Citizenship Endeavors
Aramco shows commitment where we do business
Initiatives demonstrate company’s close ties with Korean communities.
In the midst of the ongoing challenge and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Aramco Korea, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, has been demonstrating its commitment to local communities with the implementation of two corporate citizenship initiatives: the Aramco Scholarship and the Aramco Hope Tree.
These two programs, which have both come to an end recently, have contributed to the well-being of people in need and the prosperity and sustainability of local communities; promoting the core value of corporate citizenship and fostering a positive image for the company in the local community.
200 scholarships benefiting students with disabilities
The company has recently awarded its 200th Aramco Scholarship — a merit-based university scholarship program since 2015 — to ensure equal quality education for undergraduate students with disabilities who major in science, engineering, and technology.
At the latest scholarship award ceremony held in Yeoui-do, Seoul, in late 2020, Yeongho Kim, an electrical engineering student from Hanyang University who received the 200th Aramco Scholarship, expressed his appreciation that the scholarship helped him complete his undergraduate studies with an excellent academic record.
Aramco Korea has supported a total of 200 students from 43 major universities through a partnership with the Community Chest of Korea (CCK) — one of Korea’s major charity foundations — over the past six years.
In partnership with the Korea Energy Foundation — a state run energy organization dedicated to provide solar power themed community services — Aramco Korea installed five “Aramco Hope Tree” units at parks and gymnasiums in communities in and around Seoul from June 2019 to December 2020.
The Aramco Hope Tree is a tree-shaped streetlight with solar panels capable of generating close to 5,000 kilowatts per year, offering shade in the day and light at night. The streetlights are also equipped with benches and electric plugs where people can charge their phones while resting.
Kim Jung-woo, a frequent visitor at the Jangsu Community Park in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, said that he thought it would be better to have more lighting at night at the park. With the Aramco Hope Trees, he was pleased to enjoy outdoor activities more conveniently at night and he found the light tree handy as he could charge his phone while waiting for the bus.
Mutib A. Al-Harbi, representative director of Aramco Korea remarked, “We are proud to engage in impactful citizenship initiatives to support communities in Korea where Aramco’s presence and reputation is growing. Aramco Scholarships have played a key role in ensuring that quality education is within reach for students with disabilities, so they are able to achieve their dreams by attaining their full academic potential. The carbon-free Aramco Hope Tree program has ultimately contributed to the enhancement of the quality of life and the sustainability of local communities by enabling community members to safely spend more time outdoors on physical activities at night.”
A good corporate citizen in Korea
To highlight citizenship as a corporate core value, Aramco Korea has been actively engaged in other community programs, like computer coding classes to nurture technical leaders of the future, construction of a renewable energy themed outdoor playground, as well as launching climate change literacy programs to raise the younger generation’s awareness of environmental challenges.
TOP PHOTOGRAPH: Yeongho Kim (left) from Hanyang University received the certificate from a CCK representative (right) as the 200th Aramco Scholarship recipient. He wore a lip-view mask for the benefit of hearing-impaired students at the ceremony.