POSCO is accepting applicants for the fourth round, offering free education courses on artificial intelligence, big data, and IoT for job seekers as well as the public.

Last year, POSCO along with Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTEC) created education programs on AI, big data, and IoT in the form of basic online and advanced offline courses. The program comes as part of the company’s social contribution efforts offered free of charge to encourage these skills and broaden job opportunities.

Application for basic online courses are available for everyone until September 2 through POSTEC website. Upon completion of basic online courses, advanced offline courses are open to selected individuals for 10 weeks from September 3 through October 24 at POSTEC. To promote the offline program that provides intensive training in a short period of time, POSCO plans to actively promote these efforts in domestic universities and online communities for job seekers.

The four-month program is designed and carried out by POSTEC professors while equipment expenses are provided by POSCO. Basic online courses started out with six in the first round expanded to 13 this year. The first round of courses have ended on September 2. Over 6,000 students have completed basic knowledge on AI, machine learning, computational intelligence and more. POSTEC plans to take previous feedback into account to further enhance the quality of the courses.

The online programs on AI, big data and IoT were completed by 26,494 students thus far. The advanced offline courses completed by 49 students have successfully entered the domestic workforce  such as interns at POSTEC, regular employees at LG CNS, Kakao, and SK Innovation. POSCO plans to further advance the courses such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, and computer vision for students interested in even more specialized fields.

Meanwhile, Jeong-Woo Choi, who was elected as the 9th CEO of POSCO on July 27, presented ‘With POSCO(Building a better future together as corporate citizens)’ as a new vision at the inauguration ceremony, expressing his aspirations to create a better society through contribution. This program represents POSCO’s major social contribution activity, aimed at increasing job opportunities while enriching the country’s competency in the fourth industrial revolution.

POSCO’s Steel Village project was tabbed by UN as an exceptional illustration of social contribution activity that shifts the paradigm of corporate social responsibility in the global landscape. This is not UN’s first-time recognition of POSCO’s concerted efforts to reform poor residential areas around the world by applying POSCO’s unique sustainable resources combined with advanced techniques. This Steel Village initiative had been previously registered on the UN’s SDG website as ideal and was selected in April as an eminent example by UN during its 50th conference of the UN Population Development Division.

POSCO Steel Village is recognized by the United Nations as an outstanding corporate social responsibility (CSR) project at the UN High-level Political Forum hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On July 18, POSCO introduced its Steel Village project to 193 member countries of the UN, as an implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at the United Nations High-level Political Forum event hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The SDG, also known as “2030 Agenda,” is a collection of 17 international goals established by the UN in 2015 to address social and economic issues worldwide while achieving the prosperous coexistence of humanity by the year 2030.

The Steel Village Project is one of POSCO’s leading global social contribution activities adopting POSCO’s steel and construction methods to create residential buildings and bridges for the underprivileged. Since 2014, POSCO has built 104 steel houses and steel bridges in Vietnam’s poor residential areas. And this year, a steel dome was constructed and donated to a Thai school where students can enjoy sports activities on bad weather days.

The host of this event, South Korean Ambassador to the UN, Tae-yul Cho commented, “The POSCO Steel Village is an authentic representation of CSR activity in the private sector that will shift the perception of developing countries and the global community of CSR activities. Accordingly, a call for active promotion is essential.”

POSCO’s head of external relations Jeong-sik Kwak also added, “It is an honor to share stories to inspire developing countries worldwide with POSCO’s aptitude for creating infinite possibilities despite scarcity of resources.”

The CSR Report 2017 published by POSCO-China in June 2018 affirms the 5-star rating, the highest level of achievement earned from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Expert Committee on June 22. This marks POSCO’s second time around in securing a perfect evaluation score since 2011 when POSCO-China first issued the CSR Report in China.

Cover of POSCO-China’s CSR Report 2017

The report presenting two different elements, the management(sustainable development) and the implementation(social responsibility), conveys POSCO’s philosophy, notions of social responsibility, and efforts to reinforce communications not only with customers but to cultivate a congenial relationship with society at large. 

POSCO-China details the sustainable development activities during the past year from the perspective of management as well as demonstration. The beginning of the report displays data analysis regarding the practices of social responsibilities based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of which companies around the world strive to achieve. To commemorate POSCO’s 50th anniversary, the report congruously details the history and achievements of CSR at POSCO during this half-century span. 

