BNP Paribas Cardif Life Insurance came out on top in the environmental preservation sector at the state-sponsored 2013 Adding Happiness Social Contribution Award Ceremony, the company said on Tuesday.

The corporate social sharing award is presented in recognition of BNP’s unique social sharing project, “Happy Forest for Sharing,” as well as other “different but professional” social sharing projects in partnership with NGOs and experts, the Korean subsidiary of European insurance firm BNP Paribas Cardif said.

Launched in 2011, Happy Forest for Sharing incorporates two concepts: environmental preservation and aiding socio-economically alienated children.

The long-term sharing program includes offering environment-friendly living space, gardens and environment-related classes to the children of Dong-Myung Child Welfare Center, a half-century-old center for children.

Besides economic support, the program is intended to foster the emotional and psychological growth of socially alienated children through eco-friendly education.

Jean-Christophe Darbes, the chief executive of BNP Paribas Cardif Life Insurance said the company planned to “continue carrying out quality social contribution activities to help society.”

“BNP Paribas Cardif Life Insurance has been organizing social contribution activities that can be differentiated in terms of sincerity and quality. We are happy that our efforts are being recognized,” he said.

The country’s first bancassurance-specialized insurance firm established in 2002, BNP Paribas Cardif Life Insurance now has about 2,100 branches of its nine partners nationwide.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)