KT&G (President Baek Bok-in) delivered KRW 400 million in welfare promotion costs to continue the co-prosperity program with domestic leaf tobacco farmers. The contribution will be used to cover medical examination costs for 960 elderly leaf tobacco farmers, and also to provide scholarships to 85 children from farming families.

Farmers are struggling to secure labor due to the continued decline in rural population and the Covid-19 crisis. Leaf tobacco cultivation is highly labor intensive due to difficulties in mechanizing, and the farmers are generally older than other farmers, requiring greater attention to health care.

KT&G has been providing welfare support to leaf tobacco farmers annually since 2013. A total of KRW 2.85 billion has been donated thus far this year, and a total of 7,957 farmers have received medical checkup fees and scholarships for their children.

As part of the ESG management, KT&G is putting forth various efforts to help the farmers who supply raw materials to the company, so they can all live and grow together. Firstly, the company is the only domestic tobacco company that purchases all of the farmers' harvests to protect their livelihood. In addition, the company employees endeavor to help ease the financial burden on the farmers by volunteering to help them with leaf tobacco transplantation and harvest each year. Also, the company pays 30% of each farmer's sales in cash in advance.

Shin Song-ho, head of KT&G's raw materials division, said, "We are continuing the project to support farmers' welfare to solve their difficulties and provide practical help. I hope this support will help farmers improve their health and economic conditions. We will continue to give back to society."

 

(Photo 1) KT&G (President Baek Bok-in) delivered KRW 400 million in the charity event for leaf tobacco farmers. The photo shows Kim Sam-soo, Chairman of the Leaf Tobacco Production Cooperative (left), and Shin Song-ho, head of KT&G's raw materials division (right), attending the delivery ceremony and taking a commemorative photo at the Leaf Tobacco Production Stabilization Foundation in Daejeon on the 25th.

 

(Photo 2) KT&G (President Baek Bok-in) delivered KRW 400 million in the charity event for leaf tobacco farmers. The photo shows Kim Sam-soo, Chairman of the Leaf Tobacco Production Cooperative (from left), Shin Song-ho, head of KT&G raw materials division, and Baek Byung-gap, Chairman of the Leaf Tobacco Production Stabilization Foundation, attending the delivery ceremony on the 25th.