We are honoured to have had an in-depth conversation with Sang-hwa Lee, the head of Wuxi FAB, and get to know his story of 26 years with SK hynix. In this interview, Mr. Lee also revealed his vision of establishing Wuxi FAB as a world-class production base with safety and happiness, fulfilling corporate responsibilities and giving back to the local community.

Hand in Hand for 26 years: Growing Together with SK hynix

Could you please introduce yourself?

My name is Sang-hwa Lee. The Korean pronunciation of my name is the same as that of a famous person in Korea, so it is very easy to remember.¹ After graduating with a master’s degree in 1996, I joined the Hyundai Electronics Co., Ltd, the predecessor of SK hynix. I have been working in the company for nearly 26 years and currently serve as the head of SK hynix Wuxi FAB.

What kind of positions have you held during your time at SK hynix?

At the beginning, I worked as a semiconductor process engineer in the research institute, and progressed on to a manufacturing FAB technical engineer. I worked at the institute in two separate periods for a total of 10 years. For the rest of the time, I have worked on projects such as FAB construction and renovation of the cleanroom etc.. After joining the company, I got married and raised two children. Looking back now, SK hynix has been with me for almost half of my life.

Could you please tell us about some of the beneficial internal trainings that you have received during your years at SK hynix?

Among the company’s internal education programs, the ones that impressed me the most were the “Phoenix Leadership Education” from a long time ago, and the “Executive Guidance Program” in 2018. The notes I took during the “Phoenix Leadership Education” are still in my desk. In one of the notes, I wrote down the story of the 67-year-old founder of KFC, Colonel Harland Sanders, who finally found success on his 1,010th attempt²! I share these notes with younger generations in the hope that the principles and stories will inspire them. During my temporary return to Korea in 2018, I participated in the “Executive Guidance Program”, an education project targeted at company leaders. This educational project not only gave me a lot of new ideas, but also strengthened my values and allowed me to further mature.

How did you overcome the difficulties and challenges you have encountered at work?

I never give up no matter how difficult the conditions may be. When facing new challenges, I would constantly discuss with team members to formulate plans and refine them, trying my best to find a way to solve the problems. In my opinion, as long as we focus on the two solutions instead of the other 998 excuses to fail, and work together with people we trust, we can overcome any difficulties.

Mr. Lee’s notes during his training at “Phoenix Leadership Education”

Attending SK hynix’s Happiness Talks to improve communication with employees

Leading Wuxi FAB: Building a world-class production base

In your opinion, what is the key to building Wuxi FAB into a world-class production base?

First, SECURITY. I will try to find and improve the problem areas across the entire workplace. We want employees to be able to do their jobs in a safe working environment, so that they can clock on, clock off and return home in safety, which is actually way more important than it may sound like. In addition, we must have strict safety regulations and abide by them, while improving everyone’s safety awareness by encouraging good habits in their daily lives.

Second, QUALITY. Our quality management organizes and manages the quality of raw materials and products. And we spare no effort or resources to create world-class quality, ensuring the quality indicators are at the highest level.

Third, COST COMPETITIVENESS. Due to the nature of manufacturing industry, in order to maximize operating profit, we are focusing on reducing input costs and increasing production while maintaining quality.

How have your years of working at SK hynix helped with your leadership skills?

In the regular executive surveys, there is usually a section set aside for feedback. Feedbacks are often divided into three parts: strengths, weaknesses, and areas with the biggest room for improvement. It is amazing that “communication” appeared in all three parts of my feedbacks. I am quite trusting and have a strong tendency to communicate in many ways. This brings both advantages and disadvantages: the advantages are the ability to communicate actively, while the weakness is that my communication can sometimes be overly forceful. In this way, the area where I need to improve is also “communication.”

Working together to conquer “the highest peak of happiness”

SK hynix has long adhered to the SHE management system. How does the Wuxi FAB improve employee happiness?

This year, we launched the “Happiness Climbing Line” activity. In order to embody the abstract concept of happiness, we established the goal of “conquering the highest peak of happiness.” For Wuxi FAB, this is a new challenge in the pursuit of happiness!

