Social Contribution
Korea Zinc fulfills its social responsibility
through various social contribution activities.
Social Contribution
Korea Zinc will continue to strive for sharing management, working toward a world where everyone can experience happiness and smile.
Sharing Management
Since launching KZ Clover, a social contribution strategy and brand established in 2022, Korea Zinc has been practicing shared management for members of various local communities. In order to benefit more stakeholders, Korea Zinc actively carries out various Clover areas such as talent development, volunteer work, culture and arts, and eco-friendly activities.
As Korea Zinc has evolved into a globally recognized leader in nonferrous metal refining, we attribute this success to our talented team. We firmly believe in the transformative power of education, which offers individuals opportunities for growth. Consequently, we are concentrating our efforts on educational social contribution activities.
Korea Zinc holds the belief that “growing together” is the key to unlocking
future possibilities. We can only truly reach our potential when we
recognize that our lives are intertwined with others.
To this end, Korea
Zinc employees are enthusiastically engaged in a variety of social
responsibility initiatives, all aimed at fostering this sense of collective
growth.
The diverse materials produced by Korea Zinc enhance the quality of our lives. In a continued effort to support a better and more fulfilling lifestyle, Korea Zinc sponsors cultural events and arts programs.
Korea Zinc is spearheading the shift towards environmentally friendly resource recycling, leveraging our world-class refining technology to expand our business. We are engaged in numerous social contribution initiatives, with the goal of utilizing natural benefits and recycling resources in a manner that does not harm humans or the environment.
Talent Development
Onsan Smelter School Development Fund
Korea Zinc Co., Ltd. Onsan Smelter has been donating about KRW 100 million annually to sister schools and local schools since 2008, which is being used for student welfare and school development in the Ulsan area.
Nowon-gu Low-income Youth Scholarship Project 'Ryeo (麗)'
Korea Zinc provides scholarships worth about KRW 200 million annually to about 170 low-income youth including high school and college students in Nowon-gu, supporting them to overcome economic difficulties and pursue their dreams.
Huddling Youth Choir Festival
Korea Zinc has been consistently supporting the Huddling Youth Choir Festival organized by the Bright Youth Corporation for several years. This festival is a youth character education program where students from multicultural and non-multicultural families reflect on the meaning of 'huddling' through 'choir'. With Korea Zinc's sponsorship, students blend together and cultivate consideration and a sense of community. *Huddling: Antarctic penguins sharing body heat by taking turns moving in and out to withstand temperatures of -50°C.
Sponsorship of UN Academic Impact Korea (UNAI)
As a corporate citizen, they focus particularly on 'talent development' among social responsibilities. This stems from the judgment that it is ultimately the role of people to transmit core values for sustainability to the future. Thus, Korea Zinc has been actively sponsoring the activities of UN Academic Impact Korea (UNAI Korea) since 2017, noting the inevitable link between sustainability and education.
Green Umbrella Children's Foundation Book Support and Cultural Career Experience Sponsorship
Green Umbrella Children's Foundation Book Support Donation Delivery
Korea Zinc Co., Ltd. Onsan Smelter has been donating about KRW 70 million annually to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation since 2018. These funds have been used to purchase books that children in local childcare centers in the Ulsan area want to read. Also, starting in 2024, they began donating about KRW 60 million to local cultural history experience programs and career exploration programs for 80 children including those with immigrant backgrounds in Ulsan.
