Hoban Group Provides ESG Training to 100 Small and Medium Construction Firms... Discovering and Nurturing Startups

'Considerate Company 2.0' Ninth Business Agreement
Supporting Startups Through Accelerator Subsidiary
60 Billion KRW Management Stabilization Fund to Small Businesses

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Hoban Group has been named the ninth company in the 'Caring Company 2.0' initiative. Hoban Group plans to support ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management education and consulting for 100 small and medium-sized construction companies, and to discover, nurture, and invest in 100 startups.

On the 24th, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups signed a business agreement with Hoban Group and the Korea Startup Forum to promote 'ESG management expansion and startup activation in the construction sector for small and medium-sized enterprises.'

This agreement is the ninth under the 'Caring Company 2.0' initiative, through which the Ministry of SMEs and Startups signs agreements with companies related to timely key areas such as ESG, the Korean New Deal, and carbon neutrality.

Over the past four years, Hoban Group has established a win-win cooperation fund of 60 billion KRW to promote mutual growth activities with small and medium-sized partner companies. In 2019, it became the first in the construction industry to establish an accelerator corporation and has invested in over 20 companies to date, continuing win-win cooperation with partners and startups, which led to its selection as a 'Caring Company 2.0' company.

The main points of the agreement are as follows. First, Hoban Group will develop ESG guidelines specialized for small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry and support ESG management education and consulting for 100 small and medium-sized construction companies.

Additionally, it will support production facility replacement costs for small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction sector and operate welfare support systems for partner company executives and employees, including management education for executives, scholarships for their children, and discounts on welfare facility usage fees.

Hoban Group plans to discover 100 startups in new industry fields such as smart city big data and proptech through its subsidiaries Plan H Ventures and Cornerstone Investment Partners. It will provide them with acceleration programs, open offices, management and technical consulting, and promote linked investments for outstanding companies.

It will also hold technology contests for small and medium-sized enterprises possessing new technologies and new construction methods and support research and development expenses.

The Korea Startup Forum will discover and recommend companies to participate in the startup nurturing programs operated by Hoban Group to revitalize the new industry startup ecosystem.

Hoban Group will provide 6 billion KRW in management stabilization funds, including rent and maintenance fees, to small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners facing management crises due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Kim Seon-gyu, Chairman of Hoban Group, said, "As a voluntarily cooperative company, we will grow together and leap forward with small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, and small business owners."

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated, "With this agreement, we hope that ESG management for small and medium-sized enterprises will expand not only in manufacturing, chemical, and energy sectors but also in the construction sector, and that the founding of innovative startups will be activated."

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