In response to global warming, from September 23 to 26, SK Innovation carried out its 6^th time voluntary planting as a part of the Mangrove Reforestation Project in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam.

As one of the supported themes by SK Innovation’s “1% Happiness Sharing Fund⁽¹⁾,” as well as one of SK Innovation’s global CSR activities, the Mangrove Reforestation Project aims to support acitivities related to the restoration of mangrove forests in Vietnam such as mangrove saplings planting in Tra Vinh Province and mangrove research at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

(1) 1% Happiness Sharing Fund: A matching grant fund that combines the voluntary donation of SK Innovation employees (1% of their base pay) and the grant matched by the company in a 1:1 ratio to support partner companies, vulnerable groups, and global CSR activities

The volunteers took part in this time planting are from SK Innovation’s main production site, SK Ulsan Complex (hereinafter SK Ulsan CLX). These volunteers helped in planting mangrove saplings and visited Manglub, the first social enterprise to be founded in Tra Vinh Province and a company established by the SK Innovation last April.

01 | Mangrove Trees Planted with Hard-Earned Sweat and Support from Volunteers at SK Ulsan CLX

Despite the heavy rain from the day before, the project site at Tra Vinh Province was sizzling from the rays of the tropical sun. However, even the hot weather did not lessen the efforts of the volunteers, who planted sapling after saplings of mangrove trees.

The saplings came from the donations made by the visitors to the SK Innovation booth in SOVAC 2019⁽²⁾ on May 28, which added even greater meaning to the project. Soon enough, the field was full of mangrove saplings, all adorned with tags that feature the signatures of guests to the SOVAC 2019 booth, including President Chey Tae-won of the SK Group.

(2) SOVAC 2019 (Social Value Connect 2019): The first private festival in Korea under the theme of social value

▲ (Left) SK Group President Chey Tae-won participates in an event at SK Innovation booth in SOVAC 2019 (May 2019)  ▲(Right) The mangrove sapling donated by President Chey

A hard day’s work by the volunteers from SK Ulsan CLX resulted in approximately 4,000 mangrove saplings being planted across the shores of Tra Vinh Province. Since the first planting event, SK Innovation has planted approximately 54,000 mangrove saplings in Vietnam, with additional plans to plant 70,000 trees over the area of 218,000 m2 during this year.

02 | Visiting Manglub, the First Social Enterprise in Tra Vinh Province of Vietnam

The next day, volunteers visited one of the forests devastated by development projects and confirmed the need to protect the environment of Vietnam through projects such as the “Mangrove Reforestation Project.” After that, the volunteers visited the site of the first mangrove sapling planting project to know the importance of mangrove forests and their restoration in combating climate change.

▲ The site of the first Mangrove Tree Sapling Planting Volunteer Project

Later that day, the volunteers made their way to Manglub, the first social enterprise to be founded in Tra Vinh Province and a company established by SK Innovation.

In particular, they were able to visit the first store of Manglub’s “I’m ZIC” stores, which are specialty stores for light motorcycle maintenance and lubricant replacement, near the Tra Vinh University. Manglub’s CEO Kim Hang-seok personally briefed the volunteers on the projects that “Manglub” were undertaking in conjunction with the ongoing efforts at mangrove forest restoration to facilitate a better understanding of the potential of social enterprises in creating social value.

▲ Volunteers from the SK Ulsan CLX visit “Manglub,” the first social enterprise to be established in Tra Vinh Province.

03 | A Fun Afternoon with Children

The last event for that day was the visit to the My Long Nam B elementary school, which was visited earlier during the third planting. The volunteers delivered items, such as backpacks and stationery, donated by staff members and had a fun time with the children from the school through a colored paper mosaic–making session.

Earlier this year, on September 16, a volunteering association formed by SK Ulsan CLX staff members visited the school to deliver their donations for the children’s stationery.

▲ “SK Mangrove Volunteering Group,” a volunteering organization formed by SK Ulsan CLX staff members, delivers their donation to the children of My Long Nam

SK Innovation pledges to continue its “Mangrove Reforestation Project” to provide a proactive response toward climate change.