Philanthropy and Volunteer Work
Community Chest of Korea Donation
Hope 2025 Sharing Campaign Donation Ceremony
Korea Zinc has been donating to the Community Chest of Korea since 2007, and the cumulative donation amount in 2024 is KRW 36.7 billion. This is being used for various support projects for vulnerable groups in local communities, including children, youth, the elderly, disabled people, and families in crisis. Korea Zinc will continue to look after and support the marginalized in various ways and grow together with our society.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Supporting Economic Independence for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities by Volunteering at Smart Farms (Purme Social Farm)
Korea Zinc has been supporting the Purme Foundation, a disability support organization, with an annual donation of 50 million KRW since 2024 as part of its efforts to expand social contribution initiatives. The company’s employee volunteer group has also actively participated in various activities, including crafting educational tools for the rehabilitation of children with speech disabilities and delivering them to the Purme Children's Developmental Rehabilitation Center. Additionally, they have conducted volunteer work at the Purme Social Farm, a cherry tomato smart farm established to promote the economic independence of young adults with developmental disabilities.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Donating nutritious food/summer blankets to vulnerable groups during heat waves
Korea Zinc has been actively engaging in community-sharing activities in collaboration with the Korean Red Cross. Each year, the company donates 15 million KRW to support vulnerable groups during the summer by providing nutritious meals and summer bedding sets. Additionally, the employee volunteer group personally delivers these support items to over 150 households, including elderly individuals living alone.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Donating kimchi/winter blankets to vulnerable groups during cold waves
Korea Zinc donates approximately 45 million KRW annually to support essential side dishes, including kimchi and winter blankets, for neighbors vulnerable to the harsh winter cold. The employee volunteer group, working alongside Red Cross volunteers, prepares and packages the kimchi and blankets, which are then delivered to over 970 households. As a reliable partner for its neighbors, Korea Zinc is committed to fulfilling its corporate social responsibility.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Donating briquettes/rice to vulnerable groups during cold waves
Korea Zinc donates approximately 15.5 million KRW annually to purchase briquettes and white rice for vulnerable households during the winter season. A total of 14,000 briquettes (200 each for 70 households in vulnerable areas such as Nowon-gu, Seoul) and 700 kg of white rice (10 kg per household) are delivered to those in need. Korea Zinc is committed to continuing its warm support to ensure that our neighbors do not feel isolated during the cold winter months.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Sharing Songpyeon for Chuseok
Korea Zinc, in partnership with the Seoul branch of the Korean Red Cross, celebrates Chuseok by delivering handmade five-colored songpyeon to over 150 households in vulnerable areas within the community and spending time engaging in conversation with them. Additionally, Korea Zinc contributes approximately 100 million KRW annually to support side dish sharing programs for underprivileged groups. Korea Zinc remains committed to sharing warmth and fostering close connections with neighbors in the community.
Employee Volunteer Activities
Korea Habitat Housing Improvement Project
Korea Zinc, in partnership with the international housing welfare nonprofit organization Korea Habitat, is conducting housing environment improvement projects for vulnerable groups. The employee volunteer group has been involved in tasks such as exterior wall painting and floor staining. From 2012 to 2024, volunteer activities have been carried out for a total of over 170 households. Korea Zinc plans to continue these activities to support neighbors in the community in the future.
Culture and Arts
Sponsorship of Metal Craftsman of the Year Award 2024
Metalwork and Jewelry Award Ceremony
2024 Metalwork and Jewelry Award Ceremony
<The ”Metalwork and Jewelry Award”> is a project that Korea Zinc has been sponsoring since 2013 to support creative activities in the common field of 'metal'. Especially since 2023, Korea Zinc has been directly hosting it to support the creative activities of contemporary metal craftsmen. Korea Zinc selects two metal craftsmen under 45 years old with more than 10 years of activity annually for the award, and the winning artists are given benefits such as prize money and special exhibitions.
Sponsorship of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Opera Companies, etc.
As part of supporting the activities of cultural artists, Korea Zinc sponsors various cultural and artistic projects, including annual donations worth tens of millions of won to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, opera companies, etc.
Environment
Carbon Neutral Forest Creation (Forest of Connection) Project
Starting with signing a business agreement on forest creation with the social enterprise 'Treepla' in March 2022, Korea Zinc conducted an employee volunteer activity to plant lily trees in the Uljin area of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, which suffered from forest fires, in April 2023. In August 2024, they also created 'Korea Zinc Forest of Connection 3' in the Nusa Lembongan Island area of Bali, Indonesia. Korea Zinc plans to develop the 'Forest of Connection project as a representative eco-friendly social contribution activity.
Delivery of Companion Tree Kits
As part of the forest creation agreement, Korea Zinc delivered companion tree kits and endangered owl figurine scents to students near the Onsan Smelter area. This was conducted to spread interest in the carbon-neutral forest creation campaign and to inform students about the importance of forest and ecosystem protection and carbon neutrality.
Carbon Neutral Cultural Arts Project, <Using Writing>
In connection with the 'resource circulation' among the new businesses being promoted, Korea Zinc sponsored the carbon-neutral cultural arts project “Using Writing’” organized by the regenerative complex cultural space FE01 (FE Zero One) for the first time in 2024. This project consists of programs such as beachcombing (the act of collecting drifting objects or trash as if combing the beach) and creating works using recycled waste resources, and Korea Zinc plans to continue sponsoring such activities to enhance students' participation in environmental improvement and creativity.