SK Square announced on the 28th that it received an A rating in the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) evaluation by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI). In the evaluation conducted in January last year, shortly after SK Square's launch, it received a BB rating, marking a two-level improvement from the previous rating.
Since 1999, MSCI has evaluated the ESG management performance of publicly listed companies worldwide, assigning ratings on a seven-level scale from AAA (highest) to CCC (lowest). The MSCI ESG evaluation is widely used as a reference by institutional investors and is known for its high credibility.
SK Square explained that it received a high evaluation from MSCI due to its active ESG management activities, including ▲pursuing ‘Net Zero 2040’ ▲declaring human rights for its members and proactively conducting human rights impact assessments ▲efforts to improve information protection processes ▲and practicing board-centered responsible management.
In the environmental sector, SK Square is pursuing ‘Net Zero 2040’ to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 through converting corporate vehicles to electric cars and purchasing renewable energy. In the social sector, it proactively implemented human rights declarations and human rights impact assessments for its members. It also improved information protection processes by obtaining certification for its Information Security Management System (ISO27001) to protect corporate information assets. In the governance sector, SK Square practices board-centered responsible management and obtained certification for its Anti-Corruption Management System (ISO 37001) to enhance its anti-corruption management system and secure international trust.
Additionally, SK Square joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to strengthen ESG management and social responsibility practices. The UNGC is the world's largest voluntary international agreement that supports networking and knowledge sharing to help companies practice social responsibility and contribute to sustainability. Established in New York in 2000, it currently has over 20,000 member companies from 166 countries worldwide. By joining the UNGC, SK Square commits to adhering to the 10 principles expressed by the UNGC in areas such as environment, human rights, labor, and anti-corruption, and plans to transparently disclose its activities aimed at achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to stakeholders by submitting an annual Communication on Progress (CoP) report.
Jung Jae-heon, Head of the Investment Support Center at SK Square, stated, “The acquisition of the A rating is the result of company-wide efforts to establish an ESG management system in a short period since the company’s founding,” adding, “We will continue to lead ESG management and strive to enhance corporate value.”
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