The first stage of the “Happiness Climbing Line” is to launch happiness activities centered on leadership: firstly, leaders offer monthly one-on-one mentoring, assistance and check-ups for team members with a focus on their work; secondly, through Happiness Talks within the team, members discuss how they pursue happiness in the workplace; thirdly, collaborations between teams are organized to strengthen the organization; fourthly, gratitude is expressed through the Hy-thanks system; last but not least, in order to improve the happiness of team members, we are reducing unnecessary business activities. We also conduct surveys on a regular basis to obtain feedbacks and evaluate the current “Altitude of Happiness” in order to better boost employee happiness.

In addition to this, in May this year, to motivate members who have worked for the company for over 10 years, we held the “We Are SK hynix” event. At the dinner that day, feeling the happiness of those who have worked at SK hynix for more than 10 years, and the warmth of their families’ unconditional support, I was also filled with happiness.

Mr. Lee at the We Are SK hynix event for members who have worked for the company over 10 years

Mr. Lee at the 2021 Happiness Sports Meeting at Wuxi FAB

Responsibility, Gratitude and Giving Back: striving to enhance social value

What are the efforts made by the Wuxi FAB in order to carry out environmental protection and cope with climate change?

For those who need to use a lot of electricity to produce semiconductors, utilization of renewable energy is an urgent task and an important part of the “Green 2030” plan. Wuxi FAB has been cooperating with the head office’s renewable energy team since 2020, and have pledged to achieve 100% renewable energy use by 2022. This will serve as a leading force to achieve the goal of 100% renewable energy use in Icheon/Cheongju/Chongqing/Wuxi. At the same time, Wuxi FAB has also continued to carry out activities to save water resources, such as: subdividing management from the production stage, introducing advanced equipments and technologies, and using deionized recycled water, water from steam condensation, and cooling water for air-conditioning. Through these measures, as of 2020, 28% of the total water usage in Wuxi FAB will be externally recycled water.

What do you hope to give back to the local community in Wuxi through the SK hynix Wuxi Foreign Language School?

In order to promote the sustainable development of Wuxi FAB, we are exploring various ways to produce social value while creating economic value. As part of this, the SK Hynix Foreign Language School, which was established in September this year, is committed to providing better education for children of SK hynix employees and local residents, as well as to contribute to cultivating international elites. Here I would like to first sincerely express my best wishes to all the students who have entered SK hynix Wuxi Foreign Language School! I also look forward to seeing these future elites enjoying their healthy school life, and pursuing their own dreams!

The opening day of SK hynix Wuxi Foreign Language School

¹Sang-hwa Lee is also the name of a former South Korean speed skater who was a gold medalist in the 500-meter sprint at the 2010 Sochi Winter Olympics, and a legendary figure in Korean women’s speed skating, known as the “Ice Queen “.
²KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders spent two years attempting to sell his fried chicken recipe to 1,009 restaurants in the early days of his business, but was rejected. It was not until his 1010th attempt that a restaurant finally accepted his secret recipe, and he went on to become successful.

The post Building a World-Class FAB with Safety and Happiness: Interview with Sang-hwa Lee, Head of Wuxi FAB first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

This year, to celebrate Mother’s Day and all of the hard-working mothers at SK hynix, we spoke to women across our global network to discuss motherhood, their work-life balance, and what advice they have for mothers returning to the workforce.

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Polly Wang (SK hynix America)
San Jose, California
Joined SK hynix in March 2014
One daughter: 8-year-old

• What she does?

I am a Sr. Account Manager and started by managing Apple NAND business, contract and pricing negotiation before switching to Apple DRAM business in early 2020. I work with Korea and local teams to define business opportunities and risks through day-to-day activities in commercial, operational and enabling arenas.

• How she does it?

Through years in high-tech industry and living in the fast-pace Silicon Valley, I learned to manage work and family with extra planning and preparation. I usually start my day with quick glance on work emails, set priority and plan on tackling the pending issues and tasks. I use my morning exercise to review my tasks again, while also planning family meals. Knowing what to do next with a clear mind makes my day go smoother and more efficient.

