SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stressed the role of businesses in creating a sustainable economy in a discussion session on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the company said Friday.

At a session jointly hosted by Boston Consulting Group, the head of South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate shared his experience of pursuing ways to promote the sharing economy nationwide by facilitating tangible and intangible assets held by his companies.

Taking an example of SK Innovation’s gas stations across the country operating as an open platform for a sharing economy, Chey urged businesses to join efforts in creating social value by sharing their innovative technologies and assets with startups and stakeholders. 

Taking a big step forward, SK Innovation, the conglomerate’s energy arm, said in 2017 it would provide 3,600 gas stations across the country as a platform of the sharing economy by allowing them to be distribution points for start-ups‘ logistics operations.

The scheme is Chey’s management vision on seeking deep change, the company explained.

Not only SK Innovation, but also other major business units including telecom and chips businesses have been working ways to generate social value and create new business opportunities for social enterprises.

The forum held in Davos was attended by Hans-Paul Burkner, chairman of Boston Consulting Group and Joe Kaeser, chairman of Siemens.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)