▲ On behalf of SK Group, SK Innovation donates the green points fund worth of KRW 100 million (VND 1.8 billion) in June 9 (local time) to the Mangrove Reforestation Project. From the left: Head of SK Innovation Value Creation Center Lim Su-kil, Vice Chairman of Tra Vinh People’s Committee Nguyen Trung Hoang, CEO of social enterprise MangLub Kim Hangsok

01 | Delivering the Green Point Fund collected at CES 2022 to contribute to Mangrove Reforestation Project in Vietnam

At CES 2022 held in Las Vegas, the U.S., early this year, SK Group presented its commitment and vision to cut down carbon emissions to the world by showcasing its green technologies, along with specific plans to fulfill its promise through its exhibition hall, which was called Green Forest Pavilion. Visitors at SK’s Green Forest Pavilion collected the green points as they experienced various activities offered at the SK booth, and they could choose to donate these points back to the Mangrove Reforestation Project in Vietnam at the end. The total donated green points were worth KRW 100 million, which is about VND 1.8 billion. 

▲(Left) Visitors at SK’s exhibition hall Green Forest Pavilion at CES 2022 held in January in Las Vegas, the U.S. / (Right) The large media wall in the Green Forest Pavilion displays the green points the visitors donated.

The Mangrove Reforestation Project was initiated by SK Innovation in 2018 through the 1% Happiness Sharing Fund, which is voluntarily donated by members of the company every month to contribute to multiple CSR programs. As this is the first time the fund for Mangrove Reforestation Project joined by who are non-members of the company, it holds significance in light of the fact that many people from all over the world are interested in the reforestation of mangrove and agreed to join SK to build a greener future.

After being delivered, the fund will be operated by MangLub, the first social enterprise in Tra Vinh. It is established and supported by SK Innovation and various partners with the goals of not only managing the reforestation activity but also operating multiple programs that can help improve the local life quality. During the two years of pandemic, MangLub has actively continued the project in Tra Vinh, and their efforts were recognized by Tra Vinh Province. Recently, a few companies in Germany and France also expressed their willingness to the programs operated by Manglub to enhance the awareness of environmental protection.

*MangLub is a compound term for “Mangrove” and “Love,” and it means spreading the social values through mangroves. This enterprise acts as the coordinator for the Mangrove Reforestation Project, and on top of that, it currently pushes forward with producing and selling various products made out of mangrove by-products, such as seeds, soaps, honey, etc.

On behalf of SK Group, SK Innovation has delivered the donation to Tra Vinh People’s Committee and MangLub at the delivering ceremony held in Cau Ngang, Tra Vinh, Vietnam on June 9 (local time). This VND 1.8 billion fund can help Tra Vinh and Manglub restore 12 hectares of mangrove this year, and along with the amount from 1% Happiness Sharing Fund, a total of 52 hectares of mangrove is expected to be restored by SK Innovation and partners in Vietnam this year.

Vice Chairman of Tra Vinh People’s Committee Nguyen Trung Hoang, Deputy Director of Tra Vinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quang Rang, Head of SK Innovation Value Creation Center Lim Sukil , CEO of MangLub Kim Hangsok, along with representatives from the Vietnamese state-run oil company Petro Vietnam Exploration (PEVP), Cuu Long JOC, the joint operator of the offshore block in Vietnam, SK Earthon Ho Chi Minh Branch, Tra Vinh University, etc. attended the ceremony.

MangLub has been working with SK Innovation to restore the mangrove forest in Vietnam and, at the same time, hold various projects to raise awareness of environmental issues among the residents and students in the area. The mangroves are going extinct due to various factors, including indiscriminate logging and the lack of awareness among local people. Thus, it is important to educate the people to use the mangrove forest in a sustainable manner and systematically manage it, just as much as planting the mangrove trees. SK Innovation has been closely working with MangLub to hold various campaigns that teach the local students and residents about the importance of mangrove forests and the proper ways to plant and manage the trees.

▲ On behalf of SK Group, SK Innovation donates the green points fund worth of KRW 100 million (VND 1.8 billion) in June 9 (local time) to the Mangrove Reforestation Project. From the left: Head of SK Innovation Value Creation Center Lim Su-kil, Vice Chairman of Tra Vinh People’s Committee Nguyen Trung Hoang, CEO of social enterprise MangLub Kim Hangsok / (Right) Representatives from Tra Vinh and SK Innovation, PVEP take a group photo after the delivering ceremony

▲ Participants of the Launching Ceremony of SK Innovation’s Mangrove Reforestation Project 2022 take a group picture after the donation ceremony.

02 | Creating environmental values with global business partners by planting the mangroves

After the donation ceremony, a group of 30 participants from SK Innovation, SK Earthon Ho Chi Minh Branch, PVEP, and Cuu Long JOC took part in the mangrove reforestation activity by moving to the tree planting zone nearby. Despite the scorching sun and extreme heat, all of the volunteers worked hard together and finished planting 1,000 mangrove trees after a few hours.

▲ SK Innovation planted mangrove trees with the members of SK Earthon Ho Chi Minh Branch, PVEP, and Cuu Long JOC in Cau Ngang, Tra Vinh Province on June 9 (local time)

PVEP and Cuu Long JOC are two strategic partners of SK Earthon in Vietnam to operate multiple offshore oil blocks. PVEP has been a business partner of SK Innovation since 1998, and it has joined SK Innovation to participate in Mangrove Reforestation Project since 2019, actively executing multiple environment protection programs in Vietnam. Another group of participants of the activity this time is Cuu Long JOC, which is a Joint Operating Company comprising PetroVietnam, ConocoPhillips, KNOC, SK, Geopetro. Representatives of Cuu Long JOC said that the company will continue to work with SK Innovation to gradually expand the Mangrove Reforestation Project.

SK Earthon will continue to work with global partners to plant mangroves in the area to become the leading global program that contributes to society. In addition to this, the company is planning on taking more interest in other social issues as well. It will also work with MangLub to expand communication with local residents and grow together with local communities.

▲ Members of SK Innovation, SK Earthon Ho Chi Minh Branch, PVEP, Cuu Long JOC and representatives of Tra Vinh Province take a group photo before planting mangrove trees on June 9 (local time)

By the end of 2021, the total area of mangrove forest SK Innovation restored in Vietnam and Myanmar is 134 hectares. By the end of this year, the company plans to increase this number to 186 hectares. This equals to the effect of reducing 6,300 tons of carbon, creating various environmental values, including the response to climate change.

▲ Recent photos (taken on June 9, 2022) of the mangrove reforestation location where SK Innovation first planted in May 2018.

The world is recognizing SK Innovation’s efforts to respond to climate change and preserve biodiversity. Global environmental groups and tree-related companies across the world are showing interest and sending inquiries to SK Innovation, and its Mangrove Reforestation Project has been evaluated highly as the “leading example of sustainable development and environmental protection.” In 2021, Jeffrey McNeely, the former Chief Scientist of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), mentioned the case of SK Innovation in his editorial piece when he talked about the climate change responses and measures to preserve biodiversity. He wrote in the piece that the social power that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic could provide an opportunity to improve the relationship between humanity and nature.