SK Hynix Conducts Anseongcheon Ecological Monitoring on Earth Day

Anseongcheon Exploration and Environmental Cleanup Activities

On the 22nd, SK Hynix announced on the 23rd that it conducted the 'ECOSEE Program,' an ecological monitoring activity of Anseongcheon Stream, with the families of Korea Microsoft (MSFT) members in celebration of Earth Day.

About 30 family members from both companies participated as citizen scientists in the event. They explored aquatic organisms, plants, and birds around Anseongcheon Stream in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, while engaging in plogging activities to clean the river surroundings.

The ECOSEE Program is an initiative by SK Hynix in collaboration with MSFT and the Forest and Sharing Foundation aimed at preserving biodiversity in Anseongcheon Stream, a waterway near the Yongin semiconductor cluster. The program observes ecological changes and transparently records them.

An SK Hynix official stated, "We are strengthening collaboration with MSFT, which provides artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for collecting, managing, and utilizing ecological conservation-related data." He added, "Especially this year, the program's significance was enhanced as family members from both companies directly participated in field activities."

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), an international organization established in June 2021 under the leadership of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop disclosure frameworks related to corporate natural risks, recommends that companies clearly identify risk factors affecting biodiversity and natural capital (an economic concept representing resources obtained from nature) and disclose their response plans. Since ecological environments subject to related research and disclosure vary greatly and are complex by region, a large amount of data and evaluation indicators are required for sufficient understanding.

To this end, SK Hynix, MSFT, and the Forest and Sharing Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in October of the same year for the 'Anseongcheon Species Diversity Research and Digital Green Talent Development Project.' They have built the digital app ECOSEE to collect and analyze ecosystem observation data with local residents and environmental experts.

Cho Seong-bong, Vice President and Head of ESG Promotion at SK Hynix, said, "We will strengthen collaboration between the two companies for ecological conservation," adding, "Through the 'Yongin Semiconductor Cluster Biodiversity Project,' which has been underway since 2022, we will continue ecosystem research, support environmental education for local middle and high schools, and nurture ESG data scientists."