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◈ What is ‘POSCO Global Volunteer Week’ ?

The Global Volunteer Week, starting in 2010, is hosted to settle in sharing as a corporate culture within POSCO, as a global corporate citizen, and is POSCO`s unique social contribution activity to globally increase POSCO Family`s sense of belonging and pride.

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In Korea, POSCO employees engaged in various volunteer work: Some helped agricultural communities in Pohang and Gwangyang, while others participated in building homes with Habitat for Humanity and in ‘Clean Ocean Volunteers’, POSCO’s sea environment preservation volunteer initiative. Some also volunteered to preserve our cultural heritage at Gyeoungju, a city of much historical significance. CEO Kwon Ohjoon also volunteered to deliver lunch boxes to neglected elders living alone at permanent rental housing for the poor.

Now, let’s have a look at what POSCO employees around the globe did to help their local communities in this 2014 POSCO Global Volunteer Week!

Indonesia Krakatau: Repairing Schools and Religious Facilities

[POSCO Indonesia team helped repair schools and religious facilities]

POSCO employees at Krakatau, Indonesia visited local schools and religious sites to help improve the conditions by cleaning, painting and repairing the buildings. Props to team Indonesia!

China Qingdao: Warmhearted Caring for Deaf Children

[POSCO China had a meaningful time with deaf children]

In China, POSCO employees cared for deaf children and helped improve the living conditions of ethnic Koreans.

Malaysia MKPC: Remodeling Welfare Center for the Elderly

[Employees at POSCO Malaysia helped remodel a welfare center for the elderly]

POSCO Employees at Malaysia MKPC pulled up their sleeves to remodel a nearby center for senior citizens and clean up local schools. Kudos to POSCO Malaysia for their hard work in spreading love to the community!

POSCO Japan – Cleaning the Streets & Bazaar Event

[POSCO Japan employees cleaned the streets around Nagoya Castle]

POSCO Japan employees cleaned up the area around Nagoya Castle and Arakawa River. They also held a bazaar event for the physically challenged. “I had a meaningful time aiding and caring for the physically challenged during the bazaar event. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to do volunteer work,” said Takimoto Mami, a JEPC employee who participated in the event. “It makes me feel happy and proud to be a part of POSCO when I see my fellow employees actively participate in volunteer work year after year,” said Jung Min Kim, a JEPC employee who oversees global volunteer work.

POSCO Vietnam: Charity Kitchen

Also, POSCO Vietnam employees helped out a charity kitchen run by a nearby hospital. They delivered the food to people living in poverty-stricken areas. Aren’t you hungry for more interesting episodes? Hello, POSCO blog’s next post will be a close-up story of the Vietnam volunteer work experience with commentaries from POSCO Vietnam employee. Stay tuned!

The POSCO global family had a meaningful time in their respective locations during 2014 POSCO Global Volunteer Week. POSCO will continue its efforts to spread the love as a responsible corporate citizen.

Today, as a proud member of POSCO Family and a Global Storyteller, I would like to introduce POSCO Japan’s various activities over the past few months.

Cleaning Up Arakawa Riverside

In line with the POSCO Volunteer Week in May, POSCO Japan participated in the global campaign to make the world a better place to live together. On May 25th, POSCO Japan’s employees and student volunteers visited Arakawa, a town located on the outskirt of Tokyo, to clean up the riverside.

A total of 80 volunteers gathered up from the early Saturday morning. When the roll-call was finished, we were briefed about the safety cautions and how the day’s cleaning session would go ahead, as the site was right next to the river.

Three bin bags in different colors and a list were given to each of us to find out what kind of trashes were collected from the River Arakawa. This would be useful for us and the local community later on to figure out ways to prevent the riverside from further pollution.

It did not take long before we found all sorts of trashes around the River Arakawa. We splited into groups and each group took charge of different sections to clean up the area more efficiently. It was not an easy task at first, but soon, smiles flowed amid the POSCO volunteers’ faces as we realized what we were doing would beautify the environment.

