Kakao Selected as 'Top 1%' in S&P's '2023 Corporate Sustainability Assessment'

Kakao announced on the 16th that it was selected as ‘Top 1%’, the highest rating, in the ‘2023 Corporate Sustainability Assessment’ published by S&P Global, one of the world’s leading credit rating agencies.

S&P Global publishes an annual report based on the results of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), which evaluate corporate sustainability. It selects top companies by industry, categorizing them into Top 1%, 5%, and 10%. Companies with excellent sustainability are chosen by comprehensively considering performance in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) areas. This evaluation covered a total of 61 industry groups and 7,822 companies worldwide.

Among 134 companies in the Interactive Media, Services & Home Entertainment industry group, which includes major online service companies, Kakao achieved the highest score of 65 points and was the only company selected as ‘Top 1%’. Among all evaluated companies, 67 companies received the ‘Top 1%’ rating, and only six companies out of 618 domestic companies qualified.

Since establishing the ESG Committee under the Board of Directors in January 2021 and the ESG General Organization in March 2022, Kakao has been actively pursuing various ESG activities. Recently, it purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) produced by citizen cooperatives nationwide, converting 100% of the electricity consumption at its Jeju office to renewable energy.

As a result of continuous ESG management efforts, Kakao was included for two consecutive years in the 2022 DJSI World, Asia Pacific, and Korea indices. Additionally, it received an AA rating in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) evaluation and achieved an A rating in the integrated category and A ratings across all ESG categories in the ‘KCGS ESG Evaluation’ announced by the Korea ESG Standards Institute.

Yook Sim-na, Head of Kakao’s ESG Business, said, “This result is due to our focused efforts on ESG management to create outcomes through various activities such as responding to the climate crisis, operating win-win programs, and enhancing digital accessibility.” She added, “Through steady and substantial ESG management activities, we will continue to strive to create social value that only Kakao can deliver.”