The forum, which was held for the first time this year, was designed for companies involved in social welfare activities to share information and to spread the culture of sharing. At the forum, POSCO-China received the plaque in appreciation of its activities giving back to local communities.

Out of the 10 companies that received the plaques, only two were non-Chinese companies. POSCO-China and Samsung China were selected, beating out leading international firms from the United States, Europe and Japan.

POSCO-China, as a regional affiliate of POSCO, has been active in helping the victims of earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters in China through the Red Cross Society, beginning with fundraising activities for victims of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.

In addition, the company has been a regular contributor to a range of other social contribution activities in China, including fundraising for the preservation of local culture in Longjing, Jilin Province, a scholarship program and creating green space in Dawangjing Park in Beijing.

POSCO-China will continue to build its brand image as one that people can trust and proactively spread a culture of sharing through its various social contribution activities.

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Still, in the small town of Nuanquan in Heibi Province, China, just west of Beijing, a small group of farmers are keeping one of the world’s most unique fireworks displays alive.

Resource: China’s Blacksmiths Put On Dazzling Display for New Year

About 500 years ago, there were many blacksmith shops in the farming town of Nuanquan. Unable to afford expensive fireworks during the Chinese New Year holiday, lower income residents such as blacksmiths and farmers sought an alternative. Inspired by the beautiful sparks emitted during their iron working, a group of brave blacksmiths began splashing molten metal on the city walls, which resulted in the creation of beautiful flower shapes from the cooling iron.

Photo Credit: Robert Berkowitz Creative Commons

As time went on, locals began to prefer the stunning, steel-catalyzed display to fireworks, and donated their scrap metal to the blacksmiths to use during the annual performance. Eventually, a more developed system evolved and eventually became known as dashuhua, which roughly translates as “throwing tree fireworks.”

To create the display, men first soak wooden ladles in water for three days prior to the show to prevent them from combusting on impact. After dipping the ladles into the molten iron (which is made from smashed up pieces of pig iron), flames instantly shoot up. As such, the men work quickly to splash the molten iron onto the city wall to avoid injury.

As the metal strikes the cold, hard wall, it explodes into a shower of sparks, mostly over the performers. Due to the danger posed by the falling molten iron, only the bravest individuals performed in the show, wearing only a jacket made of sheepskin—a material that naturally repels the molten iron—and a straw hat to protect against the splash of hot metal.

Photo Credit: Robert Berkowitz Creative Commons

Despite being banned during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, the tradition has since carried on through the ages. Refusing modern protective clothing to more closely maintain the tradition, today’s performers are prideful of their region’s rich cultural heritage and are eager to pass on the custom to their children. They are also pleased that the event continues to attract spectators from all over China, who gather in freezing temperatures to witness the incredible scene of a night sky illuminated by the sparks of molten iron.

However, as urbanization surges in the world’s most populated nation, the tradition is on the decline, with only four performers left. As such, the Chinese government has designated dashuhua as an Intangible Cultural Heritage and has helped organizers build a dedicated stage for their performances, with an aim to preserve the country’s past as well as Nuanquan’s steel-centric custom.

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2014 Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Conference
On November 13, 2014, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) held a press conference to issue Blue Book on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Year 2014 and CSR development index of 300 enterprises in China. CASS publishes the CSR-termed ranking of 300 state-owned, civilian-run and foreign-invested enterprises in China. They analyze and evaluate standing lists of various enterprise and industrial categories.

With the joint efforts of its subsidiaries in China, POSCO Family, presented by POSCO China, improves its ranking from No. 46 in 2013 by virtue of outstanding achievements to No. 42 this time on the list of top 100 Chinese enterprises. In fact, POSCO-China has won the annual total score of 70.5, which is 11.6 point increase from last year. In iron & steel industrial category, POSCO ranks No. 6, following Baosteel and WISCO, and is still the only foreign-invested iron & steel enterprise on the list, according to this evaluation.

POSCO-China’s CSR Report

The CSR Report of POSCO Family in China(2013) lists its 26 subsidiaries in China, including ZPSS, QPSS, POSCO-Guangdong, POSCO-CSPC and POSCO-CCPC, and publishes CSR performance data on four aspects respectively in responsibility management (score 82.1), market responsibility (score 62.5), social responsibility (score 81.8) and environmental responsibility (score 56.6), among which responsibility management has a year-on-year growth of 35.6 score. This proves that the specific improvement measures such as CSR management system for Chinese market, CSR business trainings & meetings have gained recognition in substantive evaluation.

