SK Imup "Creating Jobs and Supporting Vulnerable Groups by Utilizing Forests"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] SK Forestry announced on the 24th that it will launch a project to create jobs and support vulnerable groups by utilizing forests in collaboration with social enterprises.

On the previous day, SK Forestry signed a business agreement for social value creation with the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute and four social enterprises.

SK Forestry decided to provide its forest area, four times the size of Yeouido (1100 hectares), free of charge to social enterprises, and held an idea contest with the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute in June.

As a result of evaluating social value impact and sustainability, ideas from a total of four social enterprises for forest experience and education and wooden educational toy manufacturing were selected.

Each social enterprise aims to attract more than 2,000 visitors annually and provide forest experience and education opportunities to people with disabilities and socially vulnerable groups. They also aim to create jobs and income in local communities by cooperating with local residents and village communities.

In Cheonan, a walnut experience forest culture travel program will be operated; in the Chungju forest, a project to revitalize mountain village enterprises through wooden educational toys and leaf origami paper business will be conducted; and in the Yeongdong forest, forest leisure sports activities will be carried out.

SK Forestry plans not only to lease forest resources free of charge but also to support facility construction and connections with local communities.

SK Forestry CEO Shim Woo-yong said, "We expect to create not only environmental value from forest assets but also social contribution value such as coexistence with local communities and support for vulnerable groups."