KT Reveals 10 Key ESG Tasks... Driving ESG Management

KT Unveils 10 Core ESG Tasks at 'Labor-Management Joint ESG Management Declaration Ceremony'

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] KT has declared ‘KT Labor-Management Joint ESG Management’ and united in strengthening responsibility for environment, society, and governance and creating social value.

On the 15th, KT announced that it held a labor-management joint declaration ceremony for ESG management practice at KT Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. This declaration was promoted based on the consensus between labor and management on ESG management. Through the joint declaration, labor and management resolved to actively practice ESG management by ▲promoting eco-friendly management for future generations and achieving Net Zero 2050 ▲solving social issues through digital innovation technology ▲establishing the highest level of compliance management and transparent governance in Korea ▲forming a labor-management joint ESG committee.

Along with this, KT unveiled 10 core ESG programs. In the environmental sector, it will intensify carbon neutrality implementation. First, as a project to achieve RE100, solar power facilities will be installed at six national stations to build self-sufficient stations that replace 100% of electricity consumption with renewable energy. Additionally, KT will provide the ‘AI Building Operator,’ which autonomously controls indoor temperatures using artificial intelligence (AI), free of charge to 10 public-interest buildings. The AI Building Operator can reduce annual heating and cooling costs by about 10%.

In the social sector, KT focuses on fulfilling social responsibility by utilizing its AI, big data, and cloud technologies. It leads social problem-solving for marginalized groups in cooperation with AI startups and continues projects such as ‘Finding Voices,’ which restores the voices of the hearing impaired using AI technology. Furthermore, to promote co-growth with partner companies, KT distributes guidelines specifying ‘Partner Code of Conduct and Responsibility Standards’ and provides consulting to support partners’ ESG management. It also selected building a safe work environment based on ICT as an ESG task in the social sector. By distributing IoT safety helmets equipped with fall prevention sensors on-site, it eliminates safety blind spots and prevents accidents by conducting non-face-to-face safety education using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies.

In the governance sector, KT focuses on improving governance across all group companies and establishes a compliance system to challenge zero compliance risks. KT expanded the proportion of outside directors to 73% (8 out of 11 members) and separated the chairmanship of board subcommittees to secure the independence and transparency of the board of directors.

Alongside implementing core ESG tasks, KT announced the launch of the eco-friendly campaign ‘Ji.U.Gae (KT’s eco-friendly campaign to protect the Earth, protect us, and protect individuals).’ This campaign is conducted under the themes of email eraser and disposable product eraser, which employees can easily participate in. First, the ‘Email Eraser’ campaign guides employees every Friday to delete unnecessary emails and empty their deleted mailboxes. The ‘Disposable Product Eraser’ campaign is an activity to save the Earth, carried out in partnership with the startup ‘Trashbusters.’ When reusable cups are placed in dedicated collection bins located on all floors of KT East and West buildings, Trashbusters collects and cleans the cups.

KT CEO Hyunmo Koo said, “KT will contribute to solving environmental and social issues with the technologies and solutions it does best,” adding, “We will continue sustainable activities rather than one-time events and establish ourselves as a leading ESG company contributing to Korea’s development.” KT Labor Union Chairman Jangbok Choi said, “Our union will also carry out ESG campaigns that employees can easily participate in and conduct various campaigns where labor and management can jointly participate.”