Annual CSR Workshop in Beijing

The report went through an extensive process which took five months to complete. Since March 14 this year, POSCO-China held annual CSR Workshop for the first time in Beijing, where experts of Research Center for CSR CASS were invited to give a professional training and case studies to leaders of subsidiaries. CSR business leader also shared sustainable approaches to business and case studies of POSCO headquarters. After entering the reporting stage, Cooperation & Communication Dept. of POSCO-China sent the project leaders to start in-depth speaking tour in the subsidiaries for six times. With active cooperation of subsidiaries, specific explanations and Q & A session were made for 203 index. In the writing phase, CSR TF team of POSCO-China integrated the data and reporting results of 26 subsidiaries, which realized the professional writing. Despite the fact that this is the very first time to apply for certification to a third-party, the Chinese CSR Report Rating Expert Committee, POSCO’s report received four-star evaluation with five-star being the highest rating.

Now and the Future of POSCO-China’s CSR

POSCO-China was persistent to its responsibilities; all staff provided sufficient information by many and group leaders offered sincere attention and support. With their cooperation and support behind, the ranking of 2013 POSCO’s CSR Report was improved among that of top 100 Chinese enterprises. A series of innovative management measures implemented in 2014 also marks that CSR work of POSCO Family in China has reached a new stage.

Recently, POSCO-China is planning to cooperate with CASS to formulate CSR Handbook 3.0 for metal smelting and metal extension industries. Hence, CASS specialists and enterprise representatives are expected to visit South Korea by the end of this year to make a survey and adapt POSCO’s valuable experience.

In addition, in the ranking of CSR development index, China Southern Power Grid takes its No. 1 ranking with the score of 89.5, and Samsung (China) continues to keep No.1 among foreign-invested enterprise category. Other Korean enterprises on the list in terms of foreign-invested enterprises are LG China (No.3), Hyundai Motor Group (No.7), and SK (No.90).

POSCO-China’s CSR at a Glance

Here is a short overview of CSR activties by POSCO-China.

Even listed in the Guinness World Records, the largest ensemble of the gayageum, a Korean traditional string instrument, was achieved by People’s Government of Longjing City and was sponsored by POSCO-China.

During POSCO-China CSR Workshop in Beijing, POSCO CSR Team Manager shared her vast experiences with leaders form other global branches.

At the POSCO-China CSR Workshop, Hongwu Zhong, an expert of Research Center for CSR CASS, was invited to give a professional training session.

POSCO-China’s volunteers spent their spare time on removing stickers on the street nearby the company’s office to preserve the community environment.

POSCO held POSCO Asia Fellowship Awarding Ceremony at Beijing University on December, 2014. POSCO has been providing 320 thousand dollar amount of scholarship to 480 students for the past 10 years.

POSCO-China donated 2 million RMB for post-disaster reconstruction of Ludian County, Yunnan Province in China. The county was struck by 6.5 magnitude earthquake in August 3, 2014.

 Pictured here: Sergio and his co-workers doing community service with the Korea Steel Association

About Sergio’s Path to Korea

Colombia is actually home for Sergio. So how did he end up joining a Korean steelmaker company? Growing up Sergio was full of curiosity about other countries. He decided he wanted to learn Chinese and at the time the Beijing Olympics was taking place so travelling to China was the perfect choice to not only learn Chinese culture and language but also to experience the Olympics. While studying in Beijing, Sergio made good Korean friends that naturally led him to visit Korea.

 Pictured here: Sergio during his stay in Beijing

Raising Awareness about Korea and POSCO

Sergio came to Korea in 2011 and participated in POSCO’s global internship program. Prior to joining POSCO, Sergio says that he honestly did not know much about Korean companies. Now, not only can he speak confidently about POSCO and other Korean companies, he also can speak four languages! He is truly a globally talented person who can speak English, Spanish, Chinese and Korea. Going forward, it is his dream to use his multicultural background to help POSCO penetrate into Central and South America. POSCO sees Brazil as a key investment market so Sergio hopes developing business in Brazil will be a successful starting point for further business development in Central and South America.

