"Carbon Reduction, Sustainable Management... A Matter of Life and Death for Exporting SMEs"

'Green Expert' Seo Wook, CEO of Econine
ESG Management Consulting and Strategy Development
Selected as a Partner of 'EcoVadis'

"ESG and sustainable management have become critical issues that determine the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies that trade with global firms or have significant exports."

Seo Wook, CEO of Econine (pictured), who studied environmental engineering at university, has personally experienced various industries as a 'green expert' for over 10 years. At LG Cable, which he joined in 2004, he was in charge of environmental regulation tasks, and he also worked at EcoFrontier, an environmental consulting firm. Later, he worked at Industrial Bank of Korea and Samil PwC, focusing on how companies can respond to climate change. Seo said, "At that time, awareness of environmental issues was generally low, so I went through many frustrating experiences and suffered from overwork and stress. Although people talked about sustainable management, I realized that my own life was not sustainable, which led me to decide to start my own business."

In 2018, he founded Econine, an ESG specialized consulting firm, and last year recorded nearly 1 billion KRW in sales with 9 employees. His experience and network across various industries proved effective. Econine mainly focuses on establishing and advising on corporate ESG management strategies. They provide comprehensive consulting from A to Z for SMEs and mid-sized companies that want to pursue ESG management but feel overwhelmed, and also handle the preparation of sustainability reports that include ESG activity outcomes and future directions.

The company helps facilitate quick decision-making and reduces trial and error for businesses. Their clients range from entertainment companies like SM and YG to affiliates of SK and Hyundai, regardless of industry or size. Domestic suppliers to Apple have also received consulting from Econine. Seo said, "For export-driven SMEs, ESG management is no longer a vague concept but a reality. Apple is so strict that it demands greenhouse gas reduction targets from its suppliers."

Seo Wook, CEO of Econine, attended the ESG forum 'sustain 2023' held in Paris, France, last March, where he met Richard Eyram, Chief Customer Officer (CCO) of EcoVadis. Econine was selected last year as the first official training partner of EcoVadis in Korea.

Seo believed that Econine, as an ESG consulting firm, should lead by example in ESG management. Accordingly, they practice ESG management aligned with global standards. They have joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), which upholds 10 principles across four areas?human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption?and shares sustainable management achievements. They also participate in the '1% for the Planet' initiative, donating more than 1% of their sales to the planet.

The greatest achievement for Econine last year was being selected as the first official training partner of EcoVadis in Korea. EcoVadis is a global supply chain assessment organization headquartered in Paris, France. It evaluates the environmental and social impacts of over 100,000 companies in more than 160 countries worldwide, contributing to innovation in industrial ecosystems. Econine gained the authority to train certified consultants using EcoVadis’s platform and methodology.

Seo’s dream is not to grow Econine quantitatively but to make it a workplace where employees grow together. To recruit diverse talents, they have adopted flexible work styles such as a four-day workweek and remote or work-from-home options. In the second half of this year, they plan overseas business trips with employees to understand global trends in ESG management consulting. Most employees aspire to become ESG experts and work proactively and responsibly. Seo stated, "I realized that the core of sustainability is 'controlling growth.' Rather than becoming a large company, I want to nurture many good talents and contribute to building the ESG ecosystem."

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