Streets of Ginza Receive Cares From POSCO Japan

POSCO Japan is also engaging with local community to save the environment. On every Thursday, a number of POSCO Japan employees gathered up to take care of the flowerbeds near the POSCO Japan’s office in Ginza, Tokyo.

I also participate in this volunteer work regularly. After planting flowers and cleaning up the street corners, the place looks much livelier than before. After we completed planting the flowers and cleaning up the street corner, the place looked so much livelier than before.

Japanese and Korean Employees Celebrating the Beginning of Hot Summer Together

As the hot summer is starting to set in, POSCO Japan held a small event at our office to celebrate Korea’s ‘Chobok Day’ on July 12th. According to the lunar calendar, Chobok Day indicates the beginning of hot summer and Koreans eat certain cuisine, such as stuffed chicken soup or fresh fruits, which is regarded to be good for health, especially in summer.. We decided to eat the watermelons from Kumamoto area, which is famous for its great taste in Japan.

In Japan, we also have a similar day called ‘Doyo No Ushi No Hi,’ so it was not that unfamiliar concept for us. Also, it was quite amuzing to learn about the similar traditions we shared between Japan and Korea. All the members working at POSCO Japan joined the watermelon party and had a great, fun time together.

As we have both Japanese and Korean employees here in POSCO Japan, we get to experience each other’s culture and share thoughts. For me, it is a precious opportunity to learn more about Korea. POSCO Japan will continue having various activities for the local communities and will keep tightening the bonds amonst coworkers. And I will also update you with more special stories of POSCO Japan, here at Hello, POSCO.

What is AEO?

Let me explain about AEO for those who are not quite familiar with it. Since the September 11 tragedy in New York, the World Customs Organization introduced a series of criteria for health and safety measures for shippers, customs brokers, carriers, warehouses, ship operators, aviation distributors and unlading traders. If one satisfies the set of standards, AEO certificate is granted as a sign of the company’s high level of liability. In Japan, a total of 455 companies have been granted with the certificate since 2006 and only 84 of them are qualified as the importers with special customs certificate.

Meaning of the privileged customs certificate

The accreditation of AEO for POSCO Japan meant a lot to us because our corporate has become the only holder of the special customs certificate except POSCO’s Korea headquarters within POSCO’s global network. It took POSCO Japan only a year and three months for document screenings and an on-site due-diligence required for AEO. I heard it would normally take much longer, three years for some cases, to be granted with the privilege as it asks for strict scrutiny tests. Now, you would know how proud we were of ourselves here in POSCO Japan.

I am pretty much sure that it will boost our clients’ satisfaction towards POSCO Japan’s services. With this new privilege, POSCO Japan can now import steel products from Korea with import declaration and approval before the cargos arrive, which would accelerate the processes of order, delivery and lead time. Also, we will be able to respond much faster if our client demands re-importation of certain products with the AEO special customs certificate.

I am delighted to deliver POSCO Japan’s latest triumph as my first POSCO Storyteller commitment. It will strengthen our quality of service and build a much closer relationship with POSCO headquarters in Korea. I look forward posting more pleasant news from Japan in near future.

“How should we deliver gripping stories from POSCO’s international offices around the globe in a timely fashion?”

The idea of Global Storyteller was initiated with this simple question. From today, thanks to our first Global Storytellers, ‘Hello, POSCO’ can deliver more various stories in real time from all over the world. Global Storytellers will be sharing and promoting tales of POSCO’s major accomplishments and other up-to-date news through our global blog. We just can’t wait to hear what POSCO Global Storytellers are going to talk about works, lives and inspirations happening in their international offices. This is our first Global Storyteller blogging, starting from now.

Q. How did you get selected as a ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]A[/dropcap]part from my role in training, I am also in-charge of organizing various events. My job requires me to get involved in numerous corporate activities as well. Perhaps these are the reasons why I was picked to join this project.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with POSCO Blog about POSCO – South Asia or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]P[/dropcap]OSCO-South Asia consists of its head office in Bangkok and 7 other branches in the South Asian region. As a result, it is a great and multicultural place for everyone to work across cultures and become one big family. Here at
POSCO-South Asia, we promote cross-cultural communication, trust, and sharing. We are very much looking forward to sharing good stories and moments with people all around the world.

