Doosan Group has rolled out a slew of social contribution programs ranging from sponsorship of artists to medical services and disaster aid matching its growing global presence.

A team in charge of social contributions was set up last year under Doosan Corporation, the conglomerate’s holding company, to systematically realize Doosan Group’s management philosophy of “sharing dreams and hopes with society.”

The team coordinates affiliate companies’ social contribution activities and develops unique programs.

The Yonkang Foundation is another major pillar of Doosan Group’s efforts to fulfill its social responsibility.

Established in 1978 in memory of Doosan founder Park Too-pyung’s belief that education was the main driving force of national development, the foundation has supported academic research, overseas learning trips for teachers and sent books to institutions in need.

Since last year, Yonkang has sponsored promising artists under the age of 40 by awarding a person in performing arts and three people in fine arts.

In addition to the prize money, the foundation provides the winners in performing arts with financial support for new productions, workshops, seminars and artist mentoring. Winners in fine arts are offered apartments and studios in New York as well as opportunities to exhibit their works in Doosan’s galleries in Seoul and New York. Including the prize money, the benefits for the winners amount to 100 million won per person.

The Doosan Art Center under the foundation won an award last year from the Korean Business Council for the Arts for its “Doosan Residency New York” program, which provides up-and-coming artists with apartments and studios, and supports their exchanges with prominent curators and critics.

Doosan affiliates are also engaging in social contribution activities based on their characteristics.

Ninety-five percent of Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction’s employees, or about 6,000 people, take part in volunteer works reaching out to local communities at home and abroad.

Doosan’s Vietnamese arm, Doosan VINA, has supported surgeries for children with harelip jointly with Chung-Ang University, and donated medical equipment and nutrients.

Doosan also offers scholarships in Vietnam’s major universities and donates desalination facilities.

Doosan Infracore actively took part in disaster aid across the world by providing excavators and other equipment for relief efforts when a tsunami struck Southeast Asia in 2004, Hurricane Katrina devastated southern America in 2005 and an earthquake hit China’s Sichuan province in 2008. The company also helped Japan’s tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant recover from explosions in April.

By Kim So-hyun  (sophie@heraldcorp.com)