Gwangju Shinsegae's Support Drives Improvement in Partners' Sales and ESG Management Indicators

Spol Golf and Barie Selected for ESG Support Program

Gwangju Shinsegae Co., Ltd. (CEO Lee Donghoon) announced on September 18 that it has implemented a mutual growth program to support its partner companies in ESG management, resulting in significant improvements in both sales and ESG management indicators for these companies.

Gwangju Shinsegae launched its "ESG Support Program" in 2023. This program aims to help partner companies improve their ESG-related indicators, specifically targeting those interested in ESG management but lacking the necessary manpower and budget.

An employee is handing a pizza to a customer at the Gwangju Shinsegae Barie store. Photo by Gwangju Shinsegae

Gwangju Shinsegae provides step-by-step feedback to selected companies by assessing their efforts in environmental responsibility and fulfillment of social obligations. Companies that demonstrate improved performance through this process receive additional support, such as the creation of detailed online product pages and influencer marketing to expand their sales channels.

To date, the companies selected for Gwangju Shinsegae's ESG Support Program include Spol Golf and Barie. Spol Golf is a manufacturer of sports and golf products, such as innerwear, UV-blocking masks, and golf gloves, made from functional materials. The company first established a relationship with Gwangju Shinsegae by participating in a short-term event held at the department store in 2017.

Although Spol Golf, which manufactures all its products domestically and is recognized for its advanced technology, wanted to adopt ESG management, it faced challenges due to limited budget and manpower.

Recognizing the potential of Spol Golf as an outstanding local partner, Gwangju Shinsegae provided ESG education and expert consulting for about two weeks in April 2023, aiming to improve the company’s management indicators. As a result, Spol Golf achieved a 74% increase in online sales compared to the same period the previous year. In addition to the rise in sales, the company successfully expanded its distribution network by entering Shinsegae Department Store’s Gangnam and Daegu branches.

Barie, a Gwangju-based F&B brand that opened on the first basement floor of Gwangju Shinsegae’s main building in June 2024, also achieved notable results through the ESG Support Program.

Before consulting, Barie scored 39.5 points in an ESG management evaluation. After receiving expert consulting, the company significantly improved its ESG management indicators, ultimately achieving a score of 92.1. Subsequently, Gwangju Shinsegae supported Barie’s brand promotion by collaborating with well-known local influencers for channel marketing. As a result, Barie’s sales in July and August increased by more than 20% compared to the same period the previous year.

Gwangju Shinsegae continues to take the lead in ESG management as a local corporation by helping regional companies such as Spol Golf and Barie improve their ESG management indicators and fulfilling its social responsibilities. Through these efforts, the company received an A grade for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) in the ESG evaluation conducted by the Korea ESG Standards Institute.

Lee Donghoon, CEO of Gwangju Shinsegae, stated, "As a local corporation, we have been committed to supporting the ESG growth of our partner companies, believing that their growth is directly linked to the growth of Gwangju Shinsegae. We will continue to discover outstanding partners and support them so that we can grow together."

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