Before the publication of CSR Report each year, POSCO-China conducts online surveys and votes on related issues to enhance transparency. Owing to this effort, POSCO was ranked number 7 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in the ‘Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility Development Index’ in 2017.

As POSCO-China’s recognition is preeminent in the CSR Report, POSCO was able to consolidate its brand image as a ‘responsible management company’  that advances alongside China. This branding will be actively used not only for government relations but also for efforts in marketing.

Scientists predict 2018 may be a tumultuous year for earthquakes. (Source: Take Two)

As structural damage is the leading cause of injury and deaths during an earthquake, architects, engineers and builders need to make sure buildings are built with the right materials and design.  

SEE ALSO: What it Takes to Build a Natural-Disaster-Proof House

The Materials

The most dangerous type of earthquakes are ones that trigger horizontal movements, because tall buildings are better at resisting vertical loads than horizontal ones. These ground motions can damage building foundations in a matter of minutes, causing severe injuries and deaths. Building a structure to withstand seismic waves starts with the right materials with the right properties, and steel is by far the most widely used material for building earthquake-resistant buildings.

According to the World Steel Association, ductile buildings are safer as they dissipate energy from seismic waves. A building will typically have ductile parts that can undergo plastic deformations without complete structural failure during an earthquake. Steel is the most common type of material for such parts.

Moreover, due to the law of inertia, the lighter the building, the less force seismic waves will exert on the building. That’s why it’s important, especially for taller buildings, to be made of light and flexible materials such as steel that can “bend” with the movement of earthquakes. On average, multi-story steel buildings are 60 to 70 percent lighter and 10 times stronger than concrete-framed buildings of the same size.

The Design

With steel, builders can add vital designs and reinforcements to keep the structure standing through an earthquake. Here’s some of the most widely-used measures.

Cross braces transfer the force of an earthquake to the ground. (Source: Earthquakes in India)

The structural integrity of buildings can be reinforced with steel cross braces that frame the exterior of a building in an x-shape. Ultimately cross braces can transfer the force of seismic waves back down to the ground, instead of letting the building take the hit. Builders can also reinforce the walls of buildings with additional vertical walls, or shear walls, that add stiffness to the frame of the building, allowing it to resist swaying or horizontal movements.

Base isolators absorb much of the shock of seismic waves. (Source: Embelton)

Base isolation involves separating the building from the foundation so that the isolators to absorb shock from the earthquake. The isolators allow the building to move at a slower pace because they dissolve a large part of the shock. Moment-resisting frames also effectively dissipate energy from floors and roofs to the building’s foundation and the stiff yet flexible frames can change shape during an earthquake. Although more costly, moment-resisting frames enable buildings to withstand an earthquake with excessive horizontal movement.

Putting it into practice with POSCO’s Steel House

In September 2017, Young Bae Kim’s home in Gyeongju province, Korea was hit with a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, just 8.9 km from where the earthquake started. Surprisingly, Kim’s home was unscathed. “I could feel the ground shake, but the house was completely under control.” Kim expressed.

Kim lives in one of the Steel Houses built by POSCO employees who volunteer to build homes and bridges for communities in need. Each Steel House is made with POSCO’s lightweight structural steel known for its durability, fire resistance and vibration resistance. The homes also incorporate PosMAC, a specialized galvanized steel that is 5 to 10 times more corrosion-resistant than standard steel and is more durable and affordable.

POSCO Employees volunteer their time to build steel houses in rural communities.

Because all the Steel Houses survived the Gyeongju earthquake while other homes were damaged, more and more people in Korea are choosing steel for their homes over traditional building materials such as wood and concrete. The same trend can be observed in Japan, where earthquakes are much more frequent. In order to build more earthquake-resistant buildings, steel is still the best solution available.

Cover photo courtesy of CNN.

The U-Shaped Relationship

However, the argument is not so black and white according to Spyridon Stavropoulos, Ronald Wall and Yuanze Xu’s Environmental regulations and industrial competitiveness: evidence from China. The study suggests that the relationship between stringent economic regulations and industrial (or economic) competitiveness is U-shaped. Meaning, initially, stringent regulations will increase the cost of production and make companies less profitable, but after a certain turning point, companies will be forced to adapt and innovate, thus becoming more competitive in the long run.

