Shared Growth

POSCO DX aims to grow together with all stakeholders, including partners and customers, based on trust. We leap into the future together with SMEs through various training and technical support programs, as well as funds to alleviate their financing difficulties, and practical shared growth activities, such as sharing achievements and listening to their pain points.

Goal

Trust, Together, Tomorrow

POSCO DX is in line with 3T, POSCO Group's motto for shared growth.
3T means “Establishing Tomorrow-oriented relationship with our 1st tier to 4th tier partners based on mutual Trust to pursue growth Together.”

Technical Support

To secure the global competitiveness of the entire supply chain by improving the technological competitiveness of SMEs, we operate programs, such as Techno Partnership, new product development with purchase condition, and joint public-private R&D funds.

  • Customized SME technical assistance activities
    Techno Partnership

    Our R&D doctoral-level personnel and our own specialized (quality, safety) personnel jointly support customized technology research to improve the technological competitiveness of local SMEs.

  • Patent support for SMEs

    We support SMEs in using POSCO Group's intellectual property rights in product production and strengthen their technological competitiveness by providing patent-related services and operating a consultation center.

    ※ If SMEs deliver products sold using POSCO Group's patents to the POSCO Group, the patent fee will be waived.

  • Support for technical staff and research equipment

    We provide our technical research personnel and test and analysis equipment to SMEs free of charge to improve their competitiveness and technical capabilities.

    Technical research manpower: Support for POSCO DX R&D Center's own manpower in addition to existing technical support through Techno Partnership.

    R&D equipment: For Sourcing Group suppliers who are experiencing difficulties due to lack of test equipment.

  • Technology escrow program

    In transactions between large companies and SMEs, technical data is transferred to a third-party organization, the K-Escrow, to protect the technology of suppliers, while large companies receiving products are guaranteed a stable product supply and maintenance even if the small business goes out of business due to bankruptcy or insolvency.

Support for Education and Training

Based on the POSCO Group's excellent human resources, we provide free educational opportunities to employees and their families of SMEs and support factory innovation activities through specialized personnel.

  • SME Job Training Consortium

    We provide free training opportunities to POSCO Group suppliers and second- and third-tier SMEs, including customized training to improve the job skills of their employees and foster excellent human resources by utilizing POSCO's educational resources.

    ※ Collective training: 51 courses in QSS, leadership, technical certifications, and more

    ※ e-learning program: 45 courses in professionalism, communication, steel production process, etc.

  • Support for SME innovation

    We support factory innovation activities for SMEs, such as Six Sigma and QSS course training, by utilizing excellent innovation leaders, such as MBB from POSCO DX (QSS improvement leader matching).

  • On-site safety and health consulting for SMEs

    When SMEs request training and expertise on safety and health, POSCO DX's experts visit them to provide training on safety and health and consultation on related laws and regulations.

Financial Support

We operate programs such as the POSCO Family Financial Support Program and Network Loan to help SMEs resolve financing difficulties and support liquidity.

  • POSCO Family joint financial support programs

    We operate the POSCO Family Win-Win Cooperation Special Fund and the Win-Win Guarantee Financial Support Program to resolve financing difficulties for SMEs.

  • Paying SMEs early during holiday seasons

    We pay subcontractors early to provide support for liquidity of funds.

  • Network Loan

    We operate a funding program based on contract or delivery performance to provide operational funding for contracts.

  • Supplier Support Fund

    Banks that have signed agreements with POSCO lend money to SMEs at low interest rates using the time deposits that POSCO deposits with the banks.

    ※ SMEs can request a referral through a POSCO Family Shared Growth Representative.

  • Paying the full purchase price in cash

    We make all-cash payments for materials, services, and construction delivered by SMEs to help ease their financing needs.

  • Early payment of purchase prices

    We pay for purchases within 10 days to ensure smooth cash flow for SMEs.

Purchasing Cooperation

Based on our trusting relationship with SMEs, we provide pro bono support, such as on-site innovation through our Benefit Sharing program and Shared Growth Support Group activities.

  • Benefit Sharing program

    It is a program in which suppliers and POSCO DX jointly conduct improvement activities on goods and facilities currently provided by suppliers and share the results, enabling suppliers to improve their systems and reduce costs through autonomous improvement, and POSCO DX to improve quality and realize cost reduction in the long term.

  • Shared Growth Support Group

    POSCO DX's executives and technicians conduct pro bono support activities by experiencing sites of SMEs and collecting their pain points, as well as providing training in specialized areas, such as legal, taxation, and innovation (6 months).

  • Business Doctor program

    Organized by the Federation of Korean Industries, this program provides free mentoring on all aspects of management, including business strategy, marketing, informatization, and new business discovery, using a management advisory group of former CEOs and executives from large companies (6 months).

  • Regular SME meetings

    We conduct annual meetings with our suppliers to listen to their business concerns and improve issues.

  • Industrial Innovation 3.0

    It is a program organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support tier 2 and 3 suppliers by providing expert consultants to five companies every year for five years.

  • Support for business infrastructure improvement

    Diagnosis and improvement of regulations and systems: Legal violations (Labor Standards Act, Mother and Child Health Act, Equal Employment Opportunity And Work-family Balance Assistance Act, etc.), labor-management risk, etc.

    Ethics risk prevention: We provide relevant standards and training materials on the prevention of workplace and sexual harassment, understanding ethical management, etc.

  • Medical support

    This is a program organized by the Health and Safety team to visit sites during extreme heat and provide medical assistance.

Partner Support Program Highlights for 2023

Partner Support Program Highlights for 2022
Type Programs Results in 2023
Partner revenue improvement

Package deal support for SMEs.

Buyer meetings to support sales of SMEs.

5 companies / KRW 1.280 B

10 times / 47 companies
Financial support

Favorable payment condition.

Warranty fee waiver and win-win cooperation fund.

Advance payment for Increasing liquidity.

Operation of a transparent win-win payment system.

Paying 2 times a week in cash KRW 39.745 B

32 cases / KRW 6.53 M

KRW 6.760 B
Technical support and protection

Collaborative R&D.

ESG management support for SMEs (checklists, etc.).

11 cases / KRW 3.12 M
Training

Job training for partner employees.

Productivity and quality improvement.

17 companies / 288 persons

113 cases
Welfare support

Flu vaccine.

Family event support for excellent suppliers.

8 companies / 40 persons

16 companies / 28 persons/ KRW 7.55 M
Processing results of partner's opinions

VOC system

Supplier communication room

4 cases / 100%

1 cases / 100%