EAAFP Foundation is happy to announce that Hyundai Motor Company, a leading South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer donated 10 million KRW (equivalent to 10,000 USD) to EAAFP Foundation to contribute to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and habitats in Ulsan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. On 15^th March, a donation ceremony was held at the office of the Taehwa River Conservation Association in Ulsan Metropolitan City.

Mr. Chang-he Kang, head of Hyundai’s environmental team, said “I hope our corporation with EAAFP becomes an example of model cooperation with international organizations.” when he delivered the donation panel to Ms. Yoon Lee, External Relations Manager of EAAFP Secretariat.

Mr. Kang and Ms. Lee are taking photos to celebrate the donation. ©EAAFP Foundation

Last year in May, Taehwa River in Ulsan was designated as 150^th Flyway Network Site of EAAFP. In celebrating the designation, the EAAFP Secretariat, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and five companies (Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., S-OIL Co., Korea Zinc Co., Ltd., Korea Petrochemical Ind. Co., LTD, Gyeongdong City Gas Co., Ltd.) signed an MOU on 13^th May, 2021 to protect Ulsan’s migratory waterbirds and their habitats.

Since then, the four companies announced that they will participate in the “EAAFP Corporate Champion Programme.” The EAAFP Corporate Champion Programme is EAAFP’s new corporate engagement flagship programme that acknowledges companies that pledge to contribute to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and habitats in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with financial support. Following the review and due diligence by the EAAFP Finance Sub-Committee, a pilot programme was launched in Ulsan, RO Korea to proceed with the donation mechanism in 2022 with the participating four companies. Once accepted, the champion company will be given a certificate from EAAFP Secretariat and expected to play a corporate ambassador’s role to promote the values of the migratory waterbirds and habitat in their region.

In the case of Ulsan, each company will be matched with one of key species inhabits in Ulsan for drawing particular attention on those species. Hyundai Motor Company is matched with Long-billed Plover (IUCN status: LC), a species listed as level 2 in Korea Monument status.

Long Billed Plover ©Ulsan Metropolitan City

After the donation ceremony, Ms. Yoon Lee discussed with Mr. Chang-he Kang, and Dr. Soo-sik Lee, professor of architectural design at Ulsan College on the way forward to raise awareness of conservation in the local community and among the corporate employees, through developing good local projects and solidifying the relationship between EAAFP, private sector, and the Civil Society Organizations in Ulsan.

EAAFP Secretariat greatly appreciates the financial contribution from Hyundai Motor Company and hopes this opens wider opportunities to encourage other like-minded corporates to join the EAAFP’s efforts to cooperate for the conservation of migratory waterbirds in the EAA Flyway.

©EAAFP Foundation

©EAAFP Foundation