Q. South Asia is famous for attracting tourists from all over the world. Do you recommend any secret place to visit in your country?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]“K[/dropcap]oh Lipe” is perfect for a secret hideaway. In Thai, “Koh” literally means island. So, you can imagine a small tropical island in the Southern part of Thailand where you can enjoy crystal clear sea water, diving, beautiful beaches, and the relaxing atmosphere. If you are so lucky, you may even get a chance to see fluorescent plankton lighting up the bay at night. It will make you feel like you are in heaven on earth.

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]D[/dropcap]uring 2012, I was on a dispatch service to POSCO headquarters in Korea. While I was staying there, many colleagues asked me how things were going around in POSCO America. When I heard ‘Hello, POSCO’ was looking for Global Storytellers, it appeared to me as a great opportunity to share my story of POSCO America with other POSCO colleagues around the world. This is why I applied for the project.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with ‘Hello, POSCO’ about POSCO America or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]M[/dropcap]ost of employees working at POSCO America speak good Korean and many of them are 1.5 or 2nd generation Korean-Americans with deep knowledge of Korean culture. Some colleagues are not quite used to our custom but they are trying to make an adjustment to the culture. This is kind of story I want to tell as a Global Storyteller.

Q. North America is a highly popular place amongst tourists. Is there any hidden spot you may want to share with us?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]T[/dropcap]here is a river called Delaware in Pennsylvania and it’s about two hours away by car from New York. I can tell you the scenery around Delaware River is absolutely magnificent. If you have time for canoeing or kayaking down the river, the experience will blow your mind. I strongly recommend the place for those who want to enjoy the nature and relaxation, away from busy schedule of city tourism.

Q. How do you feel for being selected as Global Storyteller?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]S[/dropcap]ince 2009, POSCO China has been publishing online monthly journals to deliver various social activities the firm is engaging with. My daily routine is to release corporate news for the journal to both public and POSCO China’s employees. I gather interesting stories from across the country and edit them into four columns; POSCO Family News, Vocational Guidance, Social Focus and Lifestyle. From the experience with the monthly journal, I learned further about the importance of corporate’s contribution towards socially vulnerable groups. Also, my team leaders and colleagues at all level continuously support me at POSCO China. Love and great energy from all these activities and people inspired me to let others know about POSCO China’s enthusiasm. I’d like to thank ‘Hello, POSCO’ for providing me opportunities to share our stories and make new friends globally.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with ‘Hello, POSCO’ about POSCO China or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]’ve been eyeing POSCO China’s social activities since I had heard that ‘Hello, POSCO’ was officially launched because it could be a great channel to deliver our story at global level. Recently, POSCO China is preparing for planting trees in the second half of April. I would like to pick this story as my first article posted on ‘Hello, POSCO’.

Q. You majored in mass communication which could come in quite handy when telling stories. Do you have any past experience of writing essays or contributing to newspapers?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]W[/dropcap]hile I was studying the subject, mass media’s various features with a wide focus on different means of expression caught my attention. Personally, I prefer adding images alongside with texts I write. That’s why I always carry my camera with me to capture images. Images can be utilized to generate appealing and authentic reports.

For my career as a journalist, I was an intern journalist at CCTV during the Beijing Olympics. We worked closely with volunteers to televise the event nationwide. It still remains as a marvelous memory.

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]A[/dropcap]ctually, I am a dispatched employee from POSCO headquarters in Seoul. I joined POSCO in February 2010 and was working at the Steel Business Department in Seoul. In August 2011, I was dispatched to POSCO India as a global agent along with other Korean colleagues of my Indian project team. When POSCO India received the idea of “Global Storyteller”, one of my seniors approached me and said that the management had decided to put up my name since I am Indian and also have living and working experience in Korea.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share through POSCO Blog about POSCO India or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]t is difficult for me to say yet as it would be my first time to write for blogs. But I am very excited for this responsibility and believe that I will be able to share unique and interesting stories with our global POSCO Family members.

