In this time of giving, not only Korean conglomerates, but also some foreign companies and their chambers here are eager to engage in charitable activities.

Countering the local media’s criticism of their “lackluster giving,” members of the foreign business community said they do help those in need.

“We do a lot of charitable activities but we don’t receive a lot attention, and then we get a lot of criticism that companies are not giving back, which is not true,” said American Chamber of Commerce President Amy Jackson.

Two of the biggest foreign business chambers, AMCHAM and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea, have set up corporate social responsibility foundations to assist their members in donating to the local community.

On Dec. 16, the EUCCK held a Christmas event at Nam San Orphanage in central Seoul.

“The objective is to have our members contribute, especially to the environment they are working in,” said EUCCK secretary general Jean-Jacques Grauhar.

The EUCCK established the Europe-Korea Foundation, its charity arm, in 2001 and runs several charitable events a year.
 

The charity wing of AMCHAM, the Partners for the Future foundation, was set up in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis to help families affected by unemployment or with disabled children.

To date, AMCHAM’s charity wing has donated over $10 million since its inception in 2000.

“Our companies are extremely active in this realm. Met Life, for example, has a foundation that services only Korea, several U.S. companies have their own Korean foundations. Major companies here like Pfizer participate through us,” Jackson said.

Pfizer donates 150 million won annually to Partners for the Future to send local students to medical school. In total, the pharmaceutical giant has donated 1.5 billion won in medical scholarships in Korea.

“GM Korea, GE, Boeing, you name the American companies, they all have charitable activities and do all kinds of things and it’s not recognized,” Jackson said.

EUCCK’s Grauhar explained that it is even more important for companies to give during difficult times.

“This way it shows that they are really contributing to society,” he said.

Shin and Kim lawyer Benjamin Hughes, who participated in the charity event at Nam San Orphanage, said: “A lot of our clients are foreign companies and we do see them give a lot back to the community. There are some limitations, they don’t know the language or culture, but we’ve seen our foreign clients set up scholarships for example.”

As a lawyer, Hughes has assisted foreign firms establish foundations to donate to local people in need.

Lufthansa Cargo, who runs the Cargo Human Care foundation, just started operating in August and made its first appearance at Nam San Orphanage.

“This is our first entry into Korea here,” said Uwe Glunz, Lufthansa Cargo General Manager.

“We didn’t donate money, we can’t give due to our corporate regulations, instead we give presents, time and sponsor giveaways.”

Some foreign brands said they have been giving for some time, countering the accusation against them of “donating little” despite their soaring profits.

Mercedes-Benz Korea said it donated 400 million won in the second half of this year alone.

“We donated 200 million won to Korea National University of Arts' Culture and Arts Sponsorship Program to nurture emerging artists,” an official at Mercedes-Benz said.

“We also donated similar amounts to other welfare organizations.”

Louis Vuitton Korea announced a joint commitment designed to help children at the SOS Children’s Villages Korea, a non-government organization dedicated to helping children across the country.

SOS Children’s Villages Korea currently has three villages across the country ― in Daegu, Suncheon and Seoul.

Louis Vuitton Korea also donated money to Arumgiki, or Culture Keepers Foundation in English, for the protection of old trees in Korea.

Public relations corporate manager Chong Da-jeong said her company supported the preservation of two old trees in Hamyang in South Gyeongsang Province that are more than 500 hundred years old and close to dying.

L’Oreal Korea said it runs several CSR programs, including “Working Mom,” a campaign to assist women when they return to the workforce after maternity leave.

By Yoav Cerralbo (yoav@heraldcorp.com)