Many activists sit on both sides of the debate. (Source: Ethical Shopper)

When regulation policies are consistent over a long period of time, companies are forced to tackle the root of the problem, instead of focusing on meeting certain numbers. In today’s global economy, many governments have already begun to implement stringent economic regulations that only look to get tighter in the future. In such a context, companies that choose to innovate and come up with solutions to global pollution problems will come out more competitive in the end.

Sustainability Equals Competitiveness

Looking at major economic players around the world, it’s safe to say that environmental sustainability is a common topic on each of their respective national agendas. Pressing national challenges are tied to the environment in one way or another. For example, many countries are shifting their policies to ensure energy security. Countries that import most of their energy from external regions are subject to volatile prices and thus unstable economies. Thus, governments are actively supporting companies that can cultivate domestic, renewable energy sources. Another, more obvious, example is the direct link between pollution and health risks.

China is the fastest developing country in the world, and by 2035, it will be responsible for 28 percent of the total global energy demand. China also happens to be almost completely dependent on energy imports. Subsequently, the government has started a variety of government programs to boost sustainability as part of President Xi Jinping’s pledge to build a “Beautiful China”. These policies also come in the wake of shocking statistics: in 2015, pollution led to 1.8 million premature deaths in China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping laid out a 2-step plan to achieve a “Beautiful China.” (Source: News Gru)

Sustainable Steelmaker

Even with strong government commitment and plenty of programs to support sustainable business, most developing countries lack affordable renewable energy sources and the technology to apply those sources to existing production processes. Nevertheless, the world is changing and only those that adapt and innovate survive and thrive. That’s exactly what POSCO did starting back in 2007.

FINEX: A Game Changer

POSCO came up with a new molten iron production technology called FINEX. The technology allows molten iron and non-coking coal to be produced directly in a blast furnace during the iron-making process. It is different from the conventional blast furnace process, as it combines the coking plant, sinter plant and blast furnace into a single iron-making unit. This lowers production costs and reduces harmful emissions.

FINEX is a sustainable game-changer for steel production.

Ultimately, FINEX is one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly ways to make steel. The technology mitigates the use of C02, has the lowest process-related emission rates and preserves resources through the use of a wide range of iron ores and non-coking coals. FINEX reduces SOx and NOx emissions by 40 and 15 percent respectively, and fine dust particles can be reduced by 34 percent compared to traditional blast furnaces. Furthermore, the by-products from the process generate highly valuable export gas that can be used for various purposes like electric power generation or natural gas substitution.

On December 7, 2017, POSCO reached 20 million cumulative tons of molten iron production using the FINEX technology. POSCO is not the only company enjoying the benefits of sustainable competitiveness – POSCO’s manufacturing partners can see lower emissions levels when evaluating the entire life cycle of their products.

SEE ALSO: POSCO Reaches 20 Million Tons of Production Using FINEX Technology

Sustainability is no longer just jargon. As environmental issues are intricately tied to the economy and even national security, governments around the world will be actively supporting sustainable companies in the years to come. Companies can expect sustainability and competitiveness to become interchangeable terms in the near future.

Casa de Patricia is a non-governmental group that supports disabled children and provides welfare for the elderly, while ABC PECEM is currently helping 150 local, underprivileged children. Brazil CSP delivered KRW 3.6 million to the organizations for facility renovation and furnishings.    

Brazil CSP is a steel mill with an annual capacity of 3 million tons. It sits in the Pecem industrial complex in the state of Ceara, located in the northeastern region of Brazil. The company is a joint venture between POSCO and Dongkuk Steel and Brazilian mining company Vale.

POSCO has held its annual community service tradition, the POSCO Global Volunteer Week, since 2010.  This year, from May 24 to 30, over 79,000 POSCO Group employees from 52 different countries, including Korea, Turkey, Vietnam and the U.S., rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Here’s a look at some of the highlights.

POSCO Group in Korea

In Korea, POSCO Group employees made home improvements for underprivileged neighborhoods, mentored local youth and had a blast painting wall murals.

In the nation’s capital of Seoul, POSCO employees cleaned up marine waste with the Clean Ocean Volunteer Group, and another group delivered freshly baked bread to the community’s elderly.

On May 30, POSCO CEO Kwon Ohjoon and over 30 employees visited Myeongryundang of Sungkyunkwan Munmyo (a Confucian shrine), to repair and replace Korean traditional paper called Changhoji on windows and doors.

