YangSook J’s 18-year tenure at Yuhan-Kimberly in South Korea has vastly broadened her views about what a career and a company can be.

When she joined Yuhan-Kimberly as a communication specialist, she envisioned her future as a straight climb in the field. But all that changed in 2010 when she participated in corporate vision strategizing.

“The project leader asked me to change my path,” YangSook recalls. “At first I was afraid that the career I had built over the past nine years would disappear, but he told me that if I experience marketing work, I will understand more about the business and I will contribute more. He was right.”

Now Senior Product Manager of Kotex GoodFeel period products in South Korea, YangSook supervises a fast-paced, trend-savvy market.

YangSook, who is inherently curious, enjoys staying on top of new media and keeping tabs on early adaptive consumers to spot emerging market shifts. But she didn't get there overnight.

With the support of the company she earned an MBA and a solid foundation of business theory. One of the most useful things she gleaned from her studies was the habit of reading business cases.

“For me, lifelong learning is the key to managing challenges,” YangSook says. “Experience. Read. Think. This habit guides me to think about how we design the brand and product experiences for consumers.”

The products she supervises are for women, and YangSook feels she and the company are closely connected to women’s lives and wellbeing.

“Our corporate culture is built on a family friendly environment and gender equity,” she points out. “Respecting women means that a company recognizes employees’ possibilities. From gender matters to diversity issues, Kimberly-Clark embraces.’

YangSook is a wife and mother, and she appreciates that the company accommodated her when she needed to care for her ailing mother-in-law.

“Kimberly-Clark created a flexible working environment and continuously provided educational opportunities,” she says. “It’s noteworthy for a company to keep these things right and manage its employees.”

Yuhan-Kimberly has repeatedly ranked among South Korea’s most admired companies and earned a national Prime Ministerial Award for excellence in labor management.

“If you believe in your potential, I recommend joining Kimberly-Clark,” YangSook says. “There are many companies out there, but not many can consistently maintain a reputation as a good company. Check out its power for yourself.”

Working at Kimberly-Clark has made her realize that a corporation can be not only a business enterprise but also a support for the community it serves.

“My co-workers and supervisors have always encouraged me to think about what our brand can do for the community and what efforts should be made for a sustainable earth,” she says. “As corporate citizens, Kimberly-Clark employees are accountable to seek innovations with integrity.”

YangSook personally developed an educational program about sanitary pads for young women with developmental disabilities. She also volunteers to create business models for Asian women who want to achieve economic independence through an non-for-profit organization.

“This experience taught me to think about the meaning of solidarity with others,” she reflects. “Many senior women and colleagues work together in this company, encouraging one another to succeed.”

YangSook practices self care by walking in small forests in Seoul, where she lives, and taking note of  nature. She also walks to work.

As she points out, “Walking can relieve tension and give you a sense of vitality.”