Chairman Suh Kyung-bae of AmorePacific Cosmetics.

AmorePacific, which has been growing with the mission to make women’s lives better, has also been undertaking social contribution activities.

Last year, AmorePacific Group expanded its social service activities by spending 24 billion won so that its social contributions are here to stay.

The cosmetics product group has been unfurling its diverse activities to make women “more beautiful,” focused on three core areas; woman, natural ecology and culture. The group executed its social service activities under such programs as “Make up Your Life Campaign,” the “Pink Ribbon Campaign,” “Hope Household Finance,” and “the Beautiful Life,” among others.

AmorePacific has been providing top-quality cosmetics products and services since it was founded in 1945, upholding its management tenet to make contributions to humanity, along with conducting diverse social service activities, doing its part to make the world a better place. AmorePacific, the nation's top cosmetics company, is taking the lead in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for the underprivileged, especially women who lack access to important social services.

These CSR activities were inspired by the company founder's business philosophy, "Make Up Your Mind," which promotes shared growth with the people.

President and CEO Suh Kyung-bae believes CSR activities by AmorePacific's cosmetic and green tea businesses are an important part of the company's foundation.

On Nov. 29, 2007, the firm joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a global platform that convenes companies together with UN agencies to promote global citizenship and support human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. The firm continues to reflect the UNGC's principles in its management and CSR activities.

AmorePacific's Make Up Your Life Campaign, which began in 2008, is representative of the company's social contributions. The campaign shares beauty know-how with female cancer patients to help them overcome emotionally distressing physical changes caused by cancer treatments. The initiative gives them a positive outlook on life.

In 2012, some 500 AmorePacific volunteer counselors provided makeup, skin care and hairstyling tips to 1,700 patients in 51 hospitals to help them rediscover their inner beauty and face the world with confidence.

The firm's Pink Ribbon Campaign has been raising awareness of breast cancer and promoting the importance of preventive checkups. The pink ribbon is the international symbol of breast cancer awareness and provides moral support for women with breast cancer. AmorePacific has also established the Korea Breast Cancer Foundation to promote women's health.

The company holds the Pink Ribbon Marathon in five cities across the nation to provide a setting for family members of women with breast cancer to promote awareness of the disease and the importance of preventive checkups. All proceeds from the marathon are donated to the Korea Breast Cancer Foundation for its information dissemination and treatment efforts.

Hope Stores is a micro-credit program that provides startup loans of up to 40 million won to low-income single mothers without collateral or ideal credit history.

The first store opened in 2004. As of the end of 2012, there were 146 such operations across the nation. Hope Stores are available in every region except Jeju. They operate in partnership with the Beautiful World Fund of the Beautiful Foundation, and welcome all individuals and organizations to participate. AmorePacific has big plans around the world. 

The company aims to become Asia's No. 1 cosmetics company and one of the world's top seven by 2020 by expanding into the global market and achieving balanced growth in all categories. AmorePacific announced on July 11 its plans and vision for the Suh Kyung-bae Science Foundation.

A non-profit organization dedicated to continued, long-term support for basic science, the foundation will be funded by a personal donation of 300 billion won in shares from AmorePacific Chairman Suh. 

The volunteers for AmorePacific’s “Make up Your Life,” social service campaign, pose for a photo session at Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital after teaching the cancer patients on make-ups to make them feel better for the cosmetics giant in Korea.(Photos:AmorePacific)