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| Hana Bank CEO Park Sung-ho, left, poses with CO:ACTUS CEO Song Min-pyo after donating two vehicles for the startup that operates a mobility service, at the former's headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hana Bank |
By Lee Min-hyung
Hana Bank donated Wednesday two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles to a mobility startup operating a service for deaf taxi drivers to better communicate with customers.
This is part of the lender's environmental, social and governance (ESG) corporate responsibility project under which Hana's car financing brand, One the Car, raised funds for the donation. If a customer applies for an auto finance loan through the platform, the lender saves 2,000 won ($1.71) per contract and the money goes towards donating vehicles for socially vulnerable groups.
"One the Car has been supported by our customers due to a series of its socially responsible programs," Hana Bank CEO Park Sung-ho said. "We are going to continue making efforts to help supply eco-friendly vehicles and provide sincere support for society."
The donation is meaningful because it offers not just the vehicles, but job opportunities for deaf drivers. Customers can also take part in the ESG campaign by using the service.
CO:ACTUS, which runs the taxi platform, also expressed gratitude for the support.
"We have been able to receive a mentoring service from Hana in the early stage of our business," CO:ACTUS CEO Song Min-pyo said. "We would like to thank all the customers who used One the Car."
The two vehicles that Hana donated will be used by the startup to operate the taxi service. A tablet PC will be set up at the back seat of the vehicles so customers can communicate with drivers. The startup developed a communication software for that purpose.
Hana Bank has fulfilled a variety of ESG programs through the auto financing platform. Last year, the lender also donated a small truck for people with disabilities at a nursing home in Gangwon Province.
