HMM announced Saturday that it had carried out a "companion beach" cleanup at Geojampo Beach on Yeongjongdo Island in Incheon with its 2026 class of new employees.
The event, organized to raise awareness of marine ecosystem conservation and fulfill the company's corporate social responsibility, drew about 30 participants — including new hires and existing staff — who collected marine debris along the beach.
HMM has designated Geojampo Beach as its companion beach since 2023, holding cleanup activities at least twice a year. This year's edition marked the first time the company's newest recruits joined the effort directly.
Ha Seong-su, one of the new employees who took part, said it was "a meaningful experience to personally care for the sea — the foundation of our lives and the stage of our work — as a member of a global shipping company." He added that he would "take the lead in small everyday actions to help build a sustainable marine environment" once assigned to his post.
Meanwhile, HMM runs its corporate social responsibility programs along three pillars: environment, social and global.
The company has built a waste-rope recycling project — the first of its kind among domestic shipping firms — that repurposes discarded ship ropes (environment); a support project for young patients at Pusan National University Children's Hospital (social); and an international relief cargo transport program for refugees in conflict and disaster zones (global).
Earlier, about 40 HMM employees visited a child welfare facility in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, in June to paint murals as a volunteer activity. HMM also donated 10 million won ($6,430) in sponsorship funds, including supplies to help improve the facility's environment.
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