BASPIA English Blog

Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI) November Photos

Dear English Blog Readers:

Here are some photos (care of HERI) of a BASPIA team attending the HERI Corporate Social Responsibility / Sustainability Course in Novemeber.

In Front (Left to Right):
Mr. Doyoung Kim, SK Telecom Manager; Mr. Wonjae Lee, Head of HERI; Professor Hankyun Rho, Kookmin University College of Business Administration

Behind Front row (Left to Right):
Shienna Kim, OD Intern; Minyoung Seo, OD Intern; Susan Lee, OD Project Associate.  Not shown: Kim Yoon-Hyung.































For more photos, please go to the HERI website at: 
http://www.heri.kr/bbs/list.php?bbs_section_cd=gallery

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) &

Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI)

Dear BASPIA WORLD English Blog Readers,

We just attended the HERI Sustainability Course last week and I'm happy to report that I am even more enthusiastic about what is going on in Korea.  Not only is SK Telecom really making waves in the area of social enterprise, such as through their lunchbox project, but HERI is also providing a great platform for growing future social leaders in business.  

 

At the event, I was impressed by the student-run group, Nexters, which was formed after some college students attended one of the HERI Sustainability courses.  Nexters just recently went on a trip to India and Bangladesh to learn more about social entrepreneurship and theories about how corporations can help alleviate poverty.

 

CSR is a relatively new sector for South Korean businesses, but HERI is building awareness about it.   After Korea joined Global Compact this past summer, HERI was the first organization to analyze sustainability reports using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.  (The GRI is a unique, multi-stakeholder organization pursuing consistent, regular and comparable reporting.)

 

I am looking forward to seeing what else happens in the field of human rights, development, and corporate social responsibility.   If you are too, please make use of the various resources listed below as they are freely available on-line.

 

Sincerely yours,
Susan Lee
Project Associate
Organization Development

 

 

For more information about:

• Nexters: http://nexters.org/blog
  
• Global Compact Korea: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/news_archives/2007_09_17.html

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): http://www.globalreporting.org/AboutGRI/ 

• HERI’s first analysis on 22 local South Korea companies: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/230034.html 
  

On-line Resources about CSR:

• Ethical Corporation:http://www.ethicalcorp.com/
  
• Business and Human Rights Resource Center:  http://www.business-humanrights.org/Home

Landmark report on transparency released

S. Korean firms score well on consumer protection but low on human rights and the economy

Aug.20,2007

Yuhan-Kimberly ranked first in the transparency of its public reports on achievements in social and the environment sectors. The landmark report evaluating the transparency of South Korean companies gave high scores to companies for reporting on product responsibility, but lower scores for reporting on human rights and the economy.

 

The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute, an affiliate of The Hankyoreh, analyzed the “sustainability reports” of 22 local companies to estimate how transparent they have been in disclosing their business achievements in diverse categories. The areas include the economy, the environment, labor, human rights, society and consumer protection.

 

According to the outcome, Yuhan-Kimberly scored an average 57 points on a scale of 100, ranking first among those surveyed. Korea South-East Power came in second with 55 points, followed by POSCO and Daewoo Securities with 52 points each. Samsung SDI and Korea Electric Power Corp. were next with 48 points each.

 

The transparency analysis is the first of its kind in South Korea and was initiated at a time when corruption at Korean conglomerates, known as chaebol, comes under fire and awareness of the need for greater transparency and increased corporate social responsibility is growing. The average score for all 22 companies surveyed stood at 39 points.

 

Along with the top six companies, Samsung Electronics, KT, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Korea Water Resources Corp. and Korea Midland Power received higher-than-average scores, while SK Telecom, Korea Land Corp., LG Electronics, Lotte Shopping, Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Company, GS Caltex, Shinhan Bank, Kumho Asiana Group and Woongjin Coway were among those which received lower-than-expected scores.

 

Meanwhile, public companies fared better than private-owned enterprises in transparent corporate reporting. State-run companies received an average 44 points, while private ones got 37 points, the analysis showed.

 

By sector, Yuhan-Kimberly came in first in three categories -- labor, human rights and product liability. Korea South-East Power ranked first in the environmental area and Daewoo Securities and POSCO led the pack in community and economic sectors, respectively.

 

According to the analysis, South Korean companies received relatively fewer points in reporting on human rights and the economy, while they were given higher figures in product responsibility and other social categories.

 

The analysis of sustainability reports, the first of its kind done in South Korea, demonstrates how faithfully local enterprises are disclosing their achievements based on international standards.

 

The analysis reflects that Korean companies are maintaining relatively high transparency in reporting on consumer protection and related product liability areas, but fall short of global standards in unveiling information on human rights.

 

Yuhan-Kimberly was the most transparent company among manufacturers, trailed by POSCO and Samsung SDI, while Daewoo Securities topped the list among non-manufacturers. KT and SK Telecom ranked second and third, respectively, the analysis showed.