Pictured here: Sergio hanging out with colleagues

Some Words of Advice on Working Overseas

Living and working in a foreign county is not always easy. In Sergio’s first few months living in Korea he had some amusing episodes because of his level of Korean. In one instance, instead of telling his boss ‘I will bring the newspaper’ he accidently spoke in a commanding tone saying ‘Bring the newspaper’.

Pictured here: Night out with fellow co-workers

Overcoming cultural differences and adjusting to work life was possible with the help of colleagues. In terms of work, Sergio spends most of his time using English and Spanish which are his first languages. However, Sergio was not afraid to go outside his comfort zone and he made the effort to socialize with coworkers outside the office. He is currently a part of the POSCO Steeler team which is POSCO’s corporate soccer team and it has helped him communicate in Korean with colleagues more easily.

Here’s some more advice for being recruited as top global talent for POSCO.

Pictured here: Sergio and his POSCO Steelers teammates

Plant a love: POSCO Family Gardens

On April 24, I visited Dawangjing Park in Chaoyang district as a member of POSCO China. Around 200 volunteers from POSCO China, POSCO E&C, ICT, POSRI and Daewoo International gathered around to plant 300 trees for enlightening the urban area. POSCO Beijing Office is currently under construction just around the corner of Dawangjjing Park and it is due to be completed by 2014. Near the site, POSCO employees planted platycarya strobilaceas, goldenrains and forsythias for the lungs of Beijing. Every time I participate in POSCO China’s CSR activities, I can feel positive energy surrounding me and this tree-planting event was no different.

It has been four years since POSCO China first initiated its annual tree-planting activity. With a mandate of voluntarily protecting the environment, about 2,000 seeds were planted for the past four springs by volunteers. From 2011, POSCO China has also been creating ‘POSCO Family Gardens’ in conjunction with Dawangjing Park. Nowadays, you can easily spot the signs around the park telling visitors about POSCO China’s participation in the urban green project.

POSCO China Chairman and President Suk-chul Kwon believes the tree-planting activity is a meaningful project from a long-term point of view and asked the employees of POSCO China for their continuous supports of flourishing the city in green. After completing the day’s voluntary event, I realized how important it was for a corporation to oblige social responsibility to live with the local community. It felt like as if we were all members of a real family, a family enjoying the festival for themselves.

Posco’s Love for Sichuan

Speaking of family, we should share not only the joys but also the pains suffered by other members of society. Over 1,800 kilometers away from the park in Beijing, there was a horrible earthquake which shocked the world earlier in April. The earthquake in Sichuan province killed at least 186 people, injured more than 11,000 and left most of the communities around Ya’an city homeless. It didn’t matter how far the area was or how shattering the damages were. Without any hesitation, POSCO China’s employees raised CNY 3 million (USD 490,000) voluntarily for relief aid and delivered it to China’s Red Cross.

In the meeting with Wang Rupeng, the Secretary-General of China’s Red Cross, the Director of POSCO China Corporate Staff Department, Kam Gyu-sik said “As a Korean company operating in China, it is our natural obligation to jointly take action for the disaster.” “We hope this donation from the employees of POSCO China could be utilized usefully for swift recovery of the damaged district,” he added. Wang expressed his gratitude for the relief aid amid the current urgent situation and assured the help from POSCO China would be used for medical supports and reliving the sufferers in Ya’an. It is not the first time POSCO China provided its kind and generous hands for the victims of natural disasters in China. A total of about CNY 10 million (USD 1.65 million) was donated for Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, Yushu earthquake and Xinan drought in 2010, and the earthquake in Sichuan Province this year.

For me, it is hard to keep in touch with the people living in a remote place, especially in China, to offer helps for such disasters. As POSCO China did this time, making a donation was a great opportunity to close the gap between me and those in need of supports.

There are many other CSR activities POSCO China is engaging with for the locals. Although China and Korea have different cultures and languages, it is important to share the same goal as a respected global corporation. Our goal is to breathe, live and integrate with Chinese people as a leading global steel manufacturer. I will continue delivering more heart-warming stories from POSCO China.