Volvo Car Korea (CEO Lee Yun-mo) announced on the 7th that it conducted employee volunteer activities at the country's first smart farm-based workplace for young people with developmental disabilities, 'Purme Social Farm,' over three days on April 16, 23, and 30.
Opened officially in September 2022 in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, 'Purme Social Farm' was established to support the independence of young people with developmental disabilities so that they can live as healthy members of society. The workplace was built with the land donated by the parents of people with disabilities and contributions from over 2,000 citizens and various corporations. Currently, 55 young people with developmental disabilities are employed as full-time workers, earning fair wages and enjoying rights while producing 70 tons of cherry tomatoes annually.
Volvo Car Korea came together for this volunteer activity to experience firsthand the value and significance of 'Purme Social Farm' to create a healthy community where people live together without prejudice and to support their independence. All employees of Volvo Car Korea participated in this volunteer activity, harvesting tomatoes together with young people with developmental disabilities.
Lee Yun-mo, CEO of Volvo Car Korea, noted, "The values pursued by Purme Social Farm for the creation of a healthy community are in line with the philosophy that Volvo has upheld for 100 years," adding, "In the future, Volvo Car Korea will continue to seek a more sustainable future in healthier ways, contemplating various roles to contribute to the community and actively implementing them."
Volvo Car Korea has been continuing various corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to fulfill its social responsibilities. Since 2017, it has partnered with the Purme Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps children and adolescents with disabilities rehabilitate and become independent, and has provided support for healthy mobility rights. In addition, in line with its global vision to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, it introduced a policy in 2019 to limit the use of disposable plastics in all office and sales activities, becoming the first in the industry to do so. Since 2019, it has also been conducting an eco-friendly running campaign called 'Hej, Plogging,' which involves picking up trash while running, and continues to engage in various activities to address healthy societal roles and solve these issues with community members.
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