Category: CSR

  • KT&G Supports Farmers

    KT&G Supports Farmers

    Photo: KT&G

    KT&G delivered welfare improvement support funds amounting to approximately KRW420 million ($303,020) to tobacco farmers.

    This year’s support funds will be used for health checkup fees, child scholarships and the purchase of fuel-saving devices for drying facilities targeting leaf tobacco growers.

    KT&G has been delivering welfare improvement support funds to leaf tobacco farmers annually since 2013, reaching a total of KRW4.28 billion this year. During the same period, the cumulative number of benefiting growers reached 15,212.

    Korean tobacco farmers have been struggling to secure labor due to the declining and aging rural population. Tobacco cultivation is difficult to mechanize, which makes it imperative to look after growers’ health, according to KT&G.

    The fuel-saving device recirculates the heat discharged during tobacco drying. Since 2022, KT&G has provided 214 units.

    The company also assists its farmers by purchasing all domestic leaf tobacco every year and dispatching employee volunteer groups to assist during the planting and harvesting seasons.

    “We continue to support the welfare improvement projects for farmers to alleviate their difficulties and provide practical help,” said Kim Jeong-ho, head of KT&G SCM headquarters, in a statement.

    “We will continue to provide consistent support to improve the health and economic conditions of leaf tobacco farmers.”

  • Industry Supports Flood Victims in Brazil

    Industry Supports Flood Victims in Brazil

    The people of Santa Cruz do Sul are resilient and SindiTabaco is confident the region will recover from the recent natural disaster. (Video: Taco Tuinstra)

    The tobacco industry is coming together to assist Brazilians in Rio Grande do Sul, which in early May suffered the biggest floods in the state’s history, particularly in the Rio Pardo Valley region.

    As one of the world’s leading tobacco growing areas, Rio Grande do Sul plays a key role in global leaf supply (see “The Great Scramble,” Tobacco Reporter, May 2023). To help flood victims, the Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco) and its member companies have been carrying out various initiatives.  

    Among other things, local tobacco companies have continued paying salaries to employees unable to come to work as a result of the floods.

    The trade group and its members have also been donating basic food items, cleaning supplies, hygiene kits, and furniture, providing personal loans for reconstruction to associates, and offering mental support from psychologists.

    In addition, tobacco companies and associations have also donated power generators and water tanks, as well as boats and vehicles for rescuing stranded people and animals.

    Many tobacco operations were brought to a standstill by the floods, but gradually resumed operations the next week, according to SindiTabaco. (Photo: Taco Tuinstra)
    Iro Schuenke

    According to SindiTabaco, most tobacco operations came to a standstill after the floods hit on April 30, and gradually resumed the following week. “This is a crisis of an unprecedented degree, in which basic services are in jeopardy, like the lack of drinkable water and scarce communication,” said SindiTabaco President Iro Schunke in a statement.

    Many member companies in the affected regions, he added, had difficulties contacting their employees.

    In addition to looking after their employees, the tobacco companies are now working on recovery plans for their contracted farmers. According to Schunke, Brazil’s widely acclaimed integrated production system is now giving contractors a good grasp of the needs of the impacted growers. The high per-kilo earnings from this year’s crop should help farmers in the recovery process.

    “The upcoming tobacco crop is in its initial phase and we are going to do a survey to come to grips with the losses that occurred. Just like what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are going to move forward with resilience, joining efforts toward what has to be done,” said Schunke.

    Readers wishing to support relief efforts in southern Brazil, can donate to the Rotary Club of Venancio Aires, which is headed by Inacio Leisman of Tabacos Marasca (see chart for bank details).

    According to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Brazil exported 512 million kg of tobacco with a value of $2.73 billion in 2023.

  • GPI Leader Honored for CSR Contributions

    GPI Leader Honored for CSR Contributions

    From left to right: India’s vice president, Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Bina Modi, along with the lawyers Jyoti Sagar and Lalit Bhasin (Photo: Business Wire)

    Bina Modi, the chairperson and managing director of Godfrey Phillips India (GPI) has been recognized for her contributions to corporate social responsibility (CSR). The honor was bestowed by the India’s vice president, Jagdeep Dhankhar, during a recent event in New Delhi.

