POSCO 1% FoundationOpens 1% My Little CharityWhen Dec 6 to 23, 2022 (for 18 days)Who’s Invited Donators of the 1% FoundationHow Donate from PCs and mobile devices​▲ Chairman Choi accessed the 1% My Little Charity system and made a donation. He chose the future generations, multicultural families, and people with disabilities as the theme for his contribution and showed support to programs that help families that are affected by a typhoon, multicultural families, and people with developmental disabilities in Pohang.

The foundation opens Construction Career Camp with POSCO EC.POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO Sibo Joo) launched the first project that enhances the skills required at global companies for the fourth Do Dream class as they support young adults in becoming self-reliant after leaving foster care.On August 5 to 6, 19 participants of the fourth Do Dream class joined the program with a theme, Finding Yourself in the Global Era, held at POSCO Tower Songdo and POSCO Group University.Participants watched the presentation on the global business status of POSCO INTERNATIONAL and introduction of corporate citizenship activities. Then they partook in activities exploring new career trajectories based on their values as well as global business values. They also learned global business etiquette and business manners. They practiced global table manners and showed a high level of satisfaction with the program.One participant said, “I could see that the organizers had paid attention to the details of the program. It was a meaningful opportunity to look back on values that are important to me and relate them to my future career. I look forward to becoming a businessman with global business manners.”POSCO EC also held Construction Career Camp targeting young people leaving foster homes.They announced on October 25 that the camp was held for two days on October 21 to 22 in Busan, and that 20 people participated.Participants visited Haeundae LCT The Sharp, constructed by POSCO EC, and learned about major engineering technology and the construction process of skyscrapers. They also visited the construction site for The Sharp Oncheon Heritage and got a hands-on experience on the construction work. POSCO EC employees working at the site provided mentoring about the career in the construction field by sharing their success stories.

- The foundation has delivered cutting-edge assistive devices, including robotic limbs, multipurpose wheelchairs, and smart hearing aids to 106 beneficiaries since 2020- Will continue providing support to accelerate rehabilitation and encourage them to overcome disability.The POSCO 1% Foundation today delivered cutting-edge assistive devices including robotic prosthetic limbs to 48 patriots and veterans, who had been injured during their service, at POSCO Center, Seoul.The patriot support program began in 2020, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean war, by signing an MOU with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA); it provides advanced prosthetic devices to select patriots and veterans who have difficulty in their everyday lives after having lost an arm or a leg, or suffering from quadriplegia. This year marks the third year since the foundation commenced the program, and it has delivered cutting-edge assistive tools, such as a robotic arms and legs, to 106 people so far, not only significantly improving convenience for the recipients, but also enabling them to engage in sports. This has dramatically improved the quality of life of the patriots and veterans.This year, the foundation expanded the range of beneficiaries to include fire fighters who were injured in the line of duty leading to disability or who suffer from hearing loss after a long-term exposure to sirens. Won-joon Yang, Head of Management Support at POSCO, said, “The POSCO 1% Foundation is the first public utility foundation in Korea to provide advanced assistive devices to patriots and veterans. We will continue to support these people as the custom assistive devices can significantly improve the quality of life of our patriots.”This year, the foundation selected 48 people jointly with the MPVA taking into account urgency and appropriateness and presented robotic prosthetic limbs to 18 people, multipurpose wheelchairs to 15 people, and visual and hearing aids, including object recognition glasses and smart hearing aids, to 15 people. At the delivery ceremony, organizers played a video of Young-ju Koh, who had received a robotic leg for her left leg, showing Koh working enthusiastically at POSCO HUMANS, the first company in the nation with a mission of empowering employees with disabilities. Other footage showed updates on Hyung-woon Na, who won the gold medal in Cycling at the Invictus Games,* an international multi-sport event for servicemen and women and veterans who have been injured in combat, after receiving two robotic arms two years ago. The videos moved the hearts of all in attendance at the event.*Invictus Games: The word invictus means “unconquered” and “invincible” in Latin. The international multi-sport event was founded by Prince Harry in 2014 to facilitate rehabilitation and encourage injured or sick service personnel to overcome disabilities. This is the first year for Korea to participate in the Invictus Games.Woo-keun Park (28), who joined the ceremony as a presenter, said, “Last year, a landmine exploded during the search operation at the mount of the Han river and I had to cut off my lower left leg. It was a devastating experience but when I received the robotic limb, it felt as if I had been given a whole new world. I am thankful that I can now return to my daily routine at the army with the robotic leg on.” Jong-jin Yoon, Vice Minister of MPVA, also expressed his appreciation, saying, “The POSCO 1% Foundation is making a great contribution to veterans affairs by offering state-of-the-art prosthetic devices to our patriots and veterans, which significantly improves their quality of life. This is something that is not easy to be undertaken by the government.”The POSCO 1% Foundation, which began in 2013, is operated based on contributions of employees of the POSCO Group and affiliated companies, who donate 1% of their wages and the matching grants provided by their companies. The foundation undertakes a variety of charitable activities not only for projects that offers advanced assistive devices to support people with disabilities, but also programs geared to support our future generations, multicultural families, and arts and culture.

