Hi, SK Innovation!

This is the greeting among us, and from us to the world as well.

Since I joined SK Innovation as an independent member of the board of directors three years ago, and even before that, I’ve known that SK had a proud tradition of treating people both in and out of the company nicely. My personal interpretation of this tradition is: SK believes that a business, whatever area it may be, flourishes with ideas and that these ideas come from people. Therefore, it is only natural that SK places people of idea calling for a ‘deep change’ at the center of the corporate morale. For instance, earlier this year we opened mySUNI¹ as an in-house university to not only provide knowledge to all members of SK, but more importantly, I believe, to let knowledge and ideas flow among us, bridging ways of ‘Voluntarily, Willingly, Brain Engagement’². In addition, I would like to bring you good news that recently mySUNI has joined a partnership agreement with Microsoft Learn.

(1) mySUNI: SK Group’s internal corporate educational platform. It started launching in January 2020, with various training courses made by and offered to SK members in order to instruct employees on the business culture and future direction of SK.
(2) Voluntarily, Willingly, Brain Engagement (VWBE) is a management philosophy of SK Group.

By simply looking at the name of our company as ‘SK Innovation’, you could tell that ‘innovation’ is the all-time topic for everyone in the company. I know colleagues imbued with innovative thinking keep seeking ways for energy to stand together with environment and looking for new energies that can replace fossil fuel. Moreover, what makes the innovation we pursue different from the one followed by many other corporations is that SK Group, as a whole, looks for innovations not only by the head but also by the heart. We put a great value on social contributions we bring forth through our business activities.

These days, the whole world has been suffering from COVID-19 pandemic. The impacts of it on the economy, society and everyone’s daily life goes much further beyond the ups and downs we have experienced before. There are predictions about an ‘untact’³ future, which will inevitability affect the formulation of business models. Possible changes to a future of less mobility and more connectivity are also frequently discussed. However, the real face of the post-corona world is yet to be seen. What I believe with my very modest knowledge of history is: Outbreaks bring changes in life, but meeting challenges with new thinking can change our history.

(3) untact: a new word made in South Korea, consists of ‘un’+’contact’ and means ‘ non-contact’, or ‘no contact’. This word has been widely used in South Korea since COVID-19 broke out, especially as a new term in marketing strategies.

So, dear colleagues of SK Innovation. 

Let us be innovative,

Let us stay vigilant and healthy,

Let us stick it out till we get it over!

Jong-Hoon Kim,

Chairman of the Board