SK Innovation Provides Free Life Cycle Assessment Support to Social Enterprise "Aitrin"

Supporting Eco-Friendly Verification for Recycled Plastic Umbrellas
Opening LCA Expertise to Social Enterprises
"Key Indicator of Eco-Friendliness... Building a Sustainable Ecosystem"

SK Innovation has leveraged its environmental technology capabilities to support social enterprises in entering the global market. The company provided a free Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for products made by Aitrin, a social venture that manufactures umbrellas from recycled plastic.

SK Innovation announced on the 5th that it held an LCA Verification Certificate Award Ceremony for Aitrin's upcycled umbrella at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the previous day, the 4th. This assessment support is part of a "pro bono" initiative, which helps social enterprises secure the data needed for eco-friendly product certification and for developing overseas sales channels.

Ilsu Kim, Head of Technology Strategy at SK Innovation Environmental Science and Technology Institute (from left), Woojae Jung, CEO of Aitrin, and Wookyung Kim, Head of PR at SK Innovation, are posing for a commemorative photo at the "Aitrin Product LCA Verification Certificate Award Ceremony" held on the 4th at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. SK Innovation

The Life Cycle Assessment is a system that quantitatively evaluates the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material procurement to production, transportation, use, and disposal. Recently, as ESG standards are being strengthened in the global market, more organizations are requiring the submission of LCA data. However, since specialized personnel and costs are needed, it is not easy for small and social enterprises to respond on their own.

Since establishing its LCA system within the Environmental Science and Technology Institute in 2019, SK Innovation has continued to provide free consulting services by utilizing LCA specialists in cooperation with the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency. This year, the assessment expert team directly analyzed Aitrin's products and ensured objectivity through third-party verification by the global certification body DNV.

Aitrin's recycled plastic umbrellas are characterized by their ease of separation for recycling, simple parts replacement, and extended product lifespan. In September, the umbrella became the first in Korea to receive the Ministry of Environment's Eco-Label certification.

Ilsu Kim, Head of Technology Strategy at SK Innovation Environmental Science and Technology Institute, stated, "The Life Cycle Assessment is a key indicator that can objectively prove a product's eco-friendliness," adding, "We will contribute to building a sustainable industrial ecosystem by sharing SK Innovation's technological capabilities with social enterprises."