Samsung C&T, the construction arm of Samsung Group, is taking bolder action in its overseas corporate social responsibility activities, with programs tailored to the needs of each country’s local communities.

In September, the firm carried out the “Samsung C&T Village” housing project to provide better facilities for residents of Pasir Halang in Indonesia.

“We will continue to make progress in our global CSR efforts while seeking ways to help them with our construction technology and know-how,” a Samsung C&T official said. 

Most residents in the village rely on agriculture, and often face difficulties with farming due to natural disasters and a poor water supply system.

Samsung C&T discussed how to choose the individual beneficiaries with the Pasir Halang community. Some residents also took part in the construction process, the company said.

Through the project, 100 households had their residential environment upgraded. More people in the village are now able to use clean water at home thanks to the new water supply system installed by the company.

According to Samsung C&T, 9,170 of its employees have participated in more than 2,100 volunteer programs this year. They also raised 1.6 billion won ($1.4 million) to donate to charity.

In October, the company received media attention in Morocco when it donated rams to underprivileged people there during Aid al-Adha ― also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice.

The South Korean builder says it runs livestock and vegetable farms in Morocco to better engage with the community and understand its culture.

Samsung C&T plans to carry out more CSR programs, tailored to each individual country’s demand, next year. This includes building a second Samsung C&T Village in India, a job-training center in Thailand and a library in Vietnam.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)