Q. We will be hearing a lot about POSCO India and its surrounding environment from you. Are there any cultural conventions or social backdrops of India that we might need to be aware of before listening to your stories?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]O[/dropcap]f Course there are. India has always fascinated foreigners as a unique example of achieving national unity with diverse social groups. It has always been a melting pot of stupendous paradoxes, extremes, diverse-cultures, religions, languages, food and ways of living. Therefore, I feel that there is a plenty of interesting issues to talk about.

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]’m in charge of translating relevant articles or documents and upload them to POSCO Vietnam’s English website (http://poscovietnam.com). I also have an experience of teaching English to POSCO Vietnam employees for a long time. I guess these are the reasons why I was selected as POSCO Vietnam’s Global Storyteller.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with ‘Hello, POSCO’ about POSCO Vietnam or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]’m afraid we haven’t engaged with any special activities or events as it’s still quite early in 2013. However, I’ll do my upmost to keep ‘Hello, POSCO’ posted with our fabulous stories.

Q. We heard you are a fluent English speaker and very popular amongst colleagues. What’s the secret?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]majored in English so when my colleagues ask for helps in terms of language, I’m more than pleased to assist their needs. Some other secrets regarding my popularity? I won’t tell you.:)

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]T[/dropcap]he nature of my work here involves building business partnerships with various local people working in diverse industries. I thought it could be a great asset to develop interesting stories with ‘Hello, POSCO’ as a Global Storyteller.

Q. I heard Indonesian cuisines are similar to Vietnamese or Thai, but with its own unique taste. Can you introduce your favorite local dish?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]ndonesia is a multicultural nation formed by about 360 different tribes. Therefore, each province has their own distinctive food but I would say it’s quite similar to Korean as there are dishes cooked with rice and fermented beans. ‘Cabe’ is a local chili breed, much spicier than Korean red pepper. Once you taste Cabe, it could be quite addictive. My favorite ingredient is ‘Sambal’, a chili based sauce like Korean red pepper paste. Sambal tastes fantastic if you have it with vegetables. If you are in Indonesia, try out local cuisines and their traditional food culture.

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]A[/dropcap]lthough it hasn’t been a while since I joined POSCO Japan, I can speak fluent Korean and understand Korean culture well. That’s the reason how I got picked up by the project.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with ‘Hello, POSCO’ about POSCO Japan or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]’d like to introduce POSCO Japan’s role and its operations. Also, I want to let people know about Japan.

Q. I heard your Korean language skill is extraordinary. Was there any motive or background behind your fluency?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]M[/dropcap]y mother is Korean so I was raised to speak both Korean and Japanese when I was a kid. On the top of that, I earned my undergraduate degree in Korea and learned a lot about the language. But, I wouldn’t say my Korean is that good. It’s just slightly better than other Japanese.

Q. How did you get selected as ‘Global Storyteller’?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap]’d like to make a contribution for breaking the wall between Chinese and Korean cultures through sharing stories about China’s local innovation case studies and POSCO QPSS’ labor-management culture.

Q. Do you have any unique stories to share with ‘Hello, POSCO’ about POSCO QPSS or its employees?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap] have the same name as the Head of POSCO QPSS in China. As you can probably guess, there have been tons of funny stories around this. Also, I’d like to honestly share the stories of the corporate’s innovative activities, social contributions, community groups and the employees’ thoughts.
Q. You must be looking forward to your position as the Global Storyteller. How will you engage into the project?

[dropcap style=”3″ size=”4″]I[/dropcap] want to be a passionate Global Storyteller delivering the news, filled with love and our warm sentiments from Qingdao.

With the Global Storytellers, POSCO’s way of global communication will be faster, wider and more amusing. If you have been following our tracks with ‘Hello, POSCO’, you must be aware that POSCO is continuously working on reaching every corner of the globe. So, keep your wondering eyes on our first Global Storytellers as they will keep us posted with the intriguing stories exceeding anyone’s expectations.