SKC Publishes 2024 Sustainability Report
● Compiled to ensure ‘more detailed and transparent information sharing’ ···first instance of disclosing ESG data for each investee● Providing integrated information on business innovation and ESG management to enhance the utility of information for stakeholders, including investors and rating agenciesSKC (CEO Woncheol Park) released its ‘2024 Sustainability Report’ on its website on the 28th. Marking the fifth edition since its inauguration in 2020, the 2024 Sustainability Report has been compiled to provide key stakeholders, including investors, customers, rating agencies, and civic groups, with more detailed and transparent information on ESG management status.The report is composed of three main sections: the Corporate Overview section, the ‘Sustainability Storybook’ that describes the status of SKC’s business sustainability and ESG management, and the ‘ESG Factbook’ that showcases ESG-relevant data. The Sustainability Storybook covers SKC’s business model innovation in EV battery, semiconductor, and eco-friendly materials, along with an overview of their ESG management system. Notably, the ‘SKC Special’ feature provides an at-a-glance view of significant changes from the past year, including the acquisition of the semiconductor test solution company ISC.The ESG Factbook contains detailed quantitative and qualitative ESG-related data for the years 2021 to 2023. Until last year, ESG data was disclosed only as a sum of SKC and its key investees. However, starting with this year’s report, the 2023 data is disclosed separately for SKC, SK Nexilis, SK picglobal, and SK enpulse, and others. This allows stakeholders to access environmental performance data, such as greenhouse gas emission reductions and water recycling, as well as social data covering human resource composition and supplier management status, broken down by each investee.The ‘2023 SKC Activity Report’ is also included in this year’s edition. SKC produced this report on a trial basis for the first time last year to promote the evaluation principles, indicators, compensation scheme of the SKC board of directors and CEO. Going forward, SKC vows to further enhance the soundness of the governance structure by continuing to disclose information transparently.An SKC representative said, ”We promise to continue with bold business model innovations based on our identity as a global ESG material solution company, while simultaneously implementing genuine ESG management practices. We will transparently disclose our performance to stakeholders.”
2024-06-28
SKC is assigned with Integrated A+ ESG rating by the KCGS
● Up by one notch from the previous year’s A rating and included in the top 1.8% out of 1049 listed companies rated by the KCGS ● Higher trustability recognized for disclosure of detailed environmental performance targets, mutual prosperity with local communities and enhanced expertise embedded in the boardSKC (CEO: Woncheol Park) announced on the 27th that the Company won integrated A+, one notch up from last year, in the 2023 ESG Ratings’ published by the Korea Institute of Corporate Governance and Sustainability) (KCGS). The KCGS annually rates companies listed in Korea on a scale of seven steps from S to A+, A, B+, B, C, and D by evaluating their managerial practices comprehensively in terms of environment, society and governance. The KCGS ESG ratings evaluation covered 1049 listed companies this year and only 19 out of them, including SKC, were honored with A+ this year, accounting for the top 1.8%. S rating has never been assigned to any company so far.The honor of winning such a remarkable rating is the result of SKC’s persistent efforts to forge ahead with innovations in environment, society and governance categories while innovating business models at a breathless pace under its vision of ‘Global ESG Material Solution Provider.’ Winning the most prestigious rating, SKC has entrenched solid ESG leadership in its industry, earning greater trust from investors.In terms of specific rating categories, SKC was rated A+, two notches up from last year, in the environment category and A+ and A in the society and the governance categories respectively, at the same level as the previous year. SKC enhanced its trustability, disclosing its environmental targets and achievements in detail in terms of GHG (greenhouse gas) net zero and plastic net zero domains. Furthermore, the Company is bolstering up eco-friendly management practices, as its subsidiary SK PIC Global obtained the ZWTL (Zero Waste to Landfill) certification last year in addition to SK Nexilis in 2021. SKC is also putting spurs to business initiatives to ensure mutual prosperity with various stakeholders, upgrading safety and environmental protection infrastructure with local communities where its production plants are based and developing/fulfilling human rights management goals to better respect the human rights of its employees.Having announced commitment to corporate governance innovation beyond prevailing global expectations in 2021, SKC has endeavored to foster the independence of and diversity in its board of directors, appointing a board chairman out of independent directors, bringing more female directors on board and adopting the board skills matrix (BSM) to name a few. Moreover, SKC enhanced the professionalism and independence of its board of directors by evaluating the performance of the board in a manner transparently disclosed and deploying rigorous corporate ethics programs, which enabled the Company to obtain the ISO 37001 certification in this March to demonstrate compliance with the international standards for anti-corruption management system.“The KCGS A+ rating is the credit given to SKC for our perseverance in promoting sustainability management,” said Choi Kap-ryong, Head of SKC's ESG Promotion Division. “We will continue to ensure transparency in ESG management initiatives and foster ESG-based business model innovation, empowering corporate growth with trust from stakeholders.” [End]