 

The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute said that the analysis was based on recommendations by the Global Reporting Initiative and conducted in a total of 50 business-related indexes for three months since March of this year.

 

“It is a welcome shift for a growing number of local companies to be publishing sustainability reports in tandem with global trends,” said Lee Won-jae, head of the The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute. “When they raise transparency on reporting information about society and the environment, it will likely help them do business in more socially responsible ways.”

 

By Hankyoreh
August 8, 2007

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/230034.html

 

Afterthoughts from the International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights

By Yoon Hyung KIM
Intern, RBA Research Team
November 20, 2007

 

Last year at school, I wrote a paper on “Why North Korean Defectors are Not Recognized as Refugees?” Through this assignment, I learned about international refugee law and current situations on North Korean defectors. So at this symposium, I expected to learn up-to-date theory and action within this field.

 

The symposium really did not come up with any tangible solutions, especially regarding UNHCR’s stance and China’s government. UNHCR still upheld the conventional definition of refugees, mainly considering North Korean defectors as economic migrants. In my opinion, UNHCR needs to bring more comprehensive perspectives in defining refugees. However, considering the limit of UNHCR’s capacity as well as geopolitical delicacy surrounding China and Korean peninsula, I understand the difficulties in its action. 

 

As for the Chinese standpoint, this event was said to be the first time any professors from China came to speak about their opinions. Since NGOs have criticized China for not protecting North Korean defectors and for violating the principle of non-refoulment, I expected these professors to align themselves with NGOs’ stance. To my surprise, the Chinese professors seemed to advocate China’s tough policy.  A professor from Yanbian University, Kim Gang-Il, caught my attention by emphasizing the priority of regional stability outweighs humanitarian concerns, and thus China’s difficult situation should be understood and not put under further pressure through publicizing the issue. I believe his argument is practical and realistic even though his statement is likely to be controversial for human rights activists.  

 

The Political External Section Chief of U.S. Embassy, Brian McFeeters, stated that nuclear issues takes precedence over humanitarian concerns. He emphasized that the North Korean defectors issue falls within the responsibility of Asian nations, rather than the U.S government, because the majority of defectors reside in Asian countries such as China.  It seemed to me that the U.S is also inclined to opt for the silent diplomacy just as China.

   

Overall, the symposium was an opportunity for me to reaffirm the viewpoints of various parties concerned, although I would have liked to hear about opinions from Chinese government representatives. It seemed that a new consensus in favor of silent diplomacy is being built as an alternative to publicizing. Silent diplomacy may give involved countries more room for practical action; however, it risks leaving vulnerable people at the government’s disposal. This is why I can’t help but hope that silent diplomacy is not just another way of turning a blind eye to the asylum-seekers from North Korea. 

 

 

BASPIA attends the Hankyoreh
HERI Sustainability School

Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute has monthly Sustainability Courses designed to cover a topic and case study from a Korean corporation regarding the CSR strategies and outcome.  Last month's topic was about ethics at POSCO. This month will be about SK Telecom.  The course will be headed by Mr. Won-jae Lee, Head of Research at the Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI).

 

The education workshop will be on Thursday, November 22, 2007, from 6:00pm - 9:00pm

 

Those interested in attending contact:

http://www.heri.kr/school/main.php

Phone: 027100216

Email: smschool@hani.co.kr

 

Mr. Won-jae Lee, Head of Research at HERI

 About Hankyoreh:

The Hankyoreh joins U.N. Global Compact

Newspaper plans to publish report on its efforts to achieve corporate social responsibility

 

The Hankyoreh has officially joined the U.N. Global Compact, which pursues ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. The United Nations Global Compact granted permission to The Hankyoreh to participate in the initiative on Sept. 4, making The Hankyoreh the first newspaper corporation in Korea to join the initiative.

 

As a participant in the compact, The Hankyoreh will publish a sustainable management report in the near future to make public its achievements in the area of corporate social responsibility.

 

In addition, The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute, a subsidiary of the newspaper, will set up a sustainable management training center. In addition to providing training, the institute will assess and measure the sustainable management performance of other local businesses.

 

The U.N. Global Compact, initiated by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and launched in 2000 at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, is the largest international consultative network in the world. At present, approximately 4,000 enterprises and organizations from over 100 countries are engaged in the Global Compact, while a total of 81 South Korean companies have already signed on to the compact.

 

The South Korean branch of the Global Compact held a preparatory meeting this year on July 4 and will be inaugurated on Sept. 17.”

 

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/234295.html

Posted on : Sep.6,2007 12:31 KST

BASPIA's Past Work with Anti-Slavery International At the International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights: 


Last week, at the International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights, Ms. Norma Kang Muico was asked to speak on the topic of Vulnerable Undocumented North Korean Migrants in China.

