Chairman Yang Jonghee: "Serving as a Catalyst for Growth in a Safe Environment"
Introduction of a Performance-Based Social Contribution Model
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Support Programs
On the 19th, at the KB Kookmin Bank New Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, a commemorative photo was taken during the "Small and Medium Business Industrial Safety Support Agreement Ceremony" with Yang Jonghee, Chairman of KB Financial Group (left), Han Seongsuk, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (center), and Kang Seokjin, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation. Provided by KB Financial
KB Financial Group announced on the 21st that it has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Supporting Industrial Safety for Small and Medium Enterprises" with the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation.
According to KB Financial, Han Seongsuk, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Yang Jonghee, Chairman of KB Financial Group, and Kang Seokjin, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation, held the signing ceremony on the 19th at the KB Kookmin Bank New Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
This agreement was established to address the urgent challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in implementing major accident prevention measures. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups initiated support for industrial safety in SMEs through the "Innovation Voucher" program, while KB Financial and the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation developed a public-private cooperation model.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, KB Financial, and the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation plan to identify and nurture companies with outstanding industrial safety technologies and support the establishment of industrial safety systems. Through these efforts, they aim to create a virtuous cycle ecosystem for industrial safety to prevent serious accidents.
Starting from the first quarter of next year, KB Financial will design detailed business structures, identify and select participating companies, and establish a system for recruiting and matching target SMEs. The group intends to focus its efforts on spreading a safety culture that prioritizes "prevention before accidents" rather than "response after accidents."
In addition, the group will discover companies with excellent industrial safety technologies that are struggling to find sales channels, and will support product supply, on-site inspections, and training for SMEs. Through these initiatives, KB Financial aims to simultaneously foster the growth of companies with safety-related technologies and bring about tangible improvements in the safety standards of SME industrial sites.
Notably, this project will introduce a "performance-based social contribution model" that differentiates compensation based on results. KB Financial will set clear goals for each participating company and provide additional incentives to outstanding performers according to their achievement rates. The cooperation model is designed to ensure that support is focused on areas with proven accident prevention effects.
Minister Han stated, "This agreement will serve as an exemplary case of collaboration, with private financial institutions and public agencies sharing responsibility to protect the industrial safety of SMEs. We will further strengthen policy support and cooperation with relevant ministries and organizations so that industrial accident prevention policies can be truly felt on the ground."
Chairman Yang emphasized, "Safety at SME worksites is an essential value that protects both corporate sustainability and workers' quality of life. We will systematically nurture outstanding companies and spare no effort to support their practical contributions to the safe growth of SMEs." He added, "Together with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small and Medium Business Promotion Corporation, we will take the lead in creating an environment where SMEs can grow with confidence in a safe setting and serve as a catalyst for this transformation."
Chairman Kang stated, "With this agreement as a starting point, we will create an environment in which regional SMEs can practice safety management focused on accident prevention, and actively link related policy projects to support the continuous growth of SMEs."
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