2023-10-27
SKC fosters eco-friendly consumption with My Green Place X Environmental Mark
● Running My Green Place booth in the ESG-ECO EXPO Korea 2023 to be held from Oct. 11 to 13 in COEX● Promoting Environmental Mark-certified products conducive to eco-friendly consumption ··· providing a lot more information in support of eco-friendly consumptionSKC (CEO: Woncheol Park) joins the ESG-ECO EXPO Korea 2023, Korea’s biggest environmental trade show, to boost public awareness of products bearing environmental marks and encourage eco-friendly consumption.In the environmental trade fair organized by the Ministry of Environment and hosted by the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) for three days starting October 11 in COEX, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, SKC will set up My Green Place, Korea’s first-ever game platform designed to publish waste sorting guides, in the Special Environmental Mark Pavilion opened by the KEITI.Launched by SKC on the Day of the Earth (April 22), My Green Place is Korea’s first mobile game platform intended to publish waste sorting guides. Simply by scanning a barcode printed on a plastic container, consumers can easily find descriptions of unfamiliar plastic materials such as PET and PE, and guides on how to sort and through away such plastic wastes. They can also earn mileage points that can be used in a game to turn barren fields into green zones. My Green Place has been downloaded over 90,000 times so far. SKC has set up a special space for visitors to experience My Green Place app. The company is also running the Find Environmental Marks campaign in which the first 2,000 players who succeeded in scanning the barcodes on Environmental Mark-certified products placed in the exhibition booth and earned corresponding stamps are entitled to free giveaways.The Environmental Mark is an eco-friendliness certification program backed up by the government that allows products and services to reduce energy and resource consumption and minimizing pollution footprints throughout its entire lifecycle from production to consumption to bear a certification logo (Environmental Mark). Since signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Promotion of Resource Circulation & Eco-friendly Lifestyle with KEITI in this July, SKC has published increasingly more information on products bearing the Environmental Mark via My Green Place app. The app can help consumers not only to find guides on how to sort and discharge product wastes but also to verify the certification status of products that they consider buying. Moreover, SKC is leveraging My Green Place as a platform for various social outreach initiatives. ‘My Green School,’ a resource circulation education program supported by SKC people volunteers to help elementary schoolers who will shape the future of our society to develop greater awareness of environmental conservation and needs for waste sorting, was launched in the previous month and ‘My Green Campus’ event where visitors can experience My Green Place was held in four university festivals in this this spring.“Joining Korea’s biggest eco-friendly ESG trade exhibition, we will be able to foster the use of eco-friendly products among consumers more effectively,” said an official at SKC. “SKC will continue to launch various other initiatives to bring the awareness of resource circulation home to the general public.” [End][‘My Green Place’ on exhibit in the ESG-ECO EXPO Korea 2023]
2023-10-11
SKC·SK Nexilis win international information security management system certification
● Winning ISO 27001 certification in tandem··· an official recognition of information security management system living up to global standards● Airtight information security management system and practices covering investees and overseas subsidiaries continue to maintain ‘zero information leakage’ recordSKC(CEO & President Woncheol Park) and SK Nexilis, SKC’s EV battery copper foil production subsidiary, have obtained in tandem ISO 27001 certifications, global standards for information security management systems. The certificate award ceremony, held in SKC head office in Jongro-gu, Seoul in the afternoon of the 22nd, was attended by ESG Implementation Director Kapryong Choi of SKC, Management Support Director Youngjoo Roh of SK Nexilis and Country Business Manager Sungyang Moon of SGS Korea, the ISO certification body. ISO 27001 certification is granted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and known to be the most authoritative global information