Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

  At one of the companies I worked for in the past, we had a unique way of addressing each other. Instead of using official job titles, we dropped family names and addressed everyone by their first name followed by the honorific suffix '-nim.' The goal was to foster a flat, egalitarian organizational culture regardless of rank. (In Korean workplace culture, addressing colleagues without formal titles is quite unfamiliar, so I remember taking quite some time to get used to it!)   Looking back, many social impact organizations similarly use the '-nim' suffix, or adopt English names and nicknames rather than using traditional titles. Beyond titles, organizations actively introduce various flexible work policies, such as flexible hours and enhanced employee welfare benefits.   Presumably, this is based on the belief that a well-established organizational culture leads to strong performance. However, organizational performance does not improve merely through superfic...

  In my conversations with practitioners from social impact enterprises in the field, one recurring need stood out above all else: a 'market' where they can actually sell their products and services. Generating revenue is essential not merely for profit, but because a sustainable business model is required to deliver the social value these enterprises aim to create.   The South Korean government has actively developed policies to address this challenge. Every year, the public sector purchases a massive volume of goods and services. South Korea's policy intentionally directs a portion of this public consumption toward social enterprises. This mechanism is known as the Preferred Public Procurement Policy for Social Enterprise Products. Put simply, it is a policy where the government and public institutions support market access for social enterprises by becoming their direct customers.   🐣The Preferred Public Procurement Policy for Social Enterprise Products ...

  A while ago, I met a designer around my age. He had worked in the corporate sector before transitioning into the social impact field. Right before leaving his corporate job, he experienced severe burnout and ended up walking away from everything. Listening to his story brought back memories of my own past.   I have worked in the media industry for over fifteen years. Moving from my hometown to Seoul to pursue my career meant that even when times were tough, I rarely had people nearby to open up to. With work taking up most of my energy, a glass of beer after work was my only form of rest — though I no longer drink alcohol today.   Working under such relentless pressure, I faced burnout multiple times. There were mornings when simply waking up, washing my face, and changing clothes felt overwhelmingly difficult, let alone commuting. Yet, I pushed myself to go to work every single day. On some days, I found myself crying uncontrollably the moment I stepped out of ...