SK Telecom Surpasses 2 Trillion Won in Social Value for the First Time Last Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] SK Telecom's social value (SV) exceeded 2 trillion won for the first time last year.

SK Telecom announced on the 24th that its social value last year reached 2.3408 trillion won, an increase of 20.3% (395 billion won) compared to the previous year. It was analyzed that the increase in users of AI and ICT-based social safety net products and services, such as AI care during the COVID-19 situation, NUGU COVID vaccine care calls, voice phishing prevention systems, and T map driving habits, led to the expansion of social value performance.

By sector, economic indirect contribution performance increased by 16.6% (275.1 billion won) from the previous year to 1.9334 trillion won, social performance rose by 31.3% (122.8 billion won) to 515.6 billion won, while environmental performance decreased by 2.8%, recording -108.2 billion won.

Last year, economic indirect contribution performance significantly increased due to employment expansion and increased tax payments from improved business performance, and social performance, which encompasses product/service, labor, mutual growth, and social contribution achievements, also showed strong growth based on the increase in product and service users.

A notable point in last year's social value measurement is the growth of AI and ICT technology-based products and services linked to SK Telecom's core business. The ‘Voice Phishing Prevention System’ enhanced crime prevention performance by adding an outgoing call blocking function to the existing incoming call blocking feature. The ‘T map Driving Habit’ service saw a 30% increase in subscribers compared to the previous year.

The ‘AI Care Service’ was provided to 12,000 people, increasing beneficiaries more than fourfold compared to the early stages of the project, and the ‘Emergency SOS’ function saved the lives of more than 200 people. The ‘NUGU COVID·Vaccine Care Call’ provided guidance calls and monitoring functions for 84,729 hours annually, reducing the workload of related institutions such as public health centers by about 85%.

SKT is also engaged in eco-friendly management, including greenhouse gas reduction and resource saving. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gases continue through the integration of network equipment, which accounts for most greenhouse gas emissions (‘Single LAN technology’), the development and introduction of high-efficiency communication equipment, and heating and cooling control in office buildings. The internal greenhouse gas reduction project based on Single LAN was recognized as the first carbon emission credit in the domestic telecommunications sector in March last year.

Additionally, SKT has strengthened ‘board-centered management’ and reorganized into five committees?‘Future Strategy, Personnel and Compensation, Outside Director Candidate Recommendation, ESG, and Audit’?to elevate corporate governance to a global standard level.