security certification released in 2005. In the certification process, over 100 assessment items including the commitment of management leadership to information security, various information security systems, employees’ information security awareness, etc. are required to be assessed. Obtaining the ISO 27001 certification after rigorous scrutiny, SKC and SK Nexilis have been official recognized as having implemented information security management systems in compliance with the global standard requirements. Before earning the certification, the two companies continued to invest in information security and forged ahead with airtight information security management system practices, including self-security assessment and regular information security training programs for their people. They will keep trying to maintain ‘zero information leakage’ records going forward and apply the same information security management system standards to all their investees and overseas subsidiaries.“ISO 27001 certification is an official recognition of our information security management system living up to global standards,” said an official at SKC. “We will continue to do our best to win trust from stakeholders including customers in our airtight information security management practices.” [End]
2023-09-24
SKC opens My Green School to educate elementary schoolers on resource circulation
● 2023 My Green School kick-off ceremony held on the 20th··· educating elementary schoolers across the nation on resource circulation and waste sorting● Training My Green Teachers among the MZ-generation SKC people/undergraduate students··· continued endeavor to promote an eco-friendly cultureSKC (CEO Woncheol Par) kicks off My Green School, an engagement-based resource circulation education program designed to improve awareness of the need for environmental protection and waste sorting among elementary schoolers, the leaders of the future.SKC held 2023 My Green School kick-off ceremony at its head office in Jongro-gu, Seoul on the 20th. The kick-off ceremony was attended by management leaders of SKC and partner organizations, including ESG Implementation Director Choi Kap-ryong of SKC, CEO Lee Seung-hwan of SeedCoop, a social coop for youth education, and Secretary General Song Seong-ho of the Happy School Foundation to name a few. My Green School is the elementary schooler education program designed under the theme of Future Generation and Environment in connection with SKC’s ESG vision of ‘ESG Solution Provider for the Next Generation’ released in this June. It consists of two lessons aligned to the regular school curriculum. Lesson 1 is packed with various content on the needs for resource circulation and waste storing methods. Lesson 2 consists of experience programs using learning aids such as SKC’s My Green Place and card to maximize education effectiveness.Prior to the kick-off ceremony, SKC recruited My Green Teachers. SKC’s MZ-generation people and volunteering undergraduates picked at a 1-to-8 ratio will teach My Green School courses in 45 classes across the country for about two months starting on September 25. They completed instructor training courses provided by experts in partner organizations on environmental issues and teaching methods. “I am always deeply conscious of environmental matters, and pleased to have an opportunity to teach the younger generation,” said Soomin Kim (senior in the English Language Education Department at Korea University) selected as a My Green Teacher. “I will work hard to do my share in contributing to the sustainability of our society.” My Green Place, Korea’s first game-inspired waste sorting information platform launched by SKC last April, has been downloaded about 90,000 times. SKC rolled out Assemble! Waste Sorting Heroes, a pilot elementary schooler education program utilizing My Green Place, in the second half of last year. My Green School further enriched existing education content and secured expertise in instructor training programs by engaging experts from specialist institutions.“My Green School leveraging My Green Place in educating the future generation is SKC’s enterprise social contribution program to make our society more sustainable,” said ESG Implementation Director Kapryong Choi of SKC. “We will not let up in our genuine efforts to foster eco-friendly culture.” [End] [2023 My Green School kick-off ceremony at SKC head office in Jongro-gu, Seoul on September 20]
2023-09-21
SKC is Rated A in MSCI ESG Assessment
● Rated A in MSCI ESG assessment··· BB in 2021 → BBB in 2022 → A in 2023● Given credit for persistent efforts and achievements across all ESG domains··· committed to further driving corporate sustainabilitySKC (President & CEO Woncheol Park) has been touted for excellence in ESG management by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), a global ESG rating agency.SKC announced on August 1 that the company received an A rating in this year’s MSCI ESG assessment, which is another jump from the previous year’s rise from BB to BBB. MSCI’s ESG ratings index is known to be the most trusted benchmark of ESG management by major listed companies worldwide. While rapidly forging ahead with a business model innovation with focus on EV batteries, semiconductors, and eco-friendly materials, SKC remain