- Established the eSports Center for People with Disabilities.- eSports players train to play various games in barrier-free facilities.​POSCO 1% Foundation held an opening ceremony on August 5, celebrating the construction of the eSports Center for People with Disabilities within the Gwangyang National Sports Center. (From the left) Director Hong-ki Jung of the Tourism, Culture and Environment Bureau, Gwangyang City; Vice Chairman Seong-ho Baek, Gwangyang City Council; Secretary General Seong-hyeon Chun, POSCO 1% Foundation; Standing Vice President Jong-sun Park, Gwangyang Parasports Association (Courtesy of POSCO).The POSCO 1% Foundation today announced that they held an opening ceremony on 5th celebrating the establishment of the eSports Center for People with Disabilities at the Gwangyang National Sports Center.The opening ceremony for the Gwanyang eSports Center for People with Disabilities was attended by 50 guests, including Vice Chairman Seong-ho Baek from the Gwangyang City Council, Director Hong-ki Jung of the Tourism, Culture and Environment Bureau at Gwangyang City, Secretary General Seong-hyeon Chun from the POSCO 1% Foundation, Standing Vice President Jong-sun Park, Gwangyang Parasports Association, who sent a message of encouragement to parasport players training at the center.Gwangyang eSports Center for People with Disabilities boasts 10 gaming PCs with the best specs with which you can hold various eSports tournaments, including League of Legends and Battleground. The center is barrier free, meaning it is equipped with ramp slops and handles, which improves access to and use of facilities for people with disabilities.Gwangyang Parasports Association plans to discover and train outstanding players among members of the Korean e-Sports Federation for the Differently Abled (KeSA) and hold tournaments against eSport players from other regions.Director Hong-ki Jung of the Tourism, Culture and Environment Bureau at Gwangyang City, said, “We will support eSports players in various ways to help them actively engage in eSports activities, which is a new type of sports.”Secretary General Seong-hyeon Chun from the POSCO 1% Foundation said, “We are reinforcing our programs that support people with disabilities. Hope the new eSports Center for People with Disabilities will provide practical support in nurturing talent.”The POSCO 1% Foundation is slated to open a second eSports Center for People with Disabilities in Pohang in September, following the Gwangyang center. In the world of eSports, players with disabilities compete fairly against other players. In particular, eSports is included in the list of official sports for the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games where you can expect to see the first-ever national eSports team.The POSCO 1% Foundation is carrying out the Wings of Hope project, which provides custom assistive devices to people with disabilities, and the Spaces of Hope project, which renovates specialized facilities, and the Meetings Become Art project, which promotes artists with disabilities. This year, the foundation is building VR Career Training Centers and a coding academy to help trainees enhance skills necessary in the workplace.

