KB Securities Hosts 'B-Corp Wave' to Expand ESG Ecosystem

On the 14th, KB Securities announced on the 19th that it held the 'B Corp Wave' event to expand the ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) ecosystem at KT&G Sangsang Planet in Seongdong-gu, Seoul.

B Corp Wave is an event planned by KB Securities in collaboration with B Lab Korea and MY Social Network to create a wave of social change through corporate power, with the theme of 'a place to connect values for change.'

B Corp is a certification and brand established by the U.S. nonprofit B Lab in 2006, awarded to companies that pursue financial and social value in balance, verifying high transparency, accountability, and socio-environmental performance. To receive B Corp certification, a company’s business model must be evaluated across five areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. Obtaining B Corp certification allows companies to quickly build a brand image as environmentally and socially conscious. Over 7,900 companies across 161 industries in 93 countries worldwide have received B Corp certification, with notable companies including Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Danone, Aveda, Nespresso, and Unilever Australia.

The event, hosted by KB Securities together with MY Social Company, a social innovation consulting and impact investment specialist, and B Lab Korea, the leader of B Corp certification in Korea, was attended by multinational B Corp certified companies, members of 1% for the Planet who donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations, domestic large corporations, public institutions, and social impact companies interested in the B Corp movement.

First, global B Corp certified companies Ben & Jerry’s, the world’s top-selling large-volume ice cream brand, and TodoWorks introduced their ongoing activities to solve social issues as B Corp companies. Next, Musinsa explained the background of its sustainable lifestyle specialty store 'Musinsa Earth' joining 1% for the Planet, emphasizing that it joined the initiative out of empathy for environmental and social values as a service considering the environment.

Following this, KB Securities shared ideas on the expansion of B Corp certified companies and ecosystem growth in Korea under the theme 'Why should we support and unite with the B Corp movement?' and announced plans to actively support this in the future. Yuhan-Kimberly emphasized the need for empathy and solidarity among companies to expand the sustainable corporate ecosystem under the theme 'Why must we collaborate for sustainability?'

Kim Sung-hyun, CEO of KB Securities, stated, "Holding the B Corp Wave event together with B Lab Korea marks the starting point of our journey to expand environmental and social impact through fostering B Corp companies in Korea. Going forward, we will join forces with B Lab Korea and MY Social Company to expand the B Corp ecosystem in Korea," adding, "KB Securities will sincerely pursue various ESG-related external activities to further expand social impact through corporate transformation."