committed to ESG practices, which resulted in the higher MSCI rating. Under its ESG vision of being a ESG Solution Provider for the Next Generation, SKC has been active across all ESG domains together with seven major subsidiaries including SK nexilis, SK enpulse, and SK picglobal.In the environmental (E) domain, SKC was given credit for its efforts to ramp up investments in clean technologies and recycle water resources. Last month, the company unveiled a plan to invest a total of 2 trillion won in EV batteries and eco-friendly materials conducive to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In particular, SKC is beefing up environmental safeguards across all production processes, incorporating RE100 initiatives in SK nexilis’ new copper foil plant. SKC also vows to raise the water recycling ratio from 21% in 2022 to 55% by 2025 to reduce water consumption and contribute to sustainable water resource management.In the society (S) domain, SKC is focused on ESG material-centered business model innovation and is making consistent efforts to ensure the safety of chemicals were given credit. SK picglobal, a chemical arm of SKC, has tried to mitigate related risks, publicly posting MSDSs (material safety data sheets) in its website and replacing hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing processes with safer substances. In the governance (G) domain, SKC is noted for its continued achievements in terms of board-centered management and ethical practices. Announcing in 2021 that governance innovation would do more than simply meeting the global standards, SKC has worked hard to ensure greater independence and diversity in its board of directors, appointing an independent director as the board chairman, engaging more female directors in the board, and adopting the Board Skills Matrix (BSM) to name a few. Furthermore, the company won the ISO 37001 anti-corruption management system certification to build a stronger bedrock for greater trust from stakeholders.“The A MSCI rating is the credit given to us for our persistent sustainability initiatives and we will remain committed to transparent ESG management practices to earn a stronger trust of the stakeholders,” an official at SKC said. [End]
2023-08-02
SKC Publishes 2023 Sustainability Report
● Published exclusively online for environmental conservation··· Announcing a new ESG vision: ‘ESG Solution Provider for the Next Generation’● Organized into ESG Story Leap to Reap, and ESG Factbook sections to disclose SKC’s ESG management practices transparentlySKC (CEO & President Woncheol Park) unveiled its new ESG vision, ‘ESG Solution Provider for the Next Generation’ in its 2023 Sustainability Report. In addition to the new ESG vision, the report covers SKC’s ESG initiatives, execution strategy and business model innovation in detail.SKC published the 2023 Sustainability Report and posted it to its website on the 30th. The new ESG vision unveiled in the report implies the corporate identity of SKC as a global ESG solution provider as well as the Company’s orientation towards a society where our posterity is assured of a richer and safer life enabled by ESG management. Published for the fourth time since its inaugural edition in 2020, this year’s Sustainability Report contains sections like the ESG Story that covers SKC and its investees’ environmental, societal, and governance innovation initiatives; the Leap to Reap section that explains SKC’s business model strategy and goals; and the ESG Factbook that delivers a body of ESG data.The ESG Story section of the current edition covers a specific Net Zero implementation plan and SKC’s activities to foster the well-being of stakeholders including consumers, SKC people, local communities, and so forth, as well as innovation initiatives from the Board of Directors. In particular, the section focuses on stakeholder engagement, containing interviews with SKC people and business partners. The Leap to Reap section demonstrates detailed strategies for the top 3 growth pillars including EV battery, semiconductor, and eco-friendly materials whereas ESG data in the ESG Factbook show an increase of over 30% when compared with the previous year.SKC also unveiled the social value (SV) created by it in the Sustainability Report. SKC’s SV created in 2022 was valued at 301.5 billion won, with the indirect economic contribution decreased from the previous year in the aftermath of the film business division while the social performance improved positively thanks to persistent efforts to enhance social contribution and shared growth with business partners.Furthermore, SKC has decided to do away with printed publications and will publish its sustainability report exclusively online from this year on. Interactive links are also added inside the report to connect to a wide variety of content in and out of the report enabling prospective readers to understand better SKC’s ESG initiatives.”In this Sustainability Report, we promise our stakeholders that we will innovate business models drastically true to our identity as a global ESG solution provider and implement transparent and truthful ESG initiatives to foster sustainable growth for the generations to come,” an official at SKC said. [End]
2023-07-07
SKC takes My Green Place to university campuses.
