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Future leaders
2006-10-30
China Daily
"I will try my best to become a scientist," says Wang Jingyi, after finishing a half-day visit to the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing in October.
The 11 years old girl is a student of Chishui Town Centre Primary School in Weinan, in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It was her first time to leave her hometown and ride a train.
She and her fellow 114 students and teachers, as representatives of five Samsung Anycall Hope Primary Schools in Tianjin, Northwest China's Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, and Central China's Anhui and Henan provinces, are experiencing their first visit to the country's capital.
The initiative Samsung Anycall Hope Primary School Science Camp is supported by Samsung, the world's leading electronics equipment provider. The 115 students and their teachers had a four-day science tour in Beijing and Tianjin, visiting historical and science museums including the National Museum, the Beijing Aquarium, and the Tianjin Samsung Telecom Technology Co Ltd.
"Providing for a country's development and future, we must be concerned about and treasure the children most," says Keun-Hee Park, president and chief executive officer of Samsung Group's China branch.
"The Science Camp will help the children understand the importance of science and technology, and accordingly, make them struggle toward the right goals," Park adds. "It is not only a science camp, but also a hope camp."
As a part of Samsung's Anycall Hope Project, the Science Camp, launched last November, "is derived from our commitment of not only constructing the hard facilities of the primary schools, but creating more opportunities for disadvantaged children in these schools to enrich their experiences and knowledge," Park says.
"Samsung is planting dreams and hopes in these children's hearts."
Education leader
As a global business operator, Samsung is also involved in China's education promotion, and "we hope to be the leader in China's charity affairs," says Park.
Last year, Samsung began to throw itself into China's Hope Project, a keystone governmental charity project, by signing an agreement with China Youth Development Foundation, donating nine million yuan (US$1.125 million) to set up Hope Project Samsung Anycall Fund, and promising to build 45 Hope Primary Schools between 2005 and 2007, covering every province.
"We invest at least US$3 million every year into China's education," Park tells China Business Weekly. "All of our 28 manufacturing corporations and 30 sales corporations provide various sponsorship to China's education."
In 2000, Samsung began to set up scholarships in 23 universities in China, supporting 450 students every year. So far, the electronics giant has helped 1,892 disadvantaged students who are outstanding in both morality and academics.
The company also co-operated with CCTV (China Central Television Station) to launch Samsung General Knowledge Quiz Show, a TV show for middle school students.
"Samsung is a company that attaches importance to talents. Therefore, we take education assistance as a must-do in our public affairs," says Park. "And I believe it is also a donation for moral."
"Donations from international business institutions such as Samsung also teaches students that the world needs love, and that people in different countries should help each other," says Tu Meng, chief director of China Youth Development Foundation, who has been working for Hope Project for more than ten years.
"Thanks to Samsung, I can go to school and chase my dream of being a scientist. When I'm grown up and capable, I will help others who need assistance," says Wang Jingyi of Chishui Town Centre Primary School.
"We pay a lot in charity, but win more from the public," Park explains. "Gaining trust and recognition, we will have strong performance and returns in our business. Then Samsung will invest more into charity."
"We will repay the profit we gain from the China market to this society."
In-house benefit
Besides education donations, Samsung also flings itself into other charity affairs, such as environmental protection initiatives, rural economic support and disadvantaged group assistance.
"From last September, we launched a project called Our Heart and Our Village Campaign, aiming to help the rural country with our true heart," says Park.
All of the more than 50 corporations under Samsung Group must aid at least one village. "It is not a one-off financial investment, but long-term support and reinforcement for every staff of Samsung."
Park also says that from this year, all new staff must attend at least one-day of public affairs training.
"Yesterday, of the charity team I brought to the village, 80 were new staff. They told me that it was the first time they had gone to a rural region and participated in farm work. However, when they attend a charity affair one time, they will think about the second and third time and find more ideas in it," says Park.
Although he is CEO and president, Park tries his best to participate in all the public affairs.
"As the leader, I have to take the initiative and more importantly, the high-level managers can only realize the meaning of charity and innovate new ideas by throwing themselves into the practice."
He also says public affairs enforces the consistency of his company. "Staff care for each other and hold together. It also boosts up their trust and confidence in the company."
As the global leader in semiconductors, telecommunications, digital media and digital convergence technologies, Samsung Electronics reached sales revenue of US$71.9 billion last year.
Samsung consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the world's fastest growing brands, Samsung Electronics is the world's largest producer of colour monitors, mobiles phones, colour TVs, memory chips and TFT-LCDs.
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