    “I am honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the dedication and hard work of every member of the KK Modi Group family,” said Modi in a statement. “Our ‘people-first’ philosophy, which encompasses all stakeholders of our group companies, remains central to our mission of nation-building and giving back to society. Our CSR initiatives predate their legal mandate in India and are strategically aligned with the global sustainable development goals.”

    Driven by Modi’s vision, GPI’s key CSR initiatives have focused on access to safe drinking water, soil and water conservation, plantation and biodiversity, eliminating child labor, improving community health and empowering marginalized tobacco farmers in southern India. In alignment with the commitment of GPI’s partner, Philip Morris International, to good agricultural practices, GPI aims to enhance livelihoods while preserving the environment. GPI’s CSR initiatives were also given a special mention by Control Union, a globally renowned testing, inspection and certification organization.

    Modi emphasized the symbiotic relationship between environmental sustainability and community welfare. “We’ve taken proactive steps to establish biodiversity parks, safeguarding and revitalizing native flora and fauna,” she said.

    “I am also deeply committed to a bold initiative of large-scale plantation in a semi-arid region of Andhra Pradesh, a state in southern India. We implement check-dams, farm ponds and regular pond de-siltation to promote water conservation in the rain-starved region, enabling farmers to access a secondary water source for cultivating additional crops. By nurturing our environment, we not only preserve natural resources but also create resilient communities capable of thriving in the face of challenges.”

    In addition to her dedication to farmer communities, Modi is passionate about the education and empowerment of young girls and women. Through the Khushi project, she aims to sponsor the education and vocational aspirations of rural girls nationwide.

    Modi’s recent honor follows earlier recognitions such as Women Empowerment in Leadership and Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year.

  • KT&G Provides Water Filters to Uganda

    KT&G Provides Water Filters to Uganda

    Photo: KT&G

    KT&G is providing 400 environmentally friendly water purification devices worth KRW110 million ($81,406) to 94 primary schools in Uganda. Park Hyeon-seok, KT&G’s Tanzania materials branch manager, attended a distribution ceremony on April 30 in Hoima City, at the heart of Uganda’s tobacco-growing area.

    Out of approximately 49.9 million nationals, 9.2 million lack access to safe drinking water, according to According to Uganda’s Water Environment Authority. This contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, and typhoid fever, leading to high infant mortality rates and social issues.

    The gravity-fed filtration devices supplied by KT&G will not only address Uganda’s drinking water hygiene issues but also replace the traditional water purification methods that involve boiling water using wood and charcoal, thereby saving the equivalent of up to 3,500 tons annually in carbon emissions.

    Exporting to more than 130 countries, KT&G says its tries to help solve various social issues in countries where it operates, especially in developing nations. In 2021, KT&G also supported a Tanzanian primary school by providing 1,300 water purification units. Additionally, the company has implemented CSR activities tailored to the specific conditions of various countries. These initiatives include supporting vocational training centers in Indonesia, establishing agroforestry education centers in Mongolia, and constructing schools in Laos.

    “We hope that this water purification support will help improve the sanitary conditions in Uganda,” said Shim Young-Ah, director of KT&G’s ESG management office, in a statement. “As a global corporate citizen, we will continue to focus on and fulfill our social responsibilities to countries in need.”

  • RLX Releases CSR Report

    RLX Releases CSR Report

    RLX Technology presented its “Corporate Social Responsibility Report.” The report outlines the firm’s annual progress in fulfilling various corporate social responsibilities, including rural revitalization, product-related responsibility, corporate governance, environmental responsibility and employee responsibility.

    According to the report, as of 2023, RLX has invested a total of CNY44.3 million ($6.2 million) in areas such as biodiversity conservation and rural revitalization. By the end of April 2023, RLX had effectively generated approximately 120,000 employment opportunities along the supply chain and accumulated research and development investments totaling CNY800 million.

    Navigating the delicate balance between compliance and innovation is the most crucial challenge for RLX, according to a company press release. In pursuit of a first-class user experience, the company says it not only strictly adheres to regulatory requirements by developing products in line with national standards to ensure quality and safety but is also comprehensively upgrading its research and development system. This involves establishing eight major laboratory matrices and rigorous factory quality control to enhance product innovation. The report reveals that as of April 2023, RLX has applied for nearly 900 patents globally.

