"No 'Kkondae' or 'MZ'... Daesang Group Experiments with a New Organizational Culture"

Change Begins at the Bottom: Launch of the 'Junior Board'
Strengthening Autonomy with 'Growglobal' and Workation Programs

"We will not use terms like 'Kkondae' or 'MZ.' We want to break down generational barriers and create genuine 'respect.'"

Young employees have taken the initiative to change the organizational culture themselves. This is being done through the 'Junior Board,' which Daesang Group began operating this year. The group has launched an experiment to improve organizational culture by having 31 junior talents from seven affiliates establish and execute self-directed tasks every month, and communicate directly with the CEOs of each affiliate. The aim is to realize change that starts from the bottom, moving away from the traditional top-down decision-making structure. Daesang Group, which has inherited the late founder Lim Dae-hong's philosophy and positioned 'respect' as a core value, has set a goal to build a healthy communication culture based on this principle.

Employees are taking a commemorative photo at the Junior Board inauguration ceremony of Daesang Group held in March.
[Photo by Daesang Group]

Respect-Centered Organizational Culture... Regular Communication with Management

According to the food industry on May 12, Daesang Group formed the '2025 Junior Board' this year by selecting 31 staff- and assistant manager-level employees from seven affiliates: Daesang, Daesang Wellife, Daesang Construction, Daesang IT, Daesang Dives, Daesang Foodplus, and Hyeseong Provision. These members propose ideas and establish action plans on various topics such as improving organizational culture and work methods, and share them with management.

At the inauguration ceremony held in March, board members from each affiliate presented their own improvement plans. Kim Myungjun, assistant manager of Daesang TM Team, proposed a structural communication program for self-objectification and intergenerational understanding through the 'True Respect Project.' They use the 'Daesang Character Test,' inspired by MBTI, to reflect on themselves, and implement processes to understand other departments through card news and site visits. The structure is to know 'me,' understand 'you,' and create 'us.' Daesang Dives planned an in-house contest called 'Bottom-Top Idea,' where management evaluates employee ideas, while Daesang Wellife initiated the 'Becoming One Project' to strengthen bonds between related departments.

The core of all these proposals is to 'break down barriers.' The aim is to dismantle walls between departments, ranks, and generations, and to fundamentally change the language and structure of the organization to enable organic and horizontal collaboration. At the inauguration ceremony, Daesang CEO Lim Jungbae stated, "We will actively support young ideas so they can lead to real change." In practice, board activities are operated through regular conversations and task reports with management, as well as actual implementation in departments.

Changing Everyday Life Together... Challenge Platform and Global Workation

Daesang Group's organizational culture innovation is not limited to the Junior Board. Since December last year, the company has also been operating a self-directed challenge-based platform called 'grow' across all affiliates. Employees can create and participate in challenges themselves, sharing everyday moments such as exercise, reading, and animal photos, which encourages natural interaction and connection.

As of the end of last month, there have been 159 accumulated challenge launches, with about 450 participants. This is being evaluated as an experiment that goes beyond simple leisure activities to respect each member's autonomy and preferences, thereby increasing the flexibility of the organizational culture.

Daesang Group has also launched a global workation program in partnership with Miyazaki City in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. This program connects Korea and Japan, with the goal of boosting creativity and expanding the foundation for global exchange by combining work and rest. The first five employees selected as participants worked remotely in dedicated spaces in Miyazaki City and took part in local cultural experiences. This is an experiment that goes beyond a simple welfare program, encompassing improvements in job satisfaction, network expansion, and the creation of public value in the local community.

A Daesang Group official stated, "For a company to continue growing, it needs the perspective of the younger generation, who are sensitive to change," adding, "We will move away from the existing vertical organizational culture and establish a horizontal communication system that is built together by various generations."