In early 2007, Anti-Slavery International’s Ms. Norma Kang Muico published the report entitled:  Forced Labour in North Korean Prison Camps, which contains information regarding rural North Korean brides in China and struggles when deported back to North Korea.  BASPIA was acknowledged for Ms. Hae-young Lee’s and Mr. Dae-gyo Seo’s significant contributions to the publication. 

While Ms. Muico’s report focuses more on the prison camps in North Korea, there is mention of North Korean long-term migrant women in China.  BASPIA’s forthcoming report is focused exclusively on these irregular migrants and the need to protect these women.  A fact sheet of our on-going research will be available by the beginning of the new year.

Ms. Muico, far left, during her presentation session.

Ms. Muico speaking with BASPIA's Hae-young Lee.


To read the Anti-Slavery International report:

http://www.antislavery.org/homepage/resources/PDF/PDFforcedlabour.htm

 

National Commission on Human Rights-Korea (NCHRK)

http://www.humanrights.go.kr/index.jsp

 

By Susan Lee (Project Associate)

Organizational Development

Nov 14, 2007

 

International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights

International Trends Concerning
Human Rights for North Korean Defectors


This Wednesday, October 7th, 2007, BASPIA will be attending the International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights, hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.   Registration begins at 9:30am and sessions start at 10:00 am.  The Symposium will be held at the National Assembly Conference Room at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is located off of City Hall Station, exit #9.


Please see the following website for more information:
http://www.humanrights.go.kr/index.jsp

In 2006, Seonam Forum created the first comprehensive report, entitled Seonam Forum: The White Paper On East Asian Civil Organizations, covering 73 current Korean grassroots organizations, including BASPIA, which is listed under the Human Rights category.  

 

All organizations are grouped into eight different categories, including Antiwar, Environmental Issues, and Labor.  An appendix includes interesting results from a questionnaire completed by the activists.

 

This project was published in collaboration with professors of East Asian Studies from universities such as Yonsei, Ewha, and Sogang.

 

Seonam Forum is known for covering a wide range of themes focused on the East-Asian region.  It originated from Seonam Foundation of Tong Yang Group, a multinational corporation which owns various subsidiaries in IT, finance and manufacturing sectors. Orion group, the renowned company most famous for Choco-pies, was originally developed and owned by Tong Yang Group.

 

By Shienna Kim (김민정)
Organization Development Intern

Reflections from the World Women’s Forum 2007

 

The World Women’s Forum was an amazing opportunity to meet women around the world to discuss various issues that encompass our lives in the 21^st century.  I was honored to represent BASPIA at the forum and connect with people on behalf of our cause for harmonizing human rights and development.  While there is so much to say about the three day event, I’d like to highlight two inspiring speeches.

 

Without a doubt, listening to Nobel Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus was all I had expected it to be—the most inspiring speech.  He spoke of overcoming rejection and ridicule for trying to help poor women in Bangladesh rise out of poverty through small businesses.  He elaborated on stories of reapplying for grants despite several rejections and monitoring (with positive results) the rate of Grameen Bank women rising out of poverty within five years.  Tenacity, perseverance, and keen results-based monitoring were obvious in his success of inspiring a world-wide movement.

 

A more subtle speech came during the panel, "Women as Catalyst for Peace and Stability."  Ms. Gaby Lasky, a human rights attorney in Israel, mentioned how sitting next to Dr. Mona El-Farra, a Palestinian physician in the Gaza Strip, was not an easy feat to achieve.  Because of the strict border laws between Palestine and Israel, these two famous activists were never able to meet.  It took flying over eight hours to Korea to finally connect with one another.  To me, that highlighted similarities between the activists and vulnerable people working between the North and South Korean border.  North Korea is only 30 minutes away by car, but feels like a world away in our hearts. 

Lasky then reiterated the importance of perseverance, encouraging other human rights activist to continue utilizing UN mechanisms and holding governments accountable.  I cannot describe the exuberance by which she engaged and inspired the listeners.

 

Hopefully more people will be able to attend the World Women’s Forum next year and also be inspired and challenged to harmonize human rights and sustainable development.

By: Susan Lee,
Project Associate
Organization Development

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, BASPIA staff attended South Korea's location for the White Band campaign concert on Oct. 17, 2007.  Pictures and video clip can be viewed on our Korean blog, http://baspia.tistory.com/

Guest singers included Kim Jang-Hun, Lee Min-Woo, Lee Soo-Young, Wui Seoung, Wondergirls, VOS, Yang Hee-Eun, and Lim Jung-Hee.

According to the White Band website, "In 2006, GCAP (Global Call to Action Against Poverty) adopted Oct. 17th as a White Band Day and 23.5 million people in 87 countries joined the call Stand Up Against Poverty in the largest coordinated mobilization of people in the history of the Guinness World Records."  http://www.whiteband.org/about-gcap/GcapSpecials/anti-poverty-day/index_html