    From child-proof locks to anti-dry burn functions, each of the eight laboratories plays a specific role in developing products that meet both regulatory requirements and user-experience expectations. The Innovation Lab, for example, focuses on material purification and flavor perception, significantly reducing the risk of alterations to product taste and flavor. The Quality and Safety Lab conducts tests such as drop and negative pressure tests to ensure product stability in extreme environments. This lab has received accreditation from China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment.

    Since outlining its “1+4” scientific research path in 2020, RLX has initiated nearly 50 research projects to fill the gaps in the field of vape science. The report highlights several breakthrough achievements from the past year. In November 2022, the first domestic clinical study on electronic cigarettes initiated by RLX was published in the medical SCI journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. By the end of April 2023, RLX had conducted 17 collaborative research projects, publishing 11 research papers in authoritative journals.

    “From 2022 to 2023, whether in the Chinese e-cigarette industry or at RLX Technology, it has been an extremely important period. We wholeheartedly respond to policies and actively address various changes, not only fulfilling strict compliance and providing reassuring products as ‘required actions’ but also contributing our modest efforts in ‘voluntary actions’ such as wildlife protection and rural revitalization to enhance social well-being,” said Kate Wang, founder and CEO of RLX.

  • Alliance One Malawi Spends Millions on CSR

    Alliance One Malawi Spends Millions on CSR

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Alliance One Malawi has spent roughly MKW442 million ($384,721) on its corporate social responsibility programs over the last two years, according to The Nyasa Times.

    The company renovated and constructed new classrooms for more than 22 primary schools over the last two years, according to Fran Malila, corporate affairs manager.

    “As a corporate responsibility entity, Alliance One thought it wise to renovate as well as construct new classroom blocks in these 22 primary schools so that pupils who are future leaders of this country should learn in [a] better environment,” said Malila. “In the process, we are also fighting child labor as our aim is to see every kid to go to school and not be used as a source of labor in tobacco fields.”

    The renovated schools have led to higher student enrollment and retention rates.

    According to Malila, the company also constructed a postnatal ward and donated various medical equipment to Mzuzu Central Hospital’s pediatric ward.

  • KT&G Provides Earthquake Relief

    KT&G Provides Earthquake Relief

    Photo: Adin

    KT&G has donated TRY4.5 million ($238,390) to support earthquake victims and post-earthquake relief efforts in Turkey.

    KT&G delivered its donation through the Korean Red Cross on Feb. 10 to fund aid supplies and recovery activities in Turkey. The donation was collected in the form of a matching grant named KT&G Sangsang Fund, whereby the company matched the donations made by employees.

    KT&G has been reaching out with relief whenever a crisis has occurred in the local community over the past years. During the coronavirus crisis, KT&G secured 4,800 Covid-19 diagnostic kits from South Korea and donated them to hospitals in Istanbul in 2020 when the medical equipment was short in supply due to the pandemic situation. KT&G also provided the relief fund worth TRY700,00 when an earthquake hit Izmir in the same year.

    “We hope that this relief effort will be of some help to the people of Turkey, who have maintained a friendly relationship with Korea for a long time,” said Kim Kwan-joong, president of KT&G Turkey, in a statement. We will continue to carry out our activities of social contribution as a member of the Turkish community.”

    In 2007, KT&G invested approximately TRY700 million building its first overseas manufacturing plant in Izmir. Built on 145,000 square meters of land in Tire District, the facility exports to Europe and the Middle East.

  • RLX Releases Annual CSR Report

    RLX Releases Annual CSR Report

    RLX Technology has released its annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report Envisaging a Better Future, highlighting its efforts in market responsibility, research and development investment, environment protection, employee careers and corporate governance.

    According to the report, RLX has strengthened its commitment to product quality and vaping science. Since its inception, RLX has invested RMB800 million ($111.1 million) in research and development. RLX operates eight laboratories and has developed a research chain covering product quality, physiochemical research, toxicology research, long-term impact assessment and clinical research.

    In March 2021, RLX launched the first e-cigarette clinical research project in China. In February 2022, RLX started the first clinical study on the safety of e-cigarettes in China. The results of various research projects were published in prominent academic journals such as Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety and the Chinese Journal of Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

    By June 2022, RLX had applied for over 610 patents covering vaping device design, e-liquid formula, electric control, smart device and released content.