• How do you separate work and home?

Like every family, the most challenging part is always about balancing work and family. Instead of separating work and home, I manage to mix these two very well throughout the workday. I take breaks to prepare meals and do housework while still planning my work ahead in order to minimize interruption during our family time.

SK hynix also has a clear work-from-home policy and safety procedure that addressed our concern during this pandemic time.

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Sunmin Yun (SK hynix Memory Solutions America)
San Jose, California
Joined SK hynix in 2019
One daughter: 1-year-old

• Her day-to-day?

I have been working as a Senior Staff Engineer of NAND/SSD Characterization in SKHMS America as a member of Media algorithm team. My primary job is to develop and implement EOL(End-of-Life) reliability tests with the eRDT system and give customers and internal teams feedback. I am also participating in the development of new algorithms to improve performance and reliability.

• Her work/life balance?

During the COVID pandemic, my husband and I have shared a daily schedule and it has helped each other. For example, if I have a meeting at 1 pm, my husband plays with our daughter and returns to work after my meeting. Luckily, our meeting schedules were not often overlapped. The flexible working environment help mothers balance work and parenting better.

• Why SK hynix?

SK hynix has a very mother-friendly culture and resources. When I joined SKHMS America, I found a cozy mother’s room in the building and was impressed. I was able to pump breastmilk and take a rest in the room. A mother-supportive team leader and co-workers have always helped me to have a flexible work schedule and be confident as a working mom.

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He Qian (SK hynix Semiconductor (Chongqing) Ltd.)
Chongqing, China
Joined SK hynix in February 2014
1 son: 4-year-old

• What she does?

I served as the head of the production management shift team for 3 years and in May 2017, I was promoted to mother and transferred to the ordinary work after working in three shifts to take up the role of education and expenses in the department.

• How she does it?

As a working mother in the manufacturing industry, there is no fixed life, only sudden changes, and at the same time children can’t stay still as they are overflowing with energy. Therefore, I try my best to maintain a harmonious family relationship, mobilize the members of the family to share daily chores and drive my husband to play and study with the children.

At the same time, I also try to be rational and patient to distinguish between work and daily life. I am conscientious and responsible at work, and accompany children attentively, so that the pressure and emotions at work will not affect the harmonious atmosphere of the family, and of course, the attitude at work must not be affected by home life as well.

• What she’s proudest of?

When I returned to my job after taking maternity leave, I was catching up with the company organizing a band competition. As a musician, I needed to prepare for the band competition while completing normal business, but the child had a sudden illness before the competition.

I was really exhausted physically and mentally, but I did not fall down because of the understanding and help from my family and my dear colleagues in the department who worked together to successfully complete the band competition. Although I didn’t win the prize in the end, I was very proud of having such a great colleague and partner, loving and understanding family, and proud of being such a superhuman mother.

Hongxia Zhao (SK hynix Semiconductor (China) Ltd.)
Wuxi, China
Joined SK hynix in 2008

• Her day-to-day?

I am a manager of SK hynix’s technical improvement department. Our team name: RD Beauty Group, my team is all Women.

• Why SK hynix?

My career growth is inseparable from SK hynix. After graduating from university, I changed jobs a lot including personnel, R&D, administration, etc. I always felt that it was not my ideal job. Until the moment I joined SK hynix in 2008, I felt right, and then in the blink of an eye I have been working in this place for 14 years, and I feel I will continue to do it.

• What she’s learned from motherhood?

After I became a mother, I discovered that the identity of a mother is added to my work. First of all: I am more responsible. The so-called mother is strong. After having a child, I became more mature, more responsible and consistent. Second: I treat work and subordinate employees with patience for children, and the work environment for employee relations is more harmonious and caring.

• What she wants to change?

Many people stubbornly think that women can’t care about work when they have children and the unfounded notions caused current working mothers to be restricted by their positions and ceilings in the workplace. Even many women in the workplace are afraid to have children, but I hope everyone can change their views and provide a good working environment for women in the workplace.

