The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) and the Korea Environment Industry & Technology Institute (President Choi Heung-jin) will start soliciting proposals for tailored ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) diagnosis (consulting) support projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from February 16.

This project will diagnose (consult) and support various initiatives for building ESG management systems, including environmentally friendly process assessment and improvement, development of greenhouse gas emission inventories, and ESG education. 

Last year, support was provided to 92 SMEs, achieving approximately 10 billion won in economic benefits annually through efficiency improvements in energy, greenhouse gas, and waste reduction at manufacturing sites. Particularly noteworthy are cases where support for diagnosis (consulting) meeting the ESG management requirements of overseas clients contributed to meeting export contract conditions.

Furthermore, last February, the Ministry of Environment signed a business agreement with major export companies (Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai-Kia Motors) to promote mutual cooperation in ESG management, establishing a system to strengthen environmental, social, and governance capabilities across the entire supply chain.

This year, in addition to the existing foundational diagnosis (consulting) process aimed at building basic skills in ESG management, a new advanced course has been introduced to enable practical response to environmental trade regulations in a timely manner.

While the basic course consists of general topics such as assessing a company's environmentally friendly processes and establishing greenhouse gas management systems, the advanced course is structured to provide more specialized support. It includes 'Environmental Trade Barrier Response Diagnosis (Consulting)' tailored to international environmental regulations and 'Carbon Reduction Product Design and Production Diagnosis (Consulting)' aimed at enhancing the carbon competitiveness of produced items.

The 'Environmental Trade Barrier Response Diagnosis (Consulting)' includes activities such as disclosing climate-related information through 'Climate Disclosure' and assessing and evaluating ESG criteria and practices throughout the business processes via 'Supply Chain Audits.' This aims to enable compliance with environmental trade regulations through activities like public disclosure and registration of environmental information and conducting simulated supply chain audits.

The 'Carbon Reduction Product Design and Production Diagnosis (Consulting)' targets industries such as automotive and petrochemicals where securing carbon competitiveness is urgent. It supports the assessment of the entire product lifecycle (LCA), and the establishment of strategies for reducing carbon emissions and process improvements. This service is characterized by providing bundled (packaged) diagnostics (consulting) to relevant suppliers within the supply chain.

This year, support is planned to be provided to over 130 SMEs with high export proportions or included in key supply chains. 

For detailed information such as recruitment periods and eligibility criteria for each project, please visit the websites of the Ministry of Environment (www.me.go.kr) and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (www.keiti.re.kr).

※ For detailed information on support programs, guidance on how to fill out applications, and submission methods, please contact the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute ESG Management Support Office at +82 2) 2284-1966, 1988, or 1968.

Jang Gi-bok, Director General of the Green Transition Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, stated, "We will provide support programs that can substantially assist companies by closely analyzing rapidly changing international environmental trade regulations." He also emphasized, "We will do our best to enhance the export competitiveness of our companies and strengthen their capabilities in environmental, social, and governance (ESG)."

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com