Following is the ninth in a series of stories about companies’ social contribution activities. ― Ed.


Standard Chartered Korea offered a total of 1.5 billion won ($1.4 million), most of which it raised through a cross-country cycling relay campaign by employees and customers, to sponsor eye operations for blind children and to preserve a wetland.

During a feast titled “Here for Good” to stress its commitment to Korean society on Saturday at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, the financial services company delivered 1 billion won, raised through a 100-day cycling relay from Busan to Seoul in which some 400 employees, retirees and customers participated, to its affiliate in Vietnam to sponsor eye operations for blind children.

The cyclers joined hands as volunteers in community service at each stop they made during the cross-country journey in collaboration with nongovernmental organizations and local governments.

The Korean arm of the British banking group provided another 140 million won to the Heart-Heart Welfare Foundation that supports local blind children and an NGO dedicated to the preservation of the Upo Wetland in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.

In Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Standard Chartered held a charity bazaar and used the money raised to sponsor the eye operations.

While the cyclers rode across the country, Standard Chartered staff members nationwide ran fundraising activities under various themes.

A 90-year-old customer readily donated 1 million won and a famous calligrapher offered his talent and works for free as presents for the bank’s customers.

At a Standard Chartered branch in a provincial region, an actor who was filming a movie there took part in the donation campaign as he came upon it.

Also during Saturday’s event, pop musicians Psy and Sistar gave performances for some 15,000 employees and their families as well as customers of Standard Chartered Korea.

“Here for Good” was the first such event to be held in seven years since 2005.

“Standard Chartered Korea is fully prepared for growth,” Standard Chartered Korea chief executive Richard Hill said during his congratulatory speech made entirely in Korean at the evening ceremony.

“All of this was achieved because of your devotion. Let us be proud of the fact that we are members of the world’s most international bank Standard Chartered which has shown record-breaking growth over the past 10 years.”

Hill also sang songs in Italian and Korean that evening.

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