What We Do
Taking action for practical solutions of social issues
Key Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives
To contribute to sustainable life, we focus our social contribution programs on theree areas: Environment for climate change response and ecosystem protection, Mobility for free and safe movement, and Challenge for the growth and self-reliance of future generations.
Green Light project
Kia’s flagship global corporate social responsibility project that provides residents of underdeveloped countries, including Africa, the opportunity to take on new challenges and supports the growth of individuals as well as the independence of local communities.
Green trip
Movement that inspires For Everyone. Green Trip supports the travel of the handicapped so that limitations against their mobility do not become limitations against their travel.
Local communities Social contribution
Kia has unique corporate social responsibility initiatives for each of its places of business worldwide to help fulfill its social responsibilities in the local community.
Employee sharing
For the sustainable development of the community, we operate an employee volunteer based on voluntary participation.
If you have any suggestions for social contribution collaboration with Kia,
please send e-mail to sustainability@kia.com.
Green Light project
Kia’s flagship global corporate social responsibility project that provides residents of underdeveloped countries, including Africa, the opportunity to take on new challenges and supports the growth of individuals as well as the independence of local communities.
The opportunity that everyone needs for self-reliance and growth
Since 2012, Kia has built nineteen Green Light Project Centers in fifteen African
countries to offer schools, health centers, and vocational training centers
required by local communities, and to operate mobility programs such as mobile
libraries and clinics that combine essential services with the value of mobility.
Moreover, Kia has developed self-sufficient revenue-generating businesses so that the
social infrastructure facilities built in local communities can be sustainable once Kia’s
sponsorship expires, thereby establishing a virtuous economic cycle structure that covers a
portion of the operating expenses required for said infrastructure facilities.
Environment
In 2019, Kia opened an environmental center in Vietnam to help solve environmental pollution problems in rapidly growing economies, and help collect and dispose of waste in an eco-friendly manner. In particular, the collected waste plastic is upcycled into plastic pellets using a separate treatment process. Moving forward, the Green Light project will continue to develop as a carbon-neutral corporate social responsibility initiative actively responding to climate change.
Implementation Status
Tanzania
Aug. 2012~
Cooperating Institutions: Good Neighbors, SBS
- Provides high-quality education to students in the Nagashanqui region and creates a sustainable educational environment to develop future leaders
- School bus (3 vehicles): Support for students from remote locations
- Independent mobility support vehicle (1 vehicle): Vehicle for transporting local products (apparel, etc.)
- Improves income for local residents through the production of school uniforms and apparel items
Aug. 2014~
Cooperating Institutions: Good Neighbors, SBS
- Offers learning opportunities to residents in the underdeveloped areas of Bagamoyo, Tanzania
- School bus (1 vehicle): Transports students from remote areas to and from school
- Independence mobility support vehicle (1 vehicle): Vehicle for transporting local products produced by local agricultural cooperatives
- Helps improve productivity and raise income with education/training programs on pineapple farming technology
Malawi
Aug. 2012~
Cooperating Institutions: Korea Food for the Hungry International
- Helps improve quality of life by providing medical and health services to the local residents of Salima
- Mobile clinic (1 vehicle): Provides medical services to residents in remote areas
- Mobile library/multimedia vehicle (1 vehicle each): Offers educational opportunities to residents in remote areas
- Increases income from corn production by loaning fertilizer and operating corn mills
Aug. 2013~
Cooperating Institutions: Korea Food for the Hungry International
- Provides high-quality learning opportunities (secondary school level) to residents in Lilongwe (an urban slum area), Malawi
- Mobile school (1 vehicle): Provides mobile education for students in remote areas
- Independent mobility support vehicle (1 vehicle): Helps transport corn to help local residents become self-reliant
- Helps local residents generate income by operating mills, bakeries, and school canteens
Mozambique
Aug. 2013~
Cooperating Institutions: ChildFund Korea, SBS
- Provides learning opportunities (secondary school level) to residents in Zavala, Mozambique, a region suffering from an absolute shortage of educational services
- Mobile clinic (1 vehicle): Provides medical services in remote areas
- School bus (1 vehicle): Supports academic activities such as field trips
- Self-reliance support vehicle (1 vehicle): Provides education/training on self-reliance projects for local (village) residents
- Small savings and loan business support
- Helps local (village) residents create and operate a VS&L system for business funds for the future
* VS&L : Village Saving and Loan
Aug. 2023~
Cooperating Institutions: World Vision
- To provide opportunities for children and youth to develop their musical abilities
- To enhance accessibility to local community music culture through organizing musical concerts
- School bus (1 Vehicle) : Transports students from remote areas to and from school
- Implementing a Music Internship Program
- Providing music teaching skills and career coaching
- Providing job opportunities as a music teacher after the internship ends - Implementing life-skills training - Communication skills, asset management, etc.
