant women there. The recycled products will be sold, and they can make a living with the donation campaign by POSCO.

POSCO employees visited the site, July 2, to deliver the uniforms and daily necessities. They also engaged in a construction volunteering campaign using the firm’s steel plates.

The Korean company also donated 10,000 uniforms to livestock farmers in Mongolia and 20,000 uniforms to a vocational training sewing center in Madagascar in June, after the company introduced new work uniforms in February. The latest donation to the Philippines brings the accumulated figure to more than 100,000 uniforms.

“I hope the female breadwinners in the country, who are living a second life through the uniforms, settle well and continue to develop themselves with our donated uniforms,” said Choi Young, head of POSCO’s sustainable management team.

Rowena Osal, a supervisor at Igting, a social firm there seeking to serve as a beacon of hope for them, also expressed gratitude.

“We were able to contribute to job creating for migrant women and help them feel the warm spirit of POSCO employees,” she said.

The donation campaign was attended by 300 people, including representatives from the firm’s labor-management council, its sustainable management team, staff members from nonprofit organizations and local residents.

POSCO has been dispatching employees and college students for global charitable activities since 2007. To date, more than 350 POSCO employees and 1,200 university students have taken part in the overseas volunteer campaigns.