POSCO Do Dream supports young adults in becoming self-reliant and to start new business- POSCO 1% Foundation commences the Do Dream project in 2022 and assists young people to not only find jobs but also start new business.- The foundation offers one-on-one career support, including the career aptitude test and counseling.The POSCO 1% Foundation (Chairman Jeong-woo Choi) has upgraded the Do Dream program and expanded the range of support provided to young people preparing to become self-reliant.The POSCO 1% Foundation held Do Dream Orientation for two days starting July 8 at POSCO Center. The participants received a certificate of participation, took a career aptitude test and listened to the lecture given by a career expert.One participant who attended the orientation said, “I’d like to thank the POSCO 1% Foundation and the POSCO employees who provided us with this wonderful opportunity. Do Dream was a chance to muster up the strength and courage and make a fresh start. I will do my best until I get a job at a company I’d like to work at.”​▲ Participants at Do Dream 2022 listening to the introduction of the program and plans at POSCO Center on July 8.The POSCO 1% Foundation has offered self-reliance allowances to young people who have left foster care and provided mentoring for their career trajectory.In 2022, the program was broadened to include startup support in addition to employment support. Under the program, the foundation provides a startup allowance of up to KRW 3 million to people preparing to start a new business, and offers consulting on how to develop a business plan.The foundation also offers an experience-based career program on the basis of the business conducted at POSCO, POSCO INTERNATIONAL, POSCO EC, and POSCO ICT, to help participants develop specific career plans.The POSCO 1% Foundation is the only foundation in the nation to offer career consultation to not only college students but also adults, among those who have left foster homes.A total of 162 people received support from the Do Dream program offered by the POSCO 1% Foundation. Of those, 13 people in 2020 and 27 people in 2021 succeeded in getting a job. The number of people who obtain job-related certificates is also on the rise, from 18 in 2020 to 24 in 2021. Today, Do Dream is solidifying its position as a support program customized to young adults bracing themselves to be self-reliant.

- The Foundation receives the first Prime Minister’s Commendation in its history in recognition of its achievement in empowerment of children of multicultural families and migrant women.The POSCO 1% Foundation (Chairman Jeong-woo Choi) won the Prime Minister’s Commendation in recognition of its contribution to family-friendly policies at an event celebrating Family Month 2022 held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce on May 20. The event hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) and organized by the Korean Institute for Healthy Family (KIHF) was attended by 300 people including the MOGEF Minister Hyun-sook Kim and award winners for their contribution to family policies. The ceremony was organized to present commendations and encourage the individuals and organizations who have led the family-friendly policies.​▲POSCO 1% Foundation won the Prime Minister’s Commendation in recognition of it contribution to family-related policies.(From the fourth person on the left) MOGEF Minister Hyun-sook Kim and Seong-hyun Chun, Director of Corporate Citizenship Office.The foundation had the honor of receiving the acknowledgement from the Prime Minister for delivering results and empowering the children of multicultural families and migrant women who come to Korea for marriage.Minister Kim said in the Family Month event that, “I’d like to express my appreciation to all of you here for standing by multicultural families that often face discrimination and adversity. Congratulations for receiving the commendation and MOGEF will provide education and care to nurture children adolescents of multicultural families so they can grow into global talent.”Seong-hyun Chun, Director of Corporate Citizenship Office, said, “This is an award given by 35,000 POSCO employees who have been donating to the POSCO 1% Foundation. I’d like to thank all employees who have been contributing to the foundation with unwavering support for the last nine years. We will continue to take the lead on building a better world with more diverse programs.”The POSCO 1% Foundation is a non-profit foundation established in 2013 and operated based on donations from employees of the POSCO Group and affiliated companies who provide 1% of their wages. The foundation carries out a wide array of social contribution projects aimed at solving social issues in local communities with emphasis on future generations, multicultural families, and arts and culture. Ever since the early days, the foundation has implemented projects that care for and provide education to school age children from multicultural families.

