Hansome, Expanding to Paris, France, Provides ESG Consulting Support to Partners

Customized ESG Consulting for Knit Processing Partners
Proactive Response to EU Guidelines "Foundation for Global Market Expansion"

Hansome, a fashion specialist company affiliated with Hyundai Department Store Group, announced on the 16th that it will introduce a customized ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) consulting program for small and medium-sized enterprises. Hansome is the first domestic fashion company to develop and provide its own ESG consulting specifically for its partners.

The first consulting targets are small and medium-sized partner companies that have been responsible for processing knit products for Hansome's main brands such as Time, System, and The Cashmere for over 20 years.

For this consulting, Hansome adjusted the 19 ESG evaluation criteria used in last year's consulting to 13 items (5 environmental, 7 social, 1 governance) that fit the management environment of small and micro partner companies and are realistically acceptable and improvable.

Based on the consulting results, Hansome also provides practical support to enhance the business competitiveness of its partners, including ▲improving working conditions ▲providing safety education ▲strengthening financial support.

First, Hansome held a ‘Cleaning Day’ in cooperation with a professional cleaning company to inspect and clean the workplaces of its partners. They preemptively removed industrial safety hazards by inspecting loading areas and passageways, secured safe evacuation routes, and provided inventory management know-how to enable efficient and safe logistics loading.

Additionally, in the second half of this year, Hansome plans to conduct online training related to the Serious Accident Punishment Act for its partners and provide education using resources such as the ‘Support Guide for Establishing Safety and Health Management Systems in Small Workplaces’ offered by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

Hansome has also allocated an annual budget of approximately 8 billion KRW to support companies among its partners that actively engage in ESG management improvement activities, offering interest-free loans and funds for purchasing safety equipment. Last year, during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, Hansome also made early payments totaling 60 billion KRW to ease the financial burden on its partners.

A Hansome representative said, “Small and medium-sized companies tend to have less interest in ESG, but by providing consulting and financial support, we aim to foster the perception that ESG practically helps create a safe working environment and strengthens business competitiveness.”

Hansome’s ESG consulting support for its partners aligns with the global ESG management trend, including the ‘Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)’ to be introduced mainly by the EU. The CSDDD is a system that imposes ESG due diligence obligations on the entire business process, including partners, for companies operating in EU countries. It was finally approved by the EU Council in May and is scheduled to be implemented from 2027.

Hansome explained that as it accelerates its global market entry starting with Paris, France, it proactively began ESG consulting for its partners to comply with the CSDDD, which is regarded as a global standard. Last month, Hansome opened its global flagship store ‘System·System Homme Paris’ in Paris, France, and since 2019, it has been the only domestic native fashion brand to participate twice annually in Paris Fashion Week.

Hansome plans to select two additional partner companies for support within this year and gradually expand the scope of the program.