● My Green Campus campaign launched at spring festivals in four universities nationwide to raise undergraduates’ awareness of separate waste disposal.● My Green Place, used for environmental education for children, published on YouTube by an environment influencer, and will be introduced at the World Climate Industry Expo.My Green Place, an eco-friendly plastic platform of SKC (CEO & President Woncheol Park), visits university campuses during the May festival season.SKC will take the My Green Campus campaign to four university spring festivals, starting with Seoul National University’s spring festival on May 9-11, followed by Jeonbuk National University (May 10-12), Inha University (May 17-19), and Korea University (May 22-25). The campaign targets festival participants to raise awareness of resource circulation and garbage sorting.My Green Place is a mobile game-type information platform for garbage sorting, the first of its kind in South Korea, which was released by SKC on Earth Day (May 22) last year. When barcodes are scanned from products using plastic containers, users can easily check the description of materials, including PET, PE, and ABS, that are hard to understand by their names alone and learn how to sort them properly. Users can also earn points and use them to play a game of turning wasteland into green. Currently, about 50,000 types of products are registered on the App, and has recorded over 40,000 downloads in just a year after its release.This campaign consists of various eco-friendly events, including the Campus Separate Disposal Hero, which offers participants an on-site experience using the App, Hole-in-One Mini Game which is a board game using sorted waste beverage bottle caps, and an experiential event where transparent PET bottles discarded on campus during the festival are put into a special shredder installed on-site to practice resource circulation. Post-event programs, such as job mentoring of SKC and its four invested companies, are also arranged for undergraduates who tried the App.According to the industry data, the average amount of waste generated by one university campus reaches 100 tons annually. However, the proportion of separate disposal of recyclable waste is not high. Through the My Green Campus campaign, SKC aims to raise university students’ awareness of garbage sorting and elicit consensus across universities on improving waste sorting infrastructure. To this end, SKC recruited thirty Clean Earth supporters composed of undergraduates from universities nationwide to participate in the campaign operation.SKC has been actively using My Green Place to enhance resource circulation awareness across multiple generations. For example, it launched Go! Separate Disposal Hero last year, which is a resource circulation training program for elementary school students. Last month, Chuu, an environmental influencer on the popular YouTube channel Chuu Can Do It, emceed an educational event using My Green Place.My Green Place will also be introduced at the SK Group Booth during the World Climate Industry EXPO (WCE) held in BEXCO, Busan, on May 25. Hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, WCE is held for the first time this year as a large-scale eco-friendly industry EXPO integrating four related events, including the Energy Industry Exhibition and the Carbon Neutral Exhibition.Gab-ryong Choi, Head of the ESG Supporting Division, said, “We will contribute to raising awareness of resource circulation through the campaign using My Green Place and create social value through the platform,” and added, “We will further continue our efforts to promote an eco-friendly culture by organizing campaigns and training programs in various ways.” [End of document][My Green Campus Campaign poster]
2023-05-09
SKC, Certified with International Standard for Anti-Corruption Management System
● Certified with ISO 37001, an anti-corruption corporate management standard published by the International Standard Organization (ISO)··· rolling out an industry-leading ethical management system● Continuing with their endeavors to foster transparency in corporate culture, establishing an anti-corruption code of conduct and deploying an ethical management 3C systemSKC (CEO & President Woncheol Park) announced on March 2 that the company was certified by the Korea Management Registrar (KMR) with ISO 37001, a global standard governing anti-corruption corporate management system.The certificate award ceremony held at SKC head office in Jongro-gu, Seoul was attended by distinguished guests including Head Kapryong Choi of ESG Promotion Division at SKC and President Eunju Hwang of KMR to name a few. ISO 37001 is the international standard published by the International Standard Organization (ISO) in 2016 that provides for anti-corruption management processes and requirements.Upon winning the ISO 37001 certification after a rigorous assessment, SKC is officially recognized for rolling out an anti-corruption management system that satisfies the requirements of applicable global standards. To win the certification, SKC developed risk controls and prevention systems after identifying and assessing enterprise-wide corruption risks in the second half of last year, laying the groundwork for