Kia publishes 2026 sustainability report highlighting ESG performance

Kia announced Tuesday that it has published its 2026 sustainability report, titled "MOVE," documenting the company's ESG (environmental, social and governance) performance and related information over the past year.

Kia publishes the report annually to disclose its actual progress on ESG issues and to improve access to key data for a broad range of domestic and international stakeholders, including customers, investors and ESG rating agencies.

In his opening message, Kia President Song Ho-sung said the company is not resting on its record earnings but is "making a new leap forward as a sustainable mobility solutions provider." He added that Kia will "continue to respond nimbly to rapidly shifting global market demand, lead the popularization of EVs, and grow into a company of value that actively contributes to solving global environmental and social challenges through genuine action on the climate crisis and transparent governance."

The report was structured around material issues of practical importance to both the company and its stakeholders, in line with the global trend toward mandatory ESG disclosure.

Specifically, the report is divided into four parts: a "Company Overview" section covering the CEO message, key financial indicators, Kia's product lineup, and corporate philosophy and brand strategy; an "ESG Strategy" section on Kia's ESG vision and strategic framework, ESG governance, and a summary of major annual ESG performance; an "Environment/Social/Governance" section detailing progress in each ESG area across four perspectives — governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets; and an "ESG Data and Indicators" section containing three years of quantitative ESG data.

Lee Deok-hyeon, Kia's head of sustainability management and executive director, said the company "will continue to make tireless efforts toward a sustainable future, grounded in genuine commitment to climate action, the enhancement of stakeholder value and shared growth, and transparent and ethical governance."

Meanwhile, Kia earlier received a "Leadership A" rating — the highest available — in the water security category at the 2025 CDP Korea Awards, held in March at Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel, and won the "Excellence Award" in the consumer discretionary sector for the second consecutive year.

CDP is an international initiative led by global financial institutions that annually assesses major companies' capacity to address environmental issues and publishes results across eight rating tiers, including Leadership A, Leadership A- and Management B.