Climate disclosure, supply chain management reviewed; committee restructured around external experts; biodiversity risk response strengthened
Korea Zinc held its first Sustainability Management Promotion Committee meeting of the year, reviewing key ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues including climate disclosure, biodiversity and supply chain management. The company said it aims to strengthen its response capabilities through a discussion framework centered on external experts, amid tightening global ESG disclosure standards.
Korea Zinc announced Wednesday that it convened the "First Sustainability Management Promotion Committee Meeting of 2026" at its headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The meeting was attended by Jeong Moo-kyung, president and committee chair, along with relevant executives and external ESG advisory members.
The main agenda items were the publication plan for the 2026 Sustainability Management Report, an analysis of climate-related financial impacts, biodiversity risk management and supply chain management system enhancement.
The committee first reviewed preparations for the "2026 Sustainability Management Report," scheduled for release at the end of this month. The report will follow the GRI Standards, the global benchmark for sustainability reporting, and will cover Korea Zinc's major ESG issues including occupational health and safety management, climate change response, and ethics and compliance.
Results of a financial impact analysis conducted in preparation for climate disclosure requirements were also shared. Korea Zinc said it is analyzing the risks and opportunities that climate change and tightening carbon emission regulations could pose to its business, in line with the disclosure frameworks of the International Sustainability Standards Board and the Korea Sustainability Standards Board. The company plans to use this analysis to refine its medium- and long-term response strategies and management systems.
Natural capital was also on the agenda. The committee reviewed the current status of biodiversity analysis and management measures under the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework. The TNFD is a global framework that recommends companies disclose the impacts of their business activities on natural capital and ecosystems, as well as related risks.
Korea Zinc has analyzed the biodiversity impacts and dependencies of its major operations and supply chains, and identified related risks and opportunities. The company plans to use these findings as a basis for strengthening its biodiversity management system over the medium and long term.
Supply chain management enhancement was another key agenda item. Korea Zinc said it is working to address risks such as human rights violations and environmental damage that may arise in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, and is reinforcing its ethical sourcing framework for conflict minerals and responsible minerals. The company said it intends to raise sustainability management standards across its entire supply chain, from raw material procurement through production.
"ESG issues are expanding beyond the supply chain into the realm of natural capital," Jeong said. "We will build a discussion framework centered on external experts to continuously strengthen our ESG response capabilities, and will do our utmost to advance our sustainability management system and secure global competitiveness."
Korea Zinc has also been reorganizing its sustainability management structure in recent months. At the end of 2024, it elevated its Sustainability Management Committee — previously an advisory body to the chief executive — to an ESG committee under the board of directors. Last year, it established a new Sustainability Management Promotion Committee as a separate advisory body to the CEO. This year, it restructured the committee's operations to center on external ESG experts, reinforcing expertise and independence.
The Sustainability Management Promotion Committee currently reviews major ESG agenda items in advance and supports decision-making by management and the board of directors.
kwater@heraldcorp.com