Elena Korunnaya (SK hynix Memory Solutions Eastern Europe)
Belarus, Minsk
Joined SK hynix in 2014
Three children: 19-year-old, 15-year-old, 3-year-old

• What she does?

I am a part of an Administration team as a Chief accountant, and I am working in the company from its foundation. It is going to be seven years since my working here. I remember how everything started: how we built our team, changed two offices and dealt with every situation. I like my job because it makes me learn every day.

• Her work/life balance?

It is very important for me to become a great accountant because I am very inspired by my work. At the same time, spending time with my family is just as valuable to me as my career. It is not so easy to keep up to do many things at work and home, but without the support of family members, it would be impossible.

SKHMS E is a “family-friendly” company. The management is sympathetic to the fact that I am a mother of many children. This attitude helps me to find a balance between work and family. In addition, I have an excellent team that always supports me and helps solve any problem.

• What’s special about SK hynix?

Our company also has a wonderful tradition – to celebrate Family Day every year. Before we started work remotely, we came to the office with the children and they could see where their mother works, what important and responsible position she occupies. It helps them understand that a mother is not just a mother but also a professional.

I am happy to work at a company where a person’s love for their family is understood, respected and supported with additional family days off throughout the year and different family corporate events.

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The post Mother’s Day 2021: Celebrating our mothers at SK hynix first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

And to celebrate upcoming Mother’s Day and all of the incredible, hard-working mothers at SK hynix, we spoke to women across our global network – from Icheon to Minsk – to discuss motherhood, work-life balance, and what makes mothers such valuable team members, colleagues and leaders.

Jun Mo Kim (SK hynix Inc.)

Icheon, South Korea
Joined SK hynix in 2005
One daughter (8-years-old)

Figure 1. Jun Mo Kim, SK hynix Inc.

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Her day-to-day: It’s been 16 years since I first joined the company. Now, I work on the Solution Tech Strategy Team, which mainly works to establish an operating plan for mobile products. By separating my weekdays and weekends as much as possible, I try to focus on my family on weekends, and focus on my work during the weekdays. I also try to work at the office even if I have to work late so that I can fully switch to the mother and wife mode after work is done.

Why she’s stayed so long at SK hynix: There was no time to get bored! Even though I’ve spent most of my career in sales and marketing, I’m still learning new things all the time.

My pregnancy period was one of the biggest challenges during my career at SK hynix, but I was able to overcome the difficulties and was thankful for the help from my teammates and leaders.

Her motivation: In the meantime, the support of my family has also been a long-standing force for me. When I feel this help, I promise to be a better person as a mother and wife, and I will reflect this attitude in my work attitude.

Alena Strapko (SK hynix memory solutions Eastern Europe)

Minsk, Belarus
Joined SK hynix in June 2014
Two daughters: Anastasia (4-years-old) and Eva (2-years-old)

Figure 2. Alena Strapko, SK hynix memory solutions Eastern Europe

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What she does: I am responsible for failure analysis (FA) in the Mobile Firmware code that runs on SAFE simulator and finding ways to fix them. I also participate in the development of the tools that help to do FA faster, as I use my own FA experience to make them more efficient.

How she does it: One has to make compromises, but the key is to finish everything in time. I rely on the support of my husband, my colleagues and the company to make my work-life balance possible. My husband is so helpful at home, and I am thankful to have kind and understanding colleagues as well. And from the company, flexible working hours guaranteed by the company are so important.

I also use different planners, apps, and other resources to keep track of my never-ending to-do’s. I add events to a shared calendar so that my husband can easily see what’s coming up and help out.

What’s special about SK hynix? After all the years I have spent with the company, we have become like a family. I have many friends among colleagues, and I like our friendly team. Recently, the company organized an office excursion for employees’ children and my girls and husband were happy to see how the company looks from the inside and get to know my colleagues.

What she’s learned from motherhood: Our children make us more patient, flexible and able to multitask. Now I can manage to feed and play with my children and respond to emails from my workplace at the same time. Before, I didn’t even imagine that such a thing was possible!

