Citibank Korea, GE Korea Speakers Offer Firsthand Information on Corporate Diversity
SEOUL, July 17, 2012 — Asia Society Korea Center hosted two leading figures as speakers at its July luncheon on Corporate Diversity. Myung-Soon Yoo, managing director of Citibank Korea, and Jade Chung, HR managing director of GE Korea, who shared valuable insight about how Citibank and GE incorporate diversity to their respective corporate cultures.
Showcasing Citibank Korea's current engagement in reaching out to the community, Yoo highlighted Citibank's vision for managing talent under a meritocratic culture, where recruits from all backgrounds are rewarded based on their performances. She explained that Citibank envisions becoming a "talent-centric" organization where young talents are fostered via company training to rise as greater global talents.
Yoo also emphasized that Citibank is focused on diversity. Along with various programs for developing and supporting women in the workforce, the company promotes networking among female workers through a Citibank "Women's Council," and also ensures policies that accommodate women seeking continue their careers after childbirth.
Receiving the baton from Yoo, Chung continued the discussion with an explanation of GE Korea's core beliefs regarding human resources management. Chung introduced GE as a "value-oriented" firm, where only those who hold values matching the corporation's receive the "prize" of employment. These values included inclusiveness, clear thinking, imagination, expertise and external focus.
Though a global corporation, GE yet remains rather country-specific. This, Chung explained, was where the Korean branch sought diversity within local human resources, a pool of talent with an inherently better understanding of their home country.
The two speakers ended the lecture with a joint question-and-answer session, willingly answering the inquiries of eager students soon to enter the job market. They encouraged young minds to become actively engaged in the pursuit of their dreams and not to be discouraged by any supposed limits imposed by their backgrounds.
Photo: Citibank Korea's Myung-Soon Yoo in Seoul on July 17, 2012.