The chiefs of South Korea’s SK Group and Posco came together in a rare show of unity to lend their support to greater social responsibility in the Korean corporate scene.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won took to the podium at a special Posco event Tuesday that highlighted the Korean steelmaker’s corporate social activities over the past year. Chey has spoken at gatherings for the SK Group and other business associations, but this was his first time to be invited as a guest speaker for another company.

In a session titled “Social Value and the Future of Corporate Citizenship,” Chey talked about how his company has come to actively embrace social responsibility. “Companies are pursuing social responsibility not only to survive but to be profitable,” he said. “Companies today can’t make money unless they practice corporate citizenship,” he added.

Chey urged companies to take a more active role in solving social problems. “Companies can leverage new technologies to achieve business innovation and solve social issues. For the greater social good, companies should share their technology and infrastructure with the broader society and work closely with various stakeholders,” he said.

Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo expressed his thanks to Chey. “I look forward to seeing the partnership between Posco and SK push social responsibility beyond the corporate realm to spark an innovative movement in making the society a better place,” he said.

Choi has been preaching corporate citizenship as a core corporate value of Posco since he took the helm in July last year. Corporate citizenship is a recognition that businesses have a social, cultural and environmental responsibility to their communities.

By Han Ye-kyung, Seo Dong-cheol and Kim Hyo-jin

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