Li Hui (SK hynix Semiconductor (China) Ltd.)

Wuxi, China
Joined SK hynix in 2006
Two children (8-years-old, 5-years-old)

Figure 3. Li Hui, SK hynix Semiconductor (China) Ltd.

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Her day-to-day: I am currently an expert engineer responsible for the system management in SK hynix Wuxi FAB and I have been working at the company for over 13 years. My husband is currently in Korea, and my father stays with me to help to care for the children. I focus on work during work hours and focus on childcare after work.

Why SK hynix? This job and this company have always been very suitable for me. There are many learning opportunities, challenges, meaningful and fulfilling moments. Even during my time here, SK hynix has made many efforts to create a better working environment for women and mothers. The company’s leaders are considerate of the challenges we face in caring for both our families and our jobs.

What she’s proudest of: While we were working through two massive migration operations of the company’s computer system, I was 5 months pregnant with my second child. Withstanding the work was challenging, but the most meaningful moment was seeing the success of the migration, after the birth of my child. Over time, it’s been incredible to watch our system grow and improve as I watch my children do the same.

Priya Lanka (SK hynix memory solutions America Inc.)

San Jose, California
Joined SK hynix in 2013
Two sons (12-years-old, 10-years-old)

Figure 4. Priya Lanka, SK hynix memory solutions America Inc.

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What she does: I am a Product & Applications Engineering manager in SKHMS A which is part of Systems Engineering group. This role requires sound technical understanding of solid-state drive (SSD) product features, specifications, and test infrastructure. It also needs good communication and failure analysis skills.

How she does it: I consider myself lucky to have a very supportive husband. There are times when I call him last minute to pick up kids, and he will gladly do it for me. There are times when my business travel gets extended unexpectedly, but I never hear a complaint from him. I can completely focus on work knowing kids are safe and taken care of. We support each other and do our part in navigating the demands of work and family.

The challenging part has to be the mental transition from home-to-work and work-to-home on a daily basis – context switching, juggling between the two roles, and making sure the ball is not dropped in either case.

What she’s learned from motherhood: The tech industry is about collaboration and problem-solving. Mothers bring in soft skills that complement the hard skills many already possess. This not only helps in problem-solving but also helps in building and nurturing teams. We are go-getters. Women navigate challenges flawlessly at home, and given a chance, we can do the same at work.

What she wants to change: There is a perception in the industry that a woman who is married with kids cannot commit herself to her work, or at least not at 100%. This is not at all true. Providing mothers-at-work trust instead of skepticism encourages them to perform at their highest levels.

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Our motivation

SK hynix continues to look for innovative solutions to develop the work and life balance for all of our employees by complying with SK Management System (SKMS), which is SK group’s principles for management pursuing stakeholders’ happiness and well-being including our employees. We are proud of the culture being built because our leadership is underlining the importance of trust and belongingness, like the ones you’d find within your own family.

We are always so glad to hear from some of our great mothers who overcome adversity every day to excel at where they are now, and we admire their expertise and commitment to inspire the industry and workforce as a whole. To all the dedicated mothers across the world, happy Mother’s Day from SK hynix!

The post In Her Words: Celebrating all of the Mothers at SK hynix first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

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The “Loved Companies In Korea” Government Award is granted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to leading institutions with outstanding achievements in sustainable development efforts and corporate social responsibility.

With this award, SK hynix Wuxi was acknowledged as a citizen enterprise who implemented the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with its Double Bottom Line (DBL) management principles, which pursue both economic value (EV) and social value (SV) simultaneously. Extra emphasis was put on the company’s sincere CSR efforts to solve social problems, particularly regarding the environment and poverty, in the region where its global business is located.
SK hynix Wuxi is carrying out various CSR projects, including 1) environmental consultation and environmental infrastructure sharing for small local businesses, 2) high quality jobs creation through the establishment of a social enterprise SK Cleaning, 3) a mobile clinic under the name “Happiness Bus.”

