SK Telecom Provides Customized ESG Solutions for Social Startups

‘ESG KOREA 2021’ Participants: 11 Organizations Support and Foster Startups Seeking Solutions to Social Issues
Exploring Solutions to Environmental Problems, Social Inequality, and Disaster Prevention with 14 Startups

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] SK Telecom announced on the 1st that it held the 'ESG Korea 2021' Alliance Workshop on the 31st, seeking ESG management strategies to solve social issues together with 14 innovative startups it is nurturing.

The ESG Korea 2021 Alliance is a coalition of domestic and international companies, social entrepreneurs, educational institutions, and investors participating to support the challenges and growth of startups in the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) sector. It consists of 11 organizations including SK Telecom, Microsoft, SAP, Sopung Ventures, HGI, Venture Square, Miracle Lab, MYSC, SK Social Entrepreneur Center, SBA Seongsu Hub, and Hanyang University.

The ESG Alliance selected 14 startups from 173 applicants to the ESG Korea 2021 program in June and has been conducting a startup accelerating program for about six months since the end of July. Through this, startups are supported to proactively pursue everything from setting ESG goals to service development, market entry, and global expansion.

Global companies such as Microsoft and SAP are helping startups by integrating leading nurturing programs into the ESG Alliance, while specialized firms like Sopung Ventures and HGI, venture media Venture Square, and innovation consulting company MYSC provide advice in their respective fields of expertise.

SK Telecom took charge of planning and operating the ESG Korea 2021 program, coordinating cooperation among startups, expert groups, investors, and ESG performance measurement institutions. Additionally, it will continuously seek opportunities for collaboration between startups participating in ESG Korea 2021 and SK ICT family companies.

The workshop held online via video conference on the 31st included special lectures, discussions, and practical sessions on how startups can establish impact indicators and goals based on social and environmental achievements, internalize ESG management, and create growth stories.

Based on the discussions and practical work by startup representatives at the workshop, the ESG Alliance plans to conduct one-on-one in-depth interviews and then provide solutions tailored to each company's pursued business area and ESG management readiness.

Yeojiyoung, head of Open Collaboration at SK Telecom, stated, “We will collaborate to help startups working on environmental and social issues gain practical support and opportunities for growth, and we will continuously strive to make the ICT industry ecosystem healthier through ESG.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.