35-Hour Workweek, Childcare Support, and Employee Benefits
Gwangju Shinsegae announced on the 18th that it has been recognized as a family-friendly certified company after passing the 2025 certification extension review, organized by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, with an excellent score of 92.7 points.
Gwangju Shinsegae, employee representative Sungchun Kim (left) and support team leader Kiwoong Kim are posing for a commemorative photo holding the plaque for Family-Friendly Excellent Company. Photo by Gwangju Shinsegae
The family-friendly company certification is a system that grants certification to companies and public institutions that operate family-friendly policies in an exemplary manner, following a rigorous review process.
Family-friendly policies include support for childbirth and childcare, flexible work arrangements, and the creation of a family-friendly workplace culture. The initial certification is valid for three years, and the validity period can be extended for two more years before the expiration of the initial certification.
The review for large corporations includes practical and effective criteria such as top management leadership, implementation of family-friendly policies, satisfaction with family-friendly management, and self-assessment (online) records, making robust operations a key standard.
Gwangju Shinsegae first received its initial certification in 2014, and in the 2025 family-friendly certification review, it was recognized for its achievements by earning a total score of 92.7 points. By category, the company received 10.0 points for top management leadership, 54.0 points for implementation of family-friendly policies, 10.0 points for self-assessment (online) records, and 10.0 bonus points.
Gwangju Shinsegae has been highly praised for creating a family-friendly environment by offering a 35-hour workweek, parental leave, flexible use of annual leave, and family care leave. The company also received high marks for its diverse support systems for employees and their dependents, such as health checkups and medical expense support, mental and physical wellness programs, company housing support, and housing loans.
In particular, in the 'top management leadership' category, where the company earned a perfect score, Gwangju Shinsegae ranked among the top large corporations by actively gathering and reflecting employees' opinions and welfare needs through the 'One Family Council' before making executive decisions, thereby boosting motivation in the workplace.
The One Family Council is an organization composed of employee representatives and delegates elected directly by staff, and it leads initiatives to invigorate the organization, such as providing snacks for employees on their way to work, hosting morale-boosting events for holidays, and organizing company-wide bowling tournaments.
Notably, 92% of female employees at Gwangju Shinsegae utilize parental leave or reduced working hours for childcare, and the retention rate after parental and maternity leave is 100%. The usage rate of paternity leave is also 100%, demonstrating a high implementation rate of childcare support policies.
Lee Donghoon, CEO of Gwangju Shinsegae, stated, "We have worked to foster a family-friendly workplace culture, believing that a balance between work and family leads to the company's growth," adding, "We will continue to listen to employees' opinions from various perspectives and strive to make our company a great place to work."
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