Social category upgraded to A+; company continues safety and co-growth support for partners
Kangwon Land has received an integrated A rating in the Korea Institute of Corporate Governance and Sustainability's 2026 ESG assessment for the seventh consecutive year, recognizing the company's sustained efforts to build an ESG management framework and pursue sustainable operations.
In this year's assessment, Kangwon Land's social category rose one notch to A+ from A last year, while its environment and governance categories each retained an A rating, the company said Sunday.
The upgrade in the social category reflected continuous improvements in workplace safety. The company obtained certification under the international standard ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety management systems in 2025 and, in the same year, provided about 2.2 billion won ($1.6 million) in safety and health support to partner companies as part of broader efforts to create safe working environments across its operations.
Since 2023, Kangwon Land has contributed to a mutual-growth cooperation fund to strengthen ESG management capabilities among its partners. The company established an ESG code of conduct for partners and has offered ESG consulting, education and diagnostic services. Through these efforts, 12 partner companies have so far obtained "ESG-excellent small and medium-sized enterprise" certification from the Council on Cooperative Partnership.
The Korea Institute of Corporate Governance and Sustainability is a leading ESG rating agency that evaluates the overall environmental, social and governance performance of listed companies in Korea each year, assigning ratings based on the preceding fiscal year's results.
As a listed public enterprise, Kangwon Land pursues ESG management that responds to capital market assessments while aligning with government policy directions in its capacity as a public institution.
Separately, Kangwon Land became the first resort in South Korea to obtain environmental certification for all of its accommodation facilities and received a commendation from the Minister of Climate, Environment and Energy in the group category of the 2026 Government Award for Promoting Eco-friendly Technology and Consumption.
"Maintaining an integrated A rating for seven consecutive years is the result of efforts made by all our employees," Chief Executive Kim Do-gyun said. "We will continue to fulfill our corporate social responsibilities through ESG management and pursue sustainable operations that grow together with the environment, local communities and our partner companies."
abc@heraldcorp.com