Ethiopia
Aug. 2014~
Cooperating Institutions: KOICA, World Vision
- Functions as a hub that helps local students improve their professional capacities as automobile mechanics (trainees), and create new employment opportunities
- Light automotive repair/maintenance vehicle (1 vehicle): Offers mobile repair/maintenance services from a mobile service center
- Self-reliance support vehicle (1 vehicle): Offers youth employment/startup services
- Offers employment/startup opportunities in car repair/maintenance services for GLP Vocational Training Center graduates
Jul. 2015~
Cooperating Institutions: Miral Welfare Foundation
- Operates secondary schools to help improve the poor educational environment in the Guangwa region
- School bus (1 vehicle): Transports students from remote areas to and from school
- Self-reliance support vehicle (1 vehicle): Transport and distributes local products to help local residents become self-reliant
- Increases income for local residents by harvesting, distributing, and selling moringa
Kenya
Aug. 2014~
Cooperating Institutions: KOICA, Good Neighbors
- Helps local students improve their professional capacity by providing education/training on automobile repair/maintenance, and creates new employment opportunities
- Mobile light repair/maintenance vehicle (1 vehicle): Offers mobile vehicle repair/maintenance services
- Offers employment/startup opportunities in car repair/maintenance services for GLP Vocational Training Center graduates
Uganda
Jul. 2016~
Cooperating Institutions: Korea Food for the Hungry International
- Improves the level of local medical/health services by expanding medical services and infrastructure using a cooperative model with local governments
- Mobile clinic (1 vehicle): Provides medical services to residents in remote areas
- Mobile library/multimedia vehicle (1 vehicle each): Offers educational opportunities to residents in remote areas
- Increases income for local residents by producing and selling livestock and dairy products
Rwanda
Jul. 2017~
Cooperating Institutions: Merry Year International
- Offers vocational training (agricultural skills) support for local residents to help break the vicious circle of poverty issues stemming from low-wage and low-productivity
- Mobile school (1 vehicle): Provides agricultural education to students in remote areas
- Mobile farming tools/machinery vehicle (1 vehicle): Loans farm tools/machinery to residents in remote areas
- Helps local farmers generate income by purchasing corn and helping farmers distribute/sell corn
Ghana
Jul. 2018~
Cooperating Institutions: World Vision
- Builds maternal health service centers and HIV/malaria diagnosis centers
- Mobile clinic (1 vehicle): Provides health services such as maternal health, vaccination, and skin disease treatment for three villages
- Operates pharmacies near health centers
Vietnam
Jul. 2019~
Cooperating Institutions: Good Neighbors
- Improves the environment in the Mai Chau area, and improves environmental awareness by engaging local residents in environmental initiatives
- Garbage collection vehicles (2 vehicles): Expands areas serviced by the waste disposal center
- Manufactures and sells upcycled products
Albania
Jul. 2023~
Cooperating Institutions: World Vision
- Providing medical and psychosocial services for children with disabilities, their families, and community members
- Mobile clinic (1 vehicle): Provides medical services to residents in remote rural areas
- Increases income for local residents by providing agricultural training programs and transportation services
Zimbabwe
Aug. 2023~
Cooperating Institutions: Korea Food for the Hungry International
- Supporting income growth through the establishment of agricultural infrastructure, a major industry in Zimbabwe
- Establishment of wells, solar pumps, and greenhouses, fish farms, etc.
- Supporting equipment for mines and establishing a safe environment in Wedza District.
- Support for mining equipment, safety equipment, equipment storage, etc
- Establishment of workers’ rest areas
- Providing a vehicle for operation and management
Green trip
Movement that inspires For Everyone. Green Trip supports the travel of the handicapped so that limitations against their mobility do not become limitations against their travel.
(As of 31st Dec 2023)
84,610
Number of users
About 529M
Distance driven
40,256
Days driven
Free travel for everyone
Kia provides "Easy Move" Carnival vehicles that can be driven by the handicapped and carry electric wheelchairs.
Through vehicle, travel expenses, fuel, and driver support, Kia looks to provide hope for the handicapped whose
travels have been limited for a variety of reasons in the past.
Moreover, Kia’s Green Trip website offers a wide array of travel-related information
(e.g. convenient facilities and travel itineraries to domestic tourist attractions).
Easy mobility for everyone
In addition to supporting the travel of the handicapped, Green Trip will develop various mobility support projects (e.g. smart electric wheelchairs and vehicles for the handicapped) to improve mobility for other people in our society with poor access to mobility.
Local communities Social contribution
Kia has unique corporate social responsibility initiatives for each of its places of business worldwide to help fulfill its social responsibilities in the local community.
Corporate social responsibility at places of business (Korea)
- Headquarters: Career mentorship program for local youths
- Sales Division: Career mentorship program for local youth, Youth Writing contest
- Customer Service Division: Maintenance services for old vehicles at Welfare Centers
- After-school study rooms for local youths to bolster the learning infrastructure and develop future members of the community
- Education on the environment for local youths to develop environmentally-conscious members of the community
- Exposure to cultural performances and art education for local youths to offer opportunities to build cultural sensitivities and show artistic talent.
Corporate social responsibility at places of business (international)
- A.W.I.M : A World in Motion
- Georgia public school near Kia’s factory Mathematics/Science/Technology learning support program
- St. Jude Hospital : Supporting pediatric cancer research and treatment
- School library (near Kia’s factory) remodeling program and Mobile Library program
- BIKE Kia
- Building bicycle roads near Kia’s factory
- Dongfeng Yueda Kia Garden Improving residential environments in villages near Kia’s factory (Comprehensive corporate social responsibility initiatives covering five areas of life - education, environment, medical care, and culture)
Employee sharing
Kia operates an in-house employee donation platform, "K-Sharing Together," and an employee volunteer group managed by volunteering employees.
Employee Volunteer Group
Kia operates an employee volunteer group operating strictly on a volunteer basis (of employees) in volunteer activities, and is promoting a culture that encourages volunteer programs throughout the company.
The Green Light Volunteer Group is engage more employees in sharing activities in more places.
Employee Volunteering
| Classification | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual number of participants | 3,946 | 2,428 | 2,205 |
| Total participation time | 17,608 | 10,561 | 7,635 |
| Participation time per person* | 0.50 | 0.30 | 0.23 |