operating the anti-corruption corporate management system.Prior to the ISO 37001 certification, SKC continuously upgraded its ethical management infrastructure. The company kept on with its efforts to foster a fair and transparent corporate culture, establishing an anti-corruption code of conduct and building the so-called ethical management 3C system founded on three pillars: Code; Compliance; and Consensus. Anti-corruption training programs covering all SKC people including outside directors were also in place.With demand for ethical corporate practices mounting both at home and abroad, SKC vows to press ahead with its anti-corruption endeavors. In particular, the company plans to extend the coverage of anti-corruption training programs to local workers in the overseas construction sites of its investors and business partners in Korea and elsewhere in a bid to bolster up ethical management capabilities, aspiring to reduce anti-corruption incidents to zero by 2025.“The ISO 37001 certification is tantamount to the official recognition of SKC’s success in rolling out an enterprise-wide anti-corruption management system satisfying global standards,” said an official at SKC. “We will remain determined to win greater trust from stakeholders by fostering fairness and transparency in corporate management.” [End][SKC won the ISO 37001 certification, a global standard certification for anti-corruption corporate management system. SKC’s Kapryong Choi, head of the ESG Promotion Division (left), is receiving the certificate from KMR President Eunju Hwang]
2023-03-02
SKC names a businesswoman & a startup founder candidates for the office of director
● Ms. Eunmi Chae, former country managing director of FedEx Korea, and Mr. Jeongin Kim, CEO of Hyper Lounge, nominated for the office of director in a board meeting on the 23rd● Female representation among outside directors raised to 50% and candidates identified using BSM ··· drastically enhancing diversity and professionalism in the board membershipSKC (CEO & President Woncheol Park) has named a female business executive and a startup founder for the office of outside director with a view to further enhancing diversity and professionalism in its board.SKC nominated former country managing director Eunmi Chae of FedEx Korea and CEO Jeongin Kim of Hyper Lounge in a board meeting held on the 23rd. In addition, Joonsik Chae, the Head of the Finance Division at SK Inc. was also tapped as a non-executive director.Eunmi Chae is an iconic self-made businesswoman who joined FedEx, world’s leading shipping company, as a rank-and-file employee and earned her promotion to the first-ever Korean managing directorship in FedEx Korea. Serving as country managing director, she was touted for her commitment to communicating with employees, and memorizing the names of hundreds of employees. She is also known to be well-versed in labor relations and experienced in global business management, working as the HR manager of FedEx North Pacific Hub and Vice Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. Upon her appointment, the share of female outside directors in SKC will jump to 50%.Jeongin Kim is a startup founder, a rare breed that can be found in the boards of large Korean companies. After serving as a partner in McKinsey Korea, director in Hyundai Card, and head of global operation at Affinity Equity Partners, he founded Hyper Lounge in 2020, a startup providing a management analytics platform specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. Specialized in business strategy, finance, merger & acquisition (M&A) across domestic and multinational companies, Jeongin Kim, a startup CEO, is recognized as one of the best candidates for the office of director in SKC trying to accelerate business model innovation.Joonsik Chae, a non-executive director candidate, joined SK Group in 2005 and was appointed to be the Head of the Finance Division of SK Inc. this year after serving as manager of Finance Management Office 1 at SK Inc. He is considered to be an expert on finance and strategy.Candidates named by SKC share a common trait: they are all business leaders. As businessmen and women with significant experience across a variety of industrial domains account for a great share of the board membership, they are expected to contribute to enhance the independence of the board decision-making process, providing better insights to management leadership and overseeing their conduct. SKC used the Board Skills Matrix (BSM) to identify new candidates and objectively assess their respective expertise. Electing an outside director as the chair of the board for the first time last year to bolster up the independence of the board, SKC organized a council of outside directors and adopted BSM in a bid to persistently enhance the independence and expertise of the board. An official at SKC said, “We will render our corporate governance healthier by continuing to enhance the diversity and professionalism of the board.” Following their nomination, the candidates will be appointed in an ordinary shareholders’ meeting slated for March. [End][Eunmi Chae, SKC outside director candidate][Jeongin Kim, SKC outside director candidate][Joonsik Chae, SKC non-executive director candidate]
2023-02-23