- Signed a business agreement with KSIA.- The foundation to offer digital classes and provide education allowance worth KRW 500,000 per student every month.​The POSCO 1% Foundation concluded an agreement with Korea Software Industry Association (KSIA), which aims to support the development of digital talent among people with disabilities. (From the left) Director Won-joon Yang from the POSCO Management Support Headquarters, KSIA Chairman Joon-hee Jo ⓒPOSCO.The POSCO 1% Foundation joins forces with KSIA to enable digital talent among people with disabilities and help them find quality jobs.The POSCO 1% Foundation today announced that they, together with KSIA, will empower people with disabilities by training them to build and improve their digital skills and help them find quality jobs. The signing ceremony was attended by Director Won-joon Yang from the POSCO Management Support Headquarters and KSIA Chairman Joon-hee Jo, and KSIA Full-time Vice Chairman Dong-chul Kim.Through the project, POSCO will continue operating the Digital Academy for the Disabled and create new jobs.The Digital Academy for the Disabled selects people with disabilities who have bachelor's or higher degrees from across the nation and enrolls them into the program that aims to develop their capability required for Industry 4.0. From this year, the program will be offered for two years and students will receive online and offline classes on coding, web development, and AI Big Data for 24 weeks. The POSCO 1% Foundation will supervise the operation of the program and offer education allowances and school supplies worth KRW 500,000 per student every month.KSIA, on its part, will investigate job opportunities available at member companies in the IT sector. The foundation will conduct job interviews between member companies and graduates and once the graduates are hired, provide vocational training customized to the company.Director Won-joon Yang, POSCO Management Support Headquarters, said, “The digital talent fostering program for people with disabilities will help the students increase skills that are required in the workplace and find jobs. We will do our best to establish best practices in creating jobs for people with disabilities in the digital sector.”KSIA Chairman Joon-hee Jo said, “It is essential that we nurture aspiring young talent in the digital industry who will determine the pace and the level of digital transformation. We will not only set the new direction for the support targeting people with disabilities in partnership with the POSCO 1% Foundation, and contribute to the development of digital talent at the national level.”

“Join Dream School to learn and get school tips”- POSCO 1% Foundation offers one-on-one online classes to middle and high schoolers in Pohang and Gwangyang.- Students from the nation’s most prominent universities serve as teachers and mentors.The POSCO 1% Foundation (Chairman Jeong-woo Choi) today announced that it had resumed Dream School, an online learning and mentoring project, starting in April.​▲POSCO 1% Foundation began the second year of Dream School, an online learning and mentoring project, this month. A contactless awards ceremony held in February for outstanding first year mentors and mentees from Dream School.Dream School is a program that offers one-on-one online video classes to support students in Pohang and Gwangyang who are having a hard time learning due to a poor educational infrastructure compared to the metropolitan area. The program first began as Dream Camp in 2019 through which students took classes in a classroom setting, but the camp was converted into online classes after the outbreak of COVID-19 and was renamed Dream School, which began anew in August 2021.Dream School 2022 kicked off in April and plans to offer one-on-one video classes to 200 middle and high schoolers in Pohang and Gwangyang for a total of eight months until November. Students of the nation’s prestigious universities will serve as teachers and mentors and not only teach them different subjects but also provide advice on a student’s career trajectory.Dream School was developed in partnership with a professional online teaching academy to create a learning environment similar to a real classroom, and to maximize interaction between mentors and mentees. The school held virtual orientation sessions for mentors on March 7 to 8 and mentees on March 15 to 16 when organizers explained the purpose of the program and precautions.Joonsu Jung, a student from Baekwoon Middle School who participated in the program, said, “Mentors offered useful advice on educational trajectories and we had a chance to learn advanced physics in advance, which is rarely available. It was an invaluable opportunity to not only improve my grades, but to also take one step closer toward my dream of becoming a theoretical physicist. I hope that more students like me are able to open up new opportunities at Dream School.”87% of the first class of Dream School saw their grades improve and over 75% of them delivered results, winning numerous awards in competitions, and passing technician certification tests after completing the course. The experience fundamentally changed their attitude towards learning and most of them hoped to join the school once again.Besides Dream School, the POSCO 1% Foundation is also undertaking a number of other projects to support future generations in local communities, including Art School, a school of arts and culture for elementary school students; Sang Sang Esang Science, an experience-based middle school program nurturing young scientists; and Do Dream, a program that support adolescents to become self-reliant.Yoobin Chae yoobin@posco.comData and image courtesy of the Corporate Citizenship Office