Large Corporations Help Small Businesses for Win-Win Cooperation

SK hynix Wuxi proposed a forward-thinking environmental consulting business to the local government and explained its business purpose to four leading global companies–Bosch, Siemens, Murata, Bridgestone–in Jiangsu Province, eventually drawing participation and cooperation for the project. In 2018, SK hynix Wuxi and these four global companies in the region provided one-on-one environmental consulting sessions to five environmentally vulnerable local companies respectively, sharing their knowledge and know-how about environmental technologies and related laws and regulations, etc. In 2019, SK hynix Wuxi expanded the business, and now twenty companies are providing consultations to about 80 local companies. It is now widely recognized as a model case for public-private collaboration projects.

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By sharing SK hynix’s know-how and vast experience in environmental management, SK hynix Wuxi has actively improved the environmental management technology of environmentally vulnerable companies, helping reduce sewage and wastewater to prevent economic damage and expand the culture of win-win cooperation among large, medium and small businesses. As a result, the environmental evaluation of once vulnerable companies has improved immensely.

This project was also selected as a best practice in the field of removing risk waste and risks associated with explosions, and led to SK hynix Wuxi receiving the China Ecological and Transparency International’s Environmental Contribution Award in 2019.

Establishment of Social Enterprise SK Cleaning

With regional issues regarding unemployment and social polarization emerging, SK hynix Wuxi established a social enterprise, SK Cleaning, in 2018. Creating about 130 jobs for the elderly, women, and the disabled, who struggled to find a job, this social initiative laid the foundation for self-reliance within socially disadvantaged groups.

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Serving for “public interest,” “sustainability” and “building infrastructure for re-employment,” SK Cleaning represents a major step forward as the first social enterprise in the region carrying out cleaning business related to SK hynix. By utilizing the resources of social organizations and companies, SK hynix is pushing for the expansion of the project that effectively links with government policies, and establishing itself as a virtuous circle model for social contribution.

Implementation of the Happiness Bus

SK hynix Wuxi provides regular health check-ups and medical services – 2~3 three times a week – for the medically-vulnerable class of the Wuxi region since 2016 by utilizing free-of- charge mobile clinic vehicles with ICT-based healthcare systems. Happiness Bus offers remote medical treatment with the help of partner hospitals and even supports a thorough examination if any abnormalities are found.

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Happiness Bus has already improved people’s livelihoods by expanding opportunities for medical examinations and care to the vulnerable, and has developed into a representative brand of public service in the region. Residents call the Happiness Bus a “healthcare service at the doorstep to ease medical concerns,” making it a case in point of enhancing corporate image by realizing social responsibility.

The Happy Umbrella Campaign

With the increasing need for a campaign that prevents accidents among elementary school students in Wuxi, where traffic accidents frequently occur, SK hynix Wuxi has distributed more than 41,000 transparent umbrellas to 26 elementary schools (including international schools, public schools, and private schools) within Wuxi since the donation ceremony in 2018. It plans to distribute more to 50,000 elementary students at 42 schools in the region by the end of 2019.

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Through in-depth consultations with the local government, the company was able to provide customized umbrellas that are easily visible during the night from afar to enhance the safety of school children, and is currently discussing future collaboration with Wuxi government to follow up this success story.

In addition, as part of its continuous environmental/safety-oriented activities, the company is leading the promotion of enhancing traffic-safety awareness among residents by providing tours of the company’s SHE (Safety, Health, Environment) experience center and safety training in collaboration with the Wuxi Fire Department.

The SK Happiness Public Interest Fund

SK hynix Wuxi established the Happiness Public Interest Fund in 2016 to take the lead in social responsibility by providing substantial support to special vulnerable groups. What’s more, together with local governments, the company continues to provide financial support and educational programs, including its SK Flash of Hope (cataract surgery support project), insurance support for people’s livelihoods, and after-school education for underprivileged youths.

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SK hynix Wuxi was awarded the Best Charity Award by the Chinese government in 2018, and the company continues to conduct various public service activities.

The post “The citizen enterprise who implements Sustainable Development Goals with its Double Bottom Line principles that simultaneously pursue economic and social values” first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.