Jin Jae-seung, CEO of Yuhan-Kimberly (right), is giving a lecture at the 2024 UNGC Korea Leaders Summit on November 5, discussing Yuhan-Kimberly’s efforts toward sustainable management. (Provided by Yuhan-Kimberly)
[Financial News] Yuhan-Kimberly was selected as a leading company in sustainable management for the fourth consecutive year at the 2024 United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Korea Leaders Summit Conference.
According to industry sources on the 5th, the UNGC Korea Leaders Summit is the largest corporate sustainability conference in South Korea conducted by the UNGC Korea Network. It aims to promote the sustainability agenda of companies and the international community based on the UNGC’s four core values: human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG leadership.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of UNGC’s ‘Who Cares Wins’ report, which introduced the concept of ESG. In the special session held to commemorate this, Jin Jae-seung, CEO of Yuhan-Kimberly and a director at the UNGC Korea Association, presented the company’s sustainable management practices.
Yuhan-Kimberly was a founding member of the UNGC Korea Association when it was established in 2007. The company’s selection as a leading company for four consecutive years is due to its adherence to the four core values of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, and its leadership in ESG management.
Yuhan-Kimberly has set a goal for ESG management to achieve over 95% of its sales from sustainable products by 2030 and is working towards achieving this. Efforts include reducing plastic usage by 50% compared to 2019, using sustainable forest-certified pulp, using recycled plastics, hand towel resource recycling, and reducing carbon emissions throughout the management process. They also conduct ‘Green Action Alliance,’ a supply chain-wide coalition activity promoting a circular economy.
Additionally, the company is practicing social responsibility management through initiatives such as the ‘Keep Korea Green’ campaign on its 40th anniversary, donating 1 million sanitary pads annually, providing ‘First Hygiene Panties’ for children with developmental disabilities, and supplying ultra-small diapers free of charge for premature infants.
The conference also featured a keynote speech by Ban Ki-moon, the 8th UN Secretary-General and honorary chair of the UNGC Korea Association. Other speakers included Sanda Ojiambo, the UNGC Secretary-General, along with senior officials from international organizations, sustainability issue experts, and corporate representatives.