POSCO CEO Kwon Ohjoon visited Munmyo, the main temple for Korean Confucianism located in Seoul, to help replace traditional Korean paper known as Changhoji

In the city of Pohang, POSCO’s volunteer groups visited Sangdo Middle School to conduct first aid and CPR training. Other volunteer groups in Gwangyang, another city in Korea where POSCO conducts business, launched a lunchbox delivery business to create jobs for the elderly and held classes for women for minority communities.

POSCO Group Across the Globe

POSCO subsidiaries in Turkey, Vietnam and the U.S., also took part in Global Volunteer Week.

In Turkey, POSCO ASSAN TST employees opened a Korean culture school for local elementary school students in March. During Global Volunteer Week, Students got to try on traditional Korean clothing called hanbok and volunteers built a playground made out of recycled tires for the kindergarten students.   

POSCO-Vietnam carried out activities to improve the environment of the POSCO steel village and installed safety bars in the POSCO steel bridge. POSCO-VST employees visited local orphanages to deliver healthy meals and deftly handled some exterior painting.

In the U.S., employees at POSCO-America gathered to clean up Centennial Olympic Park. The Detroit office went to the local food bank to distribute food to underprivileged neighborhoods and the Houston office cleaned up the memorial parks in the neighborhood to contribute to their respective local communities.

As one of the world’s leading steelmakers, POSCO will continue its efforts to contribute to global sustainable development by not only developing eco-friendly technologies but also giving back to local communities.

Volunteer activities include helping to improve housing conditions for underprivileged neighborhoods, baking, painting murals, and mentoring the local youth. On May 30, POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon and over 30 employees will visit Myeongryundang of Sungkyunkwan Munmyo (a Confucian shrine) and help repair and replace the Changhoji (traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark for doors and windows).

POSCO hosts the “’2017 POSCO Global Volunteer Week” from May 24-30. This photo shows POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon and other employees volunteering during last year’s Global Volunteer Week.

Volunteer activities will also take place in the various countries where POSCO Group branches are located (China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico and Poland). Volunteer activities are customized for local communities and range from improving and repairing the welfare facilities in slum areas to cleaning up the environment and setting up cultural activities for disabled children.

Not only does POSCO ask its employees to help strengthen the community through the Global Volunteer Week, but it also contributes to the POSCO 1% Sharing Foundation to assist those in need.

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High-Quality Steel Products Keep POSCO Competitive in China

In China, several factors have led to more difficult market conditions. Can you tell us about what it is that POSCO is doing to stay competitive in China? How do POSCO’s steel products compare to those from other companies?

Kim Huyn Ah: POSCO has done several things to remain competitive. First, we have focused our attention on creating high-quality World Premium Products. As you know, there is a lot of low-priced, low-quality steel, but our World Premium Products stand out because we are able to make them consistently and without defects. Secondly, POSCO has positioned itself near other key industries. For example, our machining centers in China are located near other large international car manufacturers like GM and Volkswagen. So, even when market conditions go south, there is always stable demand simply due to the geographic proximity.

Yuan Feng: In mid-2015, our production output of World Premium Products was around 30%. By 2016 that had increased to 49%, and as of January 2017, our total output consists of 55% World Premium Products. As Huyn Ah said, other companies can make similar products, but no one can do it at our speed and consistency. Our customers rely on that.

Wang De Hui: Because of the overcapacity of steel, things were difficult for a while, but they are getting better. We get our raw materials from HQ, and because our raw materials are better we can provide better products. And actually, the abundance of low price, low quality steel ended up creating more demand for our advanced, high-quality steel products.

We are committed to maintaining higher quality products. Each year we analyze the steel to make sure the raw materials and production processes are better, more advanced, and with fewer impurities. I know the difference between our materials and our competitors. What we get from Korea is just better.

Better Customer Service with Solution Marketing 2.0

In addition to producing high-quality steel, how does POSCO stand compared to other steel companies? What is it doing to keep customers satisfied?

Kim Huyn Ah explains the importance of POSCO’s high-quality products in China’s market

Kim Huyn Ah: At POSCO, when questions come up, or if a problem occurs, we do our best to find a solution as soon as possible. Through POSCO’s Solution Marketing 2.0, we provide our customers the tools they need to maximize convenience and efficiency in utilizing high-quality steel.  Solution Marketing 2.0 is practiced under three strategies: digital solution marketing based on advanced IT technology; innovative solution marketing that focuses on speed, value and quality; and tailored solutions that provide comprehensive support for each customer. This process helps our customers understand the balance between a product’s features, price, and long-term benefits.