    Environment protection is another highlight in RLX’s CSR report. In September 2021, RLX started the Pods Reborn recycling program with China Siyuan Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. By June 2022, the program had been carried out in 188 Chinese cities. More than 16,000 stores have been equipped with a used pods recycling bin.

    As part of the Amur Tiger and Leopard Conservation Project, RLX has planted 20 ha of eco-fields in Jilin Province to ensure sufficient food supply for these endangered species. RLX has also organized a patrol team to remove animal traps. By the end of 2021, the RLX Tech Patrol Team had patrolled 12,600 kilometers.

    In April 2022, RLX launched its net-zero carbon emission plan Aim for Zero to achieve carbon neutrality in its direct operations by 2033 and along the value chain by 2050.

    As part of this project, RLX will take eight major initiatives, including plastic reduction, waste reduction, promoting the Pods Reborn program, establishing a green supply chain partner mechanism, reducing product carbon footprint and introducing zero-carbon products, creating a zero-carbon plant and a green store and reducing carbon footprint in the office and during business travel.

    By the end of 2021, RLX had opened more than 24,000 stores in more than 300 cities, creating about 370,000 jobs across the industry chain.

    “In more than four years of entrepreneurship, one of the things we are particularly proud of is our dedication to fulfilling our social responsibility,” said Kate Wang, founder and CEO of RLX Tech, in a statement. “RLX Tech sees social responsibility as one of its core competitive advantages. It is also our duty as corporate citizens.”

  • Brazilian Institute Hosts Debate on Child Labor

    Brazilian Institute Hosts Debate on Child Labor

    Photo: Sinditabaco

    Brazil’s Growing Up Right Institute organized a seminar on child labor prevention at the Santa Cruz Country Club in Santa Cruz do Sul on July 7.

    Under the theme, “Child labor: care, welcome and protection,” participants discussed the progress made in combatting child labor, along with the work that still needs to be done.

    “The Institute was founded with the mission to fight child labor and generate opportunities for adolescents from the rural setting, especially in tobacco growing regions,” said Iro Schunke, president of the Growing Up Right Institute, in a statement. “It is a complex task, but with good partnerships we have achieved great results. We have already become known nationally and internationally for the innovative method of offering opportunities to adolescents from the countryside through the learning law.”

    Since 2016, the rural professional learning program has benefited 596 young people in Rio Grande do Sul. As part of the program, tobacco companies associated with the Growing up Right Institute hire young apprentices and pay them a salary proportional to 20 hours a week.

    Instead of working, however, the apprentices attend a rural management and entrepreneurship course in the shift opposite to their regular school hours. The classes typically take place in the apprentices’ normal schools or in venues provided by the municipal administrations, which also provide for food and transport logistics thus making it viable for the adolescents to attend the course.

    According to a report by the International Labor Organization and by the United Nations Children’s Fund, 160 million children and adolescents, aged 5 to 17, were subjected to child labor in early 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of child labor around the world, with a sharp increase in poverty, closure of schools and consequent school evasion.

    In Brazil, the National Household Sample Survey, demonstrated that 1.77 million children and adolescents works, 53.7 percent of whom are in the 16-17 year age group.

  • PM Eager to Partner in Ukraine Recovery

    PM Eager to Partner in Ukraine Recovery

    Photo: alphaspirit

    Philip Morris may act as a partner and advisor in Ukraine’s recovery in line with the concepts adopted during the recent Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, Philip Morris Ukraine CEO Maksym Barabash told journalist on July 6.

    According to Barabash, Philip Morris has a solid record of operation in Ukraine. “Philip Morris is a key American investor, employer and taxpayer in Ukraine,” Barabash was quoted as saying by Interfax. “And this is how we see our future in Ukraine.”

    The company has experience in both upgrading outdated production facilities building a new ones, he added.

    “Therefore, I see our role not only as an exporter, one of the biggest taxpayers, and an employer, but also as a partner and advisor on the country’s recovery,” Barabash said.

    Philip Morris has operated in Ukraine for more than 20 years and owns a factory in the Kharkiv region. Before Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, its Ukrainian facilities employed about 1,300 people. The factory served as an export hub for over 20 countries, including major markets such as Japan and Egypt.

    In 2020, Philip Morris Ukraine reported a net profit of UAH2.73 billion ($92.38 million), up 5 percent from 2019.