NHN (NHN) announced on the 5th that its subsidiary NHN Good Friends, which operates a standard business site for people with disabilities, plans to continue expanding its business based on the achievements over the past 10 years.
Established in April 2016 as the first standard business site for people with disabilities in Pangyo, Good Friends began its operations with the opening of the cafe 'Good Friends Cafe' located in the NHN Pangyo headquarters. A standard business site for people with disabilities is a system certified by the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities for workplaces that employ a certain percentage of workers with disabilities and are equipped with facilities to create stable job opportunities for them.
Since its establishment, Good Friends has expanded to include an in-house mart called 'Good Friends Mart,' continuously increasing the number of quality jobs. The number of developmental disability workers has increased from 10 at the time of establishment to 18 now, reflecting an 80% rise in employment rates. The 12 staff members from Good Friends Cafe have been continuously employed since joining in 2016 and have shown high job satisfaction.
Comprehensive support is also provided to enable workers to focus on their tasks in a stable environment, including close training, various welfare programs, ample rest areas, and regular grievance counseling. Additionally, both the cafe and the mart aim for eco-friendly stores, engaging in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices through the use of eco-friendly materials, discounts for tumbler users, and lending services for shopping bags and reusable utensils.
In the future, Good Friends plans to discover additional sustainable business models where people with developmental disabilities can work together, such as in-house flower shops, and continue to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities and improve employee welfare services.
An NHN representative noted, 'Good Friends, established to provide stable jobs for people with disabilities and support their social independence, has now celebrated its 10th anniversary.' He added, 'We will create an environment where our disabled employees can take pride in their work and be employed for a longer time, while continuously discovering new business models and striving to fulfill our corporate social responsibility.'