Also, we work hard to provide products to clients on time and on schedule. It is one of the most basic parts of our job, but oftentimes one of the most difficult to control due to floods, typhoons, or other things that are out of our control. Customers demand more, so at POSCO CSPC we have made production systems management a priority so that we can deliver our steel products on time. Because of these improvements, we have been able to meet delivery times more effectively than other steel companies in the area.

Yuan Feng: Huyn Ah really touched on a lot of the important points for us, but I would like to add that POSCO now has an entire department dedicated to service. Now we are able to listen to customers more effectively and respond to their questions and feedback more quickly. We do our best to solve problems as quickly as possible.

Wang De Hui: The Chinese steel market has grown very quickly. Because POSCO is almost 50 years old, we have a better understanding of service and quality. That being said, our competitors in China are learning fast. We must continue to adapt and be competitive. Last year, POSCO set up a Solutions Marketing program to promote high-quality products and customized solutions. Our customers really appreciated that we had higher quality products and were willing to work with them for individualized solutions.

POSCO Fosters Employee Development

All of you are in Korea participating in POSCO’s Global Mobility Program (GMP) where you are able to collaborate with other POSCO employees from around the world while developing new skills at HQ. As part of the management team in China, how has POSCO helped you grow in your career?

Kim Huyn Ah: It is helpful for me to take part in the Global Mobility Program. Seeing HQ and how they work helps us understand the full system process better. Also, as a Korean, I am often in the middle between HQ and our local Chinese office. It can be difficult to understand communicate to both sides effectively. But POSCO has supported me in my career and this experience will help me have a better understanding of the work process in Korea.

Yuan Feng explains the significance of being able to get training at POSCO HQ. His work in maintenance is critical to maintaining smoothly running factories that deliver POSCO’s steel products on time and without defect.

Yuan Feng: I joined the Global Mobility Program because I wanted to learn more. My department is new; it was just formed last year so I want to see more about POSCO and how it works. I think the GMP gives me the opportunity to develop more as an employee, but also in other ways as well. For example, I can have the chance to work with people from other countries and learn about their cultures as well. When I first started, I had to work with some people from Indonesia. We both had a bit of trouble understanding each other, which is natural. However, after we learned about each other’s cultural backgrounds we could understand each other much better.

I will be in Korea for 6 months. During that time I want to create a new system for our Maintenance Department so that it can be more stable and strong. In addition, because it is a new department there needs to be a systematized program for development. We have done well since last year, but we have bigger goals and we want to do more.

Wang De Hui: This is an exciting opportunity for me. I want to improve my skills and do more with POSCO. Being a quality control specialist, I’m responsible for collecting data and measuring performance and customer choice. It is important for me to know how these things are done at HQ so we can improve our efforts in China.

POSCO is Tops in CSR in China

POSCO has won many awards around the world for its CSR work. In particular, it recently won one of the top awards for Corporate CSR work in China. Have you participated in any of POSCO’s CSR events? What effect do those activities have on the community?

Kim Huyn Ah: At POSCO CSPC we have a CSR department that organizes several activities. We have events to plant trees, visit nursing homes, and help out at homes for disabled children. My most memorable experience was when I visited a home for disabled children. When we visit, they greet us so warmly and show so much gratitude.

Wang De Hui has seen the impact of POSCO China’s CSR work

Yuan Feng: At our office, we participate in several CSR activities. We help out with environmental initiatives and with the local communities around the factory as well. We support 3-4 families regularly with supplies and help them with simple things like painting their houses. We sometimes go on trips with them. In the beginning, we would simply donate money, but after seeing the benefit to the communities, and for the staff as well, we are becoming more and more active with CSR activities.

Wang De Hui: At POSCO Qingdao, we organize an event every month. It is well attended by our staff as even our general manager and department managers go. I’m glad we do things like this and I enjoy participating. We mainly go to help out at public nursing homes and schools for the deaf. We also raise money to buy basic needs, such as food, clothes and home appliances. Activities like this have given